GUNUNG · Nepal

Cholatse

ཇོ་བོ་ལྷ་རྩེ / चोलात्से / Cholatse

Information

Elevation: 6.440 m
Country: Nepal (NP)
Location / Range: Himalaya Khumbu (Mahalangur), Distrik Solukhumbu, Nepal — berdiri di antara lembah Gokyo dan Khumbu, terhubung ke Taboche lewat punggung utara; Danau Cholatse berada di kakinya
Mountain type: Puncak es dan batu curam di Khumbu (massif granit/gneiss) — non-vulkanik orogenik; meski kadang disebut 'trekking peak', semua jalurnya teknis
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 27.9200, 86.7661
Difficulty: Sangat teknis (sekitar TD–ED; mixed es & batu, dinding berfluting curam) — bukan trekking peak meski label resmi NMA; pendekatan trek Gokyo/Cho La non-teknis
Best Season: Pra-monsun (April–Mei) dan pasca-monsun (Oktober–November)
Permits & Rules: Pendakian: izin puncak Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) dan operator berlisensi; kawasan masuk Taman Nasional Sagarmatha sehingga butuh tiket masuk taman dan izin lokal Khumbu
Hazards: Es rapuh (brittle ice) dan fluting curam, rockfall, dinding mixed terjal, cuaca berubah cepat, serta ketinggian >6.000 m; trek pendekatan melewati Cho La pass yang bisa licin/berbahaya saat bersalju

Description

Cholatse (6,440 m) is a sharply rising ice-and-rock peak in Nepal's Khumbu region, standing between the Gokyo and Khumbu valleys with Cholatse Lake at its foot. Although sometimes listed as a 'trekking peak', in reality no route avoids serious technical climbing — the mountain is known for its steep fluted faces and brittle ice. The first ascent came on 22 April 1982 by a British-American team (Vern Clevenger, Galen Rowell, John Roskelley and Bill O'Connor) via the Southwest Ridge, now the standard line but still demanding advanced alpine skill. Its north and west faces are a stage for world-class technical routes, including the West Face 'Just One Solution' (~1,200 m) by Czech alpinists Zdeněk Hák and Radoslav Groh. Geologically, Cholatse is Himalayan granite and gneiss — orogenic, not volcanic. For most Khumbu visitors, Cholatse is best known as a dramatic backdrop along the Gokyo trek and the Cho La pass crossing toward Everest Base Camp.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Northwest Ridge (sisi barat)

Alpine teknis — salju dan es sulit dengan tantangan ketinggian

Ekspedisi Himalaya multi-minggu (pendakian Oktober 1988)

A four-person team led by Andrew Selters attempted Cholatse's western side in October 1988 — first trying the West Rib, then succeeding via the Northwest Ridge. The account details struggles with altitude, dangerous snow formations, and sustained technical climbing on the previously unclimbed western aspect.

Source

Southwest Ridge / Arête (Jalur Standar)

Alpine TD/TD+ (sekitar WI2+ M3–4, A1–2) — es rapuh terjal dan mixed climbing terekspos

Sekitar 18–24 hari ekspedisi dari Kathmandu (termasuk pendekatan & aklimatisasi)

The Southwest Ridge was the line of the 1982 first ascent by Vern Clevenger, Galen Rowell, John Roskelley and Bill O'Connor, who fixed rope through an icefall to a col around 5,670 m, then climbed steep ice to the summit plateau. It is now the standard route but remains a serious technical climb for advanced alpinists, requiring negotiation of the lower glacier and a steep fluted headwall to reach Camp 1.

Source

West Face — 'Just One Solution'

ED, WI4+ M5, ~1.200 m

Serangan alpine-style multi-hari dengan bivak gua es (~5.400 m)

A 2023 route up the West Face climbed by Czech alpinists Zdeněk Hák and Radoslav Groh, ascending steep ice and mixed ground over roughly 1,200 vertical metres. The pair split the ascent across days and sheltered during the day's heat to manage objective hazard before the final summit push.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Cholatse (6,440 m) is experienced at two poles: genuine technical climbing on its steep ice-and-rock faces, and the dramatic views along the Khumbu trekking trails (Gokyo and the Cho La crossing) where the peak is the most striking backdrop. Expedition films show the demanding mixed climbing and brittle ice, while climbing reports trace its route history from the 1982 first ascent to present-day new lines. The sources below document real Cholatse experiences.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.