Overview

The Peak Tilicho situated at the north of Manang in Annapurna Region. This peak is towers at the height of 7134m in altitude. Tilicho Peak’s northeast ridge covered with snow majestically towers the high Kali Gandaki valley to the west and the Marshyangdi Valley to the east, while the hidden pro- kingdom of Mustang lies just few miles to the north. Maurice Herzog reported Tilicho in 1950 during his exploration of Annapurna. French climber Emanuel Schmutz climbed peak Tilicho for the first time via Northwest Shoulder, which reaches the shores of Lake Tilicho. This is a standard climbing route of the peak with the Base Camp (4800m) located on the Northwest end of the lake.

Tilicho Peak Expedition is a technical climb and not so easy one. We follow the classic route of Annapurna circuit trekking up to Manang and then proceed towards Tilicho Lake to approach the mountain. There will be three high camps established in the approach to the summit of Peak Tilicho. The climb is very straightforward from the Base Camp to Camp 1 (5800m) on a shelf below the Northwest shoulder along on 50deg mixed rock and ice 590m route. Camp 2 (6200m) is located on the shoulder and accessed via 55deg 450 m snowfields. The shoulder itself is also a 55deg 800m snowfield with a low objective danger and very low exposure due to very large width of the shoulder. Climbing Tilicho Peak with fixed ropes is required on 40 degrees slope to reach Camp II at 6300m Summit approached with climbing on some stretches of 60 degrees slope.

A standard access to the Base Camp of Tilicho Peak is through Besishahar via Marsyangdi valley within 10 days trek and affording an excellent acclimatization. After the Tilicho Peak climb one can fly-out from Humde, only one day hike from the Tilicho Base Camp or from Jomsom with 3 days hike via Thorong La pass (5416m). Tilicho Base camp is also accessible from Kali Gandaki valley through difficult Mesokanto Pass (5300m). The view from Tilicho is breathtaking on Annapurna massif, Dhaulagiri, Tibetan plateau and down to the deepest valley in the world the Kali Gandaki valley.

There are two ways to reach up to Base Camp of Peak Tilicho. The Peak expedition starts up with a drive Besishahar, followed by several days trekking to Base Camp as well as another way can fly from Pokhara to Jomsom and start further. However, we choose the first idea as this allows enough time for acclimatization and less difficulties for taking all the logistics. The views on the routes are breath taking; anything that can surpass your imagination. What you see is Tilicho Peak and the azure and peaceful Tilicho Lake below. It is a glacial lake and unfriendly to marine life. People say they often find marine fossils (shells) that probably support the fact that the Himalayas were once beneath the sea.

We set up the base camp for Tilicho Peak Climbing near the lake some of days will be rest celebrating the Puja by Buddhist priest. Tilicho stands as a daunting task above the camp, which is on a moraine. From the Tilicho base camp (around 4400m) we set out for our final goal – Tilicho 7,134m as seen from near the Base Camp.

• Base Camp to Camp (I) – Climbing route is straight steep 70º / 90º
• Camp (I) to Camp (II) – Climbing route is strait steep 90º with ice vertical.
• Camp (II) to Camp (III) -Climbing route is steep to get summit 40º/ 60º or Max. 70º

Tilicho Peak Expedition Base Camp Service

In the Base Camp

• We provide very professional, helpful and friendly service from Kathmandu to the ABC and during the climb. Our objective is to provide a high quality, helpful, safe, friendly, stress free and comprehensive service to maximize summit opportunity. We offer wide range of services from Base Camp logistics to fully guided climbs with individual climbing Sherpas helping their clients to realize the summit.
• High elevation climbing requires not only a set of climbing skills and high fitness level but also the ability to cope with high elevation conditions affecting on ability to function to the extent possible at sea level, where most of climbers are living.
• Our philosophy is to support climbers with the skill and high-altitude genetic adaptation ability of a Climbing Sherpa, who was born and grew up at high elevation, as did his predecessors.
• Tilicho Peak requires set-up of 2 high camps, where the gear, food and fuel have to be carried up. No matter how physically strong and fit one is at the sea level, at high elevation one physical efficiency drops considerably so the team of Climbing Sherpas pooled from all clients will set-up the route and allow you to summit.
• Having personal Climbing Sherpa eliminates arbitrage of the ‘Leader’ to decide who will get limited climbing support on the summit day. In the emergency situation the classic expedition Leader has responsibility for a number of people including themselves with impaired physical abilities due to high altitude, while Climbing Sherpa has only responsibility for his own client and with high physical abilities at high elevation due to natural genetic predisposition and all in cooperation of other expedition Climbing Sherpas. Our Climbing Sherpas are highly trained and experienced climbers doing high elevation climbs in Nepal and Tibet season after season.
• We believe that our philosophy of an expedition with the Base camp Leader-Coordinator and the team of Climbing Sherpas assigned to individual climbers is by far the most efficient and safest way to achieve high elevation summit.
• Our cooks and helpers will prepare and serve three delicious freshly cooked and plentiful meals a day and will ensure that hot and cold drinks are available 24hrs a day.
• We provide spacious expedition quality personal tents for all our clients.
• We also provide dining tent, kitchen tent, toilet facilities, portable shower facilities, and tent accommodation for our staff.
• We provide access to communication including satellite telephone and internet access, solar panels to charge your batteries and UHF/VHF handheld radios on the mountain to maintain communications between ABC and high camps.
• Our Leader and camp manager as well as climbing Sherpas have an extensive experience of multiple climbs above 7000m, so whether you use our full board service or Base camp services you can expect a good advice and support. They also know personally most of other Climbing Sherpas and network together in the Base camp regardless of the operator they work for. Tilicho logistically is a very easy peak, and it is suitable even for a small climbing team.

