TSHIBURONGI (LITTLE GONGA) 6000m TIBET
‘Little’ Konka isnt so little. at just on 6000m this is about the coolest 6000m peak around, almost a miniature K2. beautiful and straightforward approach using horses (rare in Tibetan areas), surrounded by big walls and huge glaciers, steep but relatively safe, Tshiburongi is far more interesting than the 6000m safaris of peaks like Island and Mera.
yet almost no ones heard of it.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
needs about 3 weeks; despite being close to town it still needs proper acclimation
October – November, between the last of the monsoon pattern and before the real snows begin
its cold; literally on the leading edge of the plateau, dry winds scour the valley
its real; no fixed ropes or grimy, bustling BC – youre in proper Tibet
it prices well; good access, and having already been ascended, costs are about as streamlined as they get in China, especially with the way ICJ runs it
the climbings good; steep and exposed but on good ridges and stripped faces, Xiao Konka is too exposed for much snow to accumulate on. with good camp sites and quality granite its a semi-technical ascent not the fixed-line-yard-fest it would be if it were elsewhere.
with one or two previous routes theres loads of potential for new routes and styles, on both Xiao Konka and the dozens of 5000 – 6000m peaks around, even from the same BC or barely visited valleys. the proximity of town means even short trips back to civilization to resupply are doable.
WHO SHOULD DO THIS?
Xiao Konka fills the gap between real expedition climbing and old style 6000m options in Nepal and the Andes. now the technical transition from Alaska / Alps-style ascents to +7000m stuff can be seamless with early trips to 6000m having the exped qualities that would have meant 2 or 3 trips 10 years ago.
if youve got stuck at the ‘Island Peak’ stage or want to avoid it completely and progress to actual expedition climbing Xiao Konka covers all the issues like remoteness, strategy, exposed climbing, approach logistics and technical alpinism.