Anidesha
Chuli is a stunning, and unclimbed, Himalayan mountain in the
Kangchendzonga region of eastern Nepal, bordering both India and
China.
In
April/May 2014, New Zealand climbers Shelley and Paul Hersey and
honorary Kiwi (Australian) John Price will attempt to ascend this
technical peak, also known as White Wave, via the remote Ramtang
Glacier and a combination of the mountain's North East Face and East
Ridge. After a period of acclimatising and route finding, the actual
ascent from base camp and return (around 2000 vertical metres) will
likely take 6-8 days.
If
successful, this will be the highest unclimbed mountain ascended by a
New Zealand led team for a number of years, and possibly the highest
unclimbed mountain ever by a Kiwi woman. At 27, John could also
possibly be the youngest Australian to be successful on an unclimbed
mountain of this altitude.
A
strong New Zealand team, led by Rob Frost, attempted Anidesha Chuli
in 2013. Initially part of that team, Paul and Shelley were forced to
withdraw after losing their home during the Canterbury earthquakes.
During the 2013 attempt, one team member fell and was injured while
on lead just below the East Ridge. He was evacuated from the
mountain, and the rest of the team abandoned the climb. Rob and the
other team members have been very supportive of Shelley, Paul and
John's upcoming attempt, offering invaluable information and advice
to help increase the chance of success this time.
The
2014 New Zealand Anidesha Chuli Expedition will be part of the
ongoing Backyard And Beyond project started by Shelley and
Paul, along with Jamie Vinton-Boot and Troy Mattingley, in 2010. The
success of the team's 2012 Southern Alps transalpine expedition, and
the documentary One Fine Day On A Mountain, encouraged the
team to consider a new challenge. One Fine Day On A Mountain won
a Special Jury Award at the 2013 New Zealand Mountain Film Festival,
and has been warmly received by audiences around the country. After
Jamie's recent tragic death, Shelley and Paul feel a heightened
responsibility towards continuing the BAB project.
Paul
sees an attempt on Anidesha Chuli offering considerable logistical
challenges. 'We're really appreciative of the support from Rob and
the other guys,' he explains. 'Their efforts this year, while not
successful, have provided a lot of vital information that, hopefully,
we can take advantage of.'
The
2014 team will film the expedition to attempt Anidesha Chuli, with
the plan of producing another documentary. 'After the success of our
first film, this seems like a great way to communicate what adventure
is all about, and hopefully we can inspire others to get out there,'
Paul explains.
This
will be the first time that any of the team members have climbed in
Nepal. Paul, a full time writer, has previously been on successful
expeditions to Pakistan, India and Kyrgyzstan and has completed
numerous first ascents overseas and in New Zealand's Southern Alps.
Shelley has mountain climbed in India and rock climbed in Thailand
and Australia. She is considered one of this country's stronger all
round female climbers, and has completed a number of challenging
first ascents. John is part of the new generation of strong, young
climbers. He is currently living and climbing in Banff, Canada, where
he has recently accumulated over 70 days winter climbing on various
Canadian Rockies test pieces up to grade WI6 and M8.
