ASIAN ALPINE E-NEWS
Issue No 57. December 2019

Contents

East Tibet – Autumn 2019

Tamotsu Nakamura

Page 2~27

The Himalayan Journal 2019

Himalayan Club

Page 28~33

Dharamsara 2017, India

HC & T. Nakamura

Page 34~43

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TIBET NOW – UNDERGOING A DRAMATIC CHANGE
Return to Kangri Garpo “No Longer Frontier”
Journey Autumn 2019 Tamotsu (Tom) Nakamura
I have returned to the Tibet Autonomous Region after three years. Qinghai Province wastargeted in 2017 and 2018 for expeditions. Dramatic change in Tibet has been taking
place far faster than imagined. China is a nation of “Civil Construction”. All Chinese
territories covering the borderlands of the west China including Tibet is in a hive ofchangesanddevelopments.

Frontier

nolongerexists.

Railway and highway network
1s expanding. The present Ji
administration

announcingthat the 50,000km railways
network will connect the major
cities in near future. The rightis a highway from Lhasa to
Nagchu in parallel with therailway.

Nyainqentanglha (from left: P1 7162m, P2, P3 and P4 each 7000m and Qinghai-Tibet
Plateau Railway 4500m), P1 first climbed by Tohoku University in 1986. Others climbed too.
1

Holy city, a provincial capital of
the Tibet Autonomous region
has a population of 750,000
rapidly increased recently andtown has been modernized.
Department stores, shopping
malls are clouded with Tibetan.
Right is a picture of lighted up
Potala Palace viewed from top
floor of a shopping mall.
Main objectives were to survey changes in ten years of the Lhagu Glaciers of Kangri Garpo
Range.
Time flies! A quarter century has lapsed since I first glimpsed this mountain in 1995 Before
stating my Odyssey the mountain ranges is summarized below

Geography of Kangri Garpo
The hardly known mountain range of Kangri Garpo stretches about 280 km from northwest
to southeast 28° 30’ - 30° 00’ N and 95° 30’ – 97° 30’ E. It begins east of Namcha Barwa
7782m and the Great Tsangpo Bend and extends to the mountain chain of Baxoila Ling, thewestern end of the Hengduan Mountains. Some 40 6000m peaks and many 5000 m
mountains soar into the sky.
Three tributaries of Tsangpo encircle Kangri Garpo. The northern side of the range is deeply
eroded and has a complicated topography. Here Parlung Tsangpo, a tributary of the Tsangpo
carved a narrow gorge into the valley. River Lohit (China.: Zayul Qu) plays an important roleto the east and to the south of Kangri Garpo. It arises from two tributaries, Kangrigarpo Qu
running down from the northwest and Sang Qu flowing down from the northeast. Both rivers
merge near Samai in Zayul County not far from the border to Arunachal Pradesh of India.
Further to the west and to the south of Kangri Garpo flow the Tsangpo, now called Dihang
and Dibang which together with Lohit finally form the Brahmaputra. Dihang and Dibang flow
almost in a north-south direction on a level of 2000 to 3000 m. The weather in the Kangri
Garpo region is directly influenced by seasonal humid south-western winds from the Indian
Ocean. This causes frequent precipitations in the monsoon season and heavy snowfalls in
winter and spring. It fosters large glaciers of Kangri Garpo.
The eastern rim of Kangri Garpo is a high plateau, to the west the valley of Parlung Tsangpo
2

becomes a deep, forested gorge. To the south the valleys are extremely eroded. Kangri Garpo
can be divided into a western and an eastern part. The western section comprises the region
west of Lhagu Glacier up to Gone Kangri, the eastern one consists of the area around Ata
Glacier and Lhagu Glacier.
The highest peak is Ruoni, also called Bairiga with 6882 m. All the 6000 m peaks except for
Lopchin 6805m first climbed by the Kobe University-Wuhan Geology University joint teamin 2009 are unclimbed, only a few 5000m peaks ascended.

