UKC

Anyone got any experience of the normal route on Shishapangma?

Is it possible to get this done in a 4 week round trip from the UK?

I need a realistic challenge given I can't really take more than 4 weeks off work in one go.

I know 4 weeks is enough for something in the 6 - 7k metre range.

I did Denali last year in a 3 week round trip, and that starts at 7,200ft to summit at 20,237ft = vertical distance approx 13,000 ft or 4,000m.

So the maths stack up, albeit it's 2,000m higher.

With good weather, is this achievable?

In reply to steveej:
I would advise against that. Doesn't seem enough time to adequately acclimatise, certainly not in my experience. I'd say I'm a bit slower to acclimatise than most mountaineers though.

Everyone acclimatises at different rates so it might just be possible for some people, but I think it's pretty optimistic. Also it leaves absolutely no room for sitting out bad weather, which you have to factor in or your chances of getting a window for a summit attempt are very low.

The maths do not 'stack up'. If Denali at 6200m = 3 weeks then Shisha at 8000m+ does not = 4 weeks. The higher you get the slower you acclimatise so it will take more than 1 week extra to get acclimatised to the extra 2000m.

In reply to Topper Harley:

Yes but, you don't acclimatise over 7000m anyway (just slowly die) so only 1000m!

I wouldn't have thought it possible, what's the approach, Langtang? if so you can lose at least 10 days just getting to basecamp and back, plus a couple of days sorting thing out in Kathmandu and you have lost 2 weeks before you even see the mountain.

In reply to steveej:

Nope to Shish.

Maybe look at some of the 7k peaks in the stans ,although even that would be tight.

In reply to steveej:

The following book I read recently has lots of info about different routes and the area in general, and also makes reference to useful maps:
Shisha Pangma: The alpine-style first ascent of the South-West Face
by Doug Scott and Alex MacIntyre

In reply to steveej:

Khumbu Valley 6-7 thousanders it is then.

In reply to steveej:

We went out last Autumn to try and ski the regular route. We left the UK on 27Aug and got back to ABC after our first summit attempt on 22nd Sept. It is possible to get back to KTM in 2 days from ABC. So, I guess it is feasible in 4 weeks but I wouldn't try. With the cost you could easily not get much above Camp 1 which wouldn't be very rewarding. You can find out more about our trip here https://www.facebook.com/skishishapangma