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Tatsienlu Massif, Wupingfeng (5,672m), west face direct.
By Yan Dongdong, China, with historical information from Pedro Detjen, Germany, and Tamotsu Nakamura, Japan
Part of the Tatsienlu Massif seen from the west-northwest in November 2008. (A) Erpingfeng (ca 5,850m), (B) Sanpingfeng (ca 5,910m), (C) Shehaizi Shan or Szepingfeng (5,878m, PLA Map), and (D) Wupingfeng (5,672m, PLA Map). The 2010 Chinese route is marked. The 1996 route starts left of the lower rock barrier but then moves right to the broad snow crest of the west ridge. The names Erpingfeng, Sanpingfeng etc mean Second Peak, Third Peak etc (numbered from the north) and were given by the famous cartographer, Eduard Imhof, and explorer, Arnold Heim, both from Switzerland, who surveyed the range in 1930. Tamotsu Nakamura
Tatsienlu Massif from west. (A) Yipingfeng (First Peak). (B) Erpingfeng (Second Peak). (C) Sanpingfeng (Third Peak). (D) Szepingfeng (a.k.a. Shehaizishan, Fourth Peak). (E) Wupingfeng (Fifth Peak). (F) Haopingling (5,864m, PLA Map). (G) Tshungpingling (a.k.a. Baihaizishan - White Lake Peak - 5,924m PLA Map). (H) Tshienpingling (5,612m, PLA Map). Lamo-she (6,070m) is off picture to right. Tamotsu Nakamura/captions from Pedro Detjen
From a base camp below the glacier on the west side of the mountain, Gu Jie, Liu Yang, and Peng Xiaolong made most likely the second ascent of Peak 5,672m on the Chinese PLA Map via the west face direct – a new route. The trio made a single push ascent and descent, leaving base camp at 4 a.m. on July 24, reaching the summit at 5:20 p.m. the same day, and returning to base at 2 a.m. on the 25th.
It took two hours to reach the left side of the glacier, where they climbed through the steep snout via 60m of 60° ice. They then followed the gently-angled glacier to the foot of the west face, where after crossing the rimaye, Peng led the first four pitches, Liu the next six, and Gu the final three to the summit. Difficulties were AI3+ 70°.
The Tatsienlu (a.k.a. Lamo-she Massif) lies immediately southeast of the town of Kangding. It is a compact range with all the main peaks situated on a ridge running north-south and ca 10km in length. Wupingfeng is at approximately 29°58’56.32” N, 102°03’02.16” E, and was first climbed in October 1996 by Fred Beckey’s expedition (Beckey had reconnoitered the area in 1993, while other members of his expedition were climbing the massif’s highest peak, Lamo-she). John Chilton, Jia Condon, and Rich Prohaska climbed the lower west face and then moved right onto the moderately-angled west ridge, which they followed to the summit. Meanwhile, Mark Carter and Steve Must climbed the corniced north ridge. They referred to the summit by a local name, Snake Lake Peak (AAJ 1998). However, Snake Lake Peak is Shehaizishan (5,878m on the PLA Map), which lies immediately north. “She” means snake and “haizi” means lake. This was also climbed by the 1996 Beckey expedition (via the northwest ridge). Beckey’s team then moved into the next valley north and climbed Sanpingfeng (ca 5,910m) via the north ridge. All three peaks were likely unrepeated until 2010. The highest peak in the massif, Lamo-she (6,070m), toward the southern end of the chain, was climbed by Americans in 1993 (see AAJ 1994).