3

Journey Autumn 2019

Members are Nakamura 84 and Prof. Kazuo Kakihara 71. Guide is Awang (Kedup Geltsen,
Tibetan 41) as ever. He is my most reliable and intelligent partner since 2009. He is not only
friend but the best navigator of travel familiar with the whole Tibet. He used a monk ofTibetan monastery then learnt English and now is operating a commercial house near Potala
Palace. Driver is Ge Nei, Tibetan, 40, who thoroughly knows of road condition and observes
safe drive. The picture below: left Awan, right Kakihara on a historical suspension bridge over

Permit issue and problem
Since 2008 Beijing Olympic and turmoil in Lhasa. The control over foreigners became strict
year by year in the south/east Tibet (Tibet Autonomous Region (No restrictions in Qinghai,Northwest Yunnan and West Sichuan although Tibetan inhabit). Permit for Autumn 2019
was applied to five organizations in succession, Tourist Bureau, Public Security Bureau (PSB),
Legal Department, Army and Border Police. It took 3 months to clear all the procedure. The
permit is issued to an authorized travel company (only 12 companies). Right is one of thesamples. During travel we met only two Canadian in Rawu. Foreign tourists may stay in very
limited place like Lhasa city and vicinity. Inspection is severe. Between Nyainchi and Rawu
there are many PSB check posts and foreigners must show the permit for passing the gate.
4But this is for foreigners. Chinese travelers may pass through freely. Chinese tourists (Hanpeople) are rapidly increasing. They will rush in Summer season. Many hotels are constructedin major towns.

Shopping mall in Lhasa
Lhasa city is modernized. People are enjoying shopping and restaurants in department storesand shopping malls. Main industry of Lhasa is maintained by Chinese tourists coming frommany cities of China. Arrival/departure boards indicate name of cities such as Beijing,
Shanghai. Guangzhou, Xi’an, Wuhan, Chengdu, Kunming, Changsa, etc.

Se-Ti La, Bomi, Rawu~Lhagu GlacierChengdu~Nyainchi~Se-Ti~La~Rulang~Tongmai~Bomi~Rawu~Lhagu Glacier~
Dema La~(return)~Se-Ti La~Lake Basong~Gongpo Gyamda~Meila Shan~Lhasa~
Nyaiqentanglha~Xugu La~Lhasa

5The distance from Lhasa 拉薩 to Nyinchi Bayi 八一・林芝： 396km by new highway（高速）Nyingchi Bayi 八一・林芝～Tongmai 通麦 143km
Tongmai 通麦～Bomei 波密 85km
Bomei 波密～Rawu 然烏 207km
Rawu 然烏～Lhagu glacier 拉古氷河 30km
Total driving distance: 3400km for 11days in Tibet.
On October 24 we flew from Chengdu to Nyanchi in rain. The permit was carefully checked
at Chengdu airport and Nyainchi airport as well. Temperature was 5℃. Awang received us at
the airport. Awang soon went to the PSB for foreigners’ registration for us, and then we visiteda national forest park of Nyainchi.
We bought a new map of Tibet Autonomous Region in Xinhua book shop. All of prefectures
are given newly unified name of “City” since the last year.

6Whole view of Nyainchi town

National Forest Park (left)

Snow leopard
7

October 25, Nyainchi 06:00 9℃ cloudy. We started towards Rawu/Lhagu Glacier, our main
objedtives. We hurried to Se-Ti La but regrettably Namcha Barwa 7782m was in the cloud.
Rulang town 3440m was widely developed as touristic spot.

Hotels at Rulang

Unclimbed Tiba Kangri 6846m west face viewed from Rulang (魯朗)8Road descend abruptly from Rulang to Tongmai 2040m near confluence of Yigong Tsangpo
and Parlung Tsangpo, tributaries of the Yarlung Tsangpo. The road passes through several
tunnels as approaching to Tongmai which is now a sizeable town. Construction of railway
station is about to start.
I entered Yigong Tsangpo in 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2011. I have got good news from driverthat a vehicle road has now been completed through down–upper streams of Yigong Tsangpo.
I have a plan 2020 to follow the all the way through the Yigong Tsangpo from Tongmai to
Lhari.

Gyala Peri 7294m west face being looked up from Tongmai. First climbed by HAJ in 1986

Topics and News:
Jiyue, Awang and Jon Otto are important sources of news and topics about China and Tibet.
They assist me as being eyes and ears. He carries my camera where I am unable to reach.
1. In general glaciers are receding in Tibet, but in the northern part of Qinghai some glaciers
are becoming larger.
2. Dam construction in great river upper streams in west China makes rafting impossible.
Even in the Yigong Tsangpo, dam construction is under investigation.
3. Tibetan are unable to obtain passport unless they have good connection. Visiting
countries are limited to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
4. Foreigners are never allowed to access to Qamdo.
9Confluence of Yigong Tsangpo and Parlung Tsangpo nearTongmai
The

most

treacherous

and dangerous landslide
zone of the Sichuan–
Tibet Highway between
Tongmai and Bomi is
now tunneled in 6km
long.

We

may

pass

through fast and safely.
Unclimbed 6000m peakof Nyainqentanglha East
(rightpicture)soars

dominantly near an old &elegant town in the rightbank of Parlung Tsangpo.

10

On October 25 we arrived at Bomi town at 2725m. The last visit to Bomi was 2009. Bomi is
inhabited mainly Khamba with few Kongbo of which territory is Gompo Gyamda. Street is
totally changed to a modern township as below.

October 26, Rawu 9℃、rain-snow. Autumn leaves of Parlung Tsangpo is beautiful as above.
We proceeded to Bomi via Songzong and Yupu. We entered Midoi, now a touristic spot for11

Midoi Glacier of unclimbed Gemsong 6525m attracting many Chinese visitors. We entered
Midoi valley to have a look of receding glacier. Peak and glacier terminus are below:

12After visiting Midoi Glacier we moved to an entrance of our final goal Lhagu Glacier, Rawu
3960m. Here is the last town where PSB allows us to lodge. There is a modern hotel, room iswell air-conditioned, comfortable. We met two Canadian young fellows. They were very much
blunt and unaffable. Main street is likely to be township. Awang’s iPhone promised us aperfectly fine weather for the following two days. He checked road conditions to the Lhagu
Glacier and Dema La.
The year when I first came to Rawu was in Autumn 1995. It took six days to drive rough roadfrom Kunming, Yunnan. There was only a shabby and dirty rest house and a barrack ofPeoples Liberation Army in Rawu. The next visit was in 1999 on the way to Lhasa also from
Kunming.
October 27 Rawu, perfectly fine, 07:30 minus 2℃, again went to Midoi Glacier.
October 28 Rawu, perfectly fine, 08:00 minus 2℃, highlights of this journey.
We hurried at daybreak to go to the Lhagu Glacier. “How is the glacier receding in ten years?”
It was a matter of our serious concern.

At a lookout stage for tourist in Lhagu village

13

At the end 4160m of Lhagu village the south face appeared. We returned from here and went
to Dema La 4900m. How becoming thinner in 10 years of the Lhagu Glacier is shown below.

June 1999

October 201914

At the end of Lhagu village the dominant SE face appeared, then. we went to Dema La 4900m.

SEt face of unclimbed Ruoni 6882m (Chinese name: Bairiga), the highest in Kangri Garpo
15

After the valley od Lhagu village, we went to the Dema La 4900m a pass to Zayul. The Kangri
Garpo East are clustered with stunning peaks in this area two. On the way to Dema La:

Ruoni 6882m

Lopchin 6805m first climbed by Kobe Univ.-Wuhan Geology Univ. in 200916

Peak 6340m east face, unclimbed

Dominant Dojitzenza 5662m east face attracting climbers’ attention, unclimbed

17

Peaks in the Lhagu Glacier and Monastery

Above: Homokongga 6260m, Below: Sunning 5380m peak18

Fantastic 6000m peak in the middle Lhagu Glacier
When I came 1999 to Lhagu village, there were a few shabby and dirty semi-undergroundhouses of Tibetan. Now many new houses are built and there is a 5 stars hotel for tourist. We
visited a historical monastery,
Shugden Gompa. In1999 they
were almost abandoned ruins
as destroyed by Red Army
during the culture revolution.
Now reconstructed and some
80 monks and nuns are inservices.

They

were

very

friendlytoforeigners

andwelcomed us.
Early

explorers

and

plant

hunters stayed in this monastery. Frederick Bailey, Frank Kingdon-Ward, Ronald Kaulback.
The road from Rawu to Dema La 4900m is a golden route provides wonderful view of theheart of Kangri Garpo East. It is overwhelmingly exciting indeed.
19

Yuhe Kangri 6327m north side (center, behind) easternmost of Kangri Garpo, unclimbed

Gheni 6150ｍ north face, unclimbed
October 29, Bomi 06:00 1℃. Perfectly fine. We took return way. We met many Tibetan
pilgrims heading to Lhasa as it was in Autumn. We had a look of many stunning summit, peaks
after peaks, of Kangri Garpo along the Parlung Tsangpo in return way. We moved to Bomi.
20

Challenging rock peak of some 5000m west face, unclimbed

Delpola I 6300ｍ west face near Songzong, unclimbed
21

On October 29, Bomi 1℃. At dawm, we went to Holy Place, Gawarong 3760m, then Nyainchi

Dipermarasong 6135ｍ（left）southeast face, Nyainqentanglha East, unclimbed

Monastery in Gawarong

Check-post after tunnel to forbidden Medoq

On October 30, Nyainchi 08:00 8℃, perfectly fine.
We returned to Se-Ti La to view Namcha Barwa 7782m, as it was in the cloud in the previous
day. We could arrive at the best lookout point in time. I was awfully touched to again meet themightiest summit of Namcha Barwa laying above hazes. Very fortunate!
22West face of Namcha Barwa 7782m viewed from Se-Ti La, first climbed by JAC in 1992

Lake Basong Tso in Autumn, monastery in island
23

On October 31, we crossed Meila Shan Pass 5018m, highest pass of Sichuan-Tibet Highway
in snow towards Lhasa. Picture below is a group of yaks moving down to lower place fromhigh pasture.

24

End of the Journey
On November 2, we enjoyed a relaxing excursion to Xuegu La 5300 of Nyainqentanglha West.

Qungmo Kangri 7048ｍ east face from Xuegu La 5300m climbed in1996 by China-Korea

Bartse Ri 6235m north of Lhasa, first climbed by British party
25

We flew from Lhasa to Chengdu on November 2. Two weeks journey was quite satisfactory.
2020 plan is now incubated in our mind. Two aerial panoramas are below.

Holy mountains Yalaxianbo 6635m north face in front, 6500m peaks in background

Unclimbed Sanglung 7015m (left), Namcha Barwa 7782m (center, backgrond), Gyala Peri
7294m and Tiba Kangri 6846m in front
26

The Himalayan Journal
Issue 74, 2019Map of Dharamsara

Dalai Lama Palace at Dharamsara

Members of the Himalayan Club

Dalai Lama’s message to the Himalayan Club

Dalai Lama talking to HC members 1

Dalai Lama talking to HC members 2

Dalai Lama and HC members, T. Nakamura in the left end

Inside of Dalai Lama palace

Dalai Lama Exile Government Parliament at Dharamsara

Parliament Board of Exile Government

Government buildings

Tibetan Archives and LibraryView of Dharamsara

Town of Dharamsara

Street of Dharamsara

TempleSwimming poolSaint George ChurchRock Hindu Temple 60km away from Dharamsara

Harish Kapadia HC (left), T. Nakamura