원정 개요

The trio intended to climb the pillar left to Beghin-Muller route on the NW Face, then to try for the summit of the mountain and down via the normal route of the NE Face.

Approach: Trek to Bimthang (lodge).

BC 18/09 at Bimthang
ABC 19-21/09 4500m
HPt 28-29/09 6700m at C3 on the normal route

Climb abandoned on: no specific date due to general bad weather and mountain conditions (too snowy). Left BC on 9 Oct.

19-21/09: the trio went up to an ABC, first trying to have a look to its objective, waiting during 3 consecutive days under the rain/snow. The short look at the pillar proved it to be prone to objective risks (threatened by 5 seracs). Yet, the team spotted a safer steep rock buttress located option lower to the left.

On the 21/09: the trio went up into the screes about 500/600m above the ABC, getting into the first couloir (located left to the axis of the main couloir) until the proper climbing’s beginning (about 5100m). On that same day went back down to Bimthang.

23/09: trio joined Samdo
24/09: trio reached Manaslu normal route BC
25/09: trio up to C1 on the Manaslu normal route
26,27/09: trio up to C2
28/09: trio up to C3, which would be the maximum reached.
29/09: trio back to BC

During that period on the normal route the mood wasn’t at its best, with various accidents on the mountain and some avalanches (including one who made them afraid).
Back to Samdo, the trio stayed there to enjoy the comfort of the lodge. Considering the weather forecast, with already way too much snow in altitude (knowing west side of the mountain was even more prone to snow fall than east side), the trio knew the attempt on Manaslu NW Pillar itself was over.

The trio then considered to attempt some line in the Nemjung area instead, imagining the lower parts of the mountain would be quicker to purge from snow. But when passing back Larkya La on the 8th of October, breaking the trail, the trio could only abandon facing the 1.5m of fresh snow. At the col itself, the trio found the body of a Nepalese [treking guide] recently dead in the snow.

Trio left Bimthang on the day after, then Nepal on the 12 October.

Despite the conditions this season on the mountain, the trio found the line to be sufficiently beautiful to come back and give it a try later.