Tilicho Peak Climbing Full Board Service

• For full board clients, who would be less experienced climbers or single climbers requiring a climbing buddy, we provide personal tent and food at high camps with the climbing Sherpa, who will prepare appropriate meals.
• We provide a personal Climbing Sherpa guide to help the clients to reach the summit. Personal climbing Sherpa will set up high camps including provision of food and fuel and will guide and assist the client on the summit day and if required will set-up fixed rope to ensure the safety.
• We provide the climbing Sherpa with appropriate radio communication to Base Camp from the climbing route. Our Climbing Sherpas will network, cooperate and work with other clients Climbing Sherpas on the route to ensure safety of his client as well as overall expedition team.
• After arriving to the Base camp (4800m), we will take a day or so of acclimatizing rest and preparations including snow practice so that we all develop common understanding, refresh our basic climbing, rescue techniques, and develop our climbing protocol. Our climb protocol follows standard high elevation principles of acclimatization and progressively building higher camps.

Climbing Route

• The standard route begins at the Base Camp (4800m) located at the foot of Tilicho Peak towering 2300m above on the shore of spectacular Lake Tilicho, which will be our water source. The water should be filtered or purified by iodine tablets or boiled.
• The climb is very straightforward. From the Base Camp we do our first scouting acclimatization climb to Camp 1 (5800m) located on a shelf below the Northwest shoulder along on 50deg mixed rock and ice 590m route with some gear for camp 1. We will return to Base Camp for acclimatization rest. During the second climb, we bring the remaining gear and set-up Camp 1, where we stay overnight. The following day we move along 55deg/700m snowfield to Camp 2 (6200m) located on the shoulder and stay there overnight. Depending on the condition, this will be our first opportunity to attempt the summit. We will return to the Base Camp to recover and reinforce our acclimatization.
• Our third round will be a true summit push. We climb to Camp 1, Camp 2 and push for the summit along the Northwest shoulder up a 55deg 800m snowfield with a low objective danger and very low exposure due to very wide shoulder.
• Our program allows 17 days for the climbing period to account for weather and individual physical condition and strength. It gives us plenty of opportunities to carry supplies to camp 1 and 2 and few opportunities of summit push.

Normal Route – Northwest shoulder

• The Northwest Shoulder of Tilicho is a straightforward climb, mainly on snowfields up to 55deg. It has very little objective danger because a wide shoulder very well protects the entire route. Most of the route is on a snowfield with bottom section potentially on a mix of rock and ice. We establish the Base Camp at 4800m on a shore of a beautiful Lake Tilicho.
• Camp 1 (5800m) is located on a shelf below the Northwest shoulder accessed by a gradual climb on snow field from the Base Camp and gaining 300m over 1.5km followed by 50deg 690m route of mixed rock and ice.
• Camp 2 (6200m) is located on the broad Northwest shoulder accessed from Camp 1 by 55deg 400 m snow routes. Summit is accessible from Camp 2 by 55deg 900 m snowfield routes along broad well-protected Northwest shoulder.

Approaches to ABC

From Kathmandu via Besi Shahar

• The trek starts from Besi Shahar, where we drive from Kathmandu and follows Marsyangdi valley with 10 days trek affording an excellent acclimatization opportunity. The access trek is a part of world-renowned trek around Annapurna. It is stunningly beautiful and affords phenomenal cultural experience of Buddhist and Hindu cultures.
• We will follow a standard Annapurna circuit trek to Manang, where we turn off to Tilicho Lake. On the way back we will return to the Annapurna circuit and will follow it via Thorong La pass (5416m) to Jomsom, from where we fly out to Pokhara. On the way we will pass through interesting Buddhist villages with very Tibetan flavor.

From Beni Bazaar via Kali Gandaki Valley

• This route follows Kali Gandaki Valley, the deepest valley on earth but it is not a standard route because it requires negotiating logistically a very difficult Mesokanto Pass (5300m).