원정 개요

Lauchlan - 11 May 81

28 March BC at 13,500 ft
7 April acclimatazation to 15,000 ft
10 April ABC at 17,000 ft
15 April snow cave at 18,000 feet
4 day's storm with very strong wind: hence in cave, could hardly stand up
20 April bergschrund camp at foot of face at 19,500 ft
Alpine-style without fixed ropes, food getting low
23-27 April three days in bad storm at top of 20,000 ft and ice snow cave at
foot of rock band at 21,500 feet
27 April Congdon and McNab went down;
Lauchlan and Blench up into rock band where climb started to get difficult
with some 80-degree ice; seracs bivouacs at 22,500 ft
28 April more mixed climbing in the 75-80 degrees, rock bivouac at 22,800 ft
29 April another storm, 23,200 ft bivouac = miserable bivouac = very narrow
30 April weather cleared and went for summit and got there around 3:00 pm and
Blench pretty tired and in midst of lightening storm that shocked through
metal in packs to backs; only briefly on top.

Altitude hit Blench pretty hard; that night in miserable bivvy and next day Blench very sick: concious but not innovative and not even able to do up his boots. Lauchlan lowered Blench 1 May all way to top of snow cave at snow cave bivvy. 2 May lowered him to bergschrund camp where other 2 met. Blench not really better until 3 May at BC. Coughing so badly lost all strength and vomiting; now Ok, but worn out.

All have same frostnipped toes.

McNab went down cause not feeling well and Congdon not so strong as Blench, indeed Congdon also not so well. Later not able to go up because not enough food left.

Route was South Face, quite difficult.


Lauchlan - 11 March 81

Route = South Face = new route
45 degrees, 60 degrees ice face plus rock gullies