Philippe Gatta, Ludovic Challéat, Phudorjee Sherpa, Dawa Sherpa, Tendi Sherpa, Cédric Hahlen atteignent le sommet du Kangchenjunga 8586 mètres entre Inde et Népal le 19 mai 2011....
"Finally Phudorjee (O2), myself (O2), Ludo (without O2), Dawa (without O2) and Tendi (O2) reach the top of Kangchenjunga at 9h10, after 11 hours of ascent. Alexey Bolotov (without O2) arrives a few minutes later. We are the first ones to summit the Kangchenjunga this year and that is the first French ascent in 27 years. We are between two layers of clouds and there are only the other Kangchenjunga peaks visible. We stay 10 minutes on the top and start the descent.
We pass Cedric when we climb down the Chimney, he will reach the top at 10h (without O2). We cautiously climb down the 300 m of mixed and we reach the Couloir at 10h30. The weather has improved, it's now warmer and the snow in the Couloir has tranformed. We pass a Russian climber who left very late, he will reach the top alone at around 15h. Phudorjee passes us on the way down and we arrives first at the C4. He has been the strongest climber today, breaking the trail in most of the route.
I reach the C4 around noon, followed by Ludo and the rest of the team.
We spend the rest of the day to rest and eat but at 7,550 m it's hard. My oxygen saturation is below 60% and I do not feel so good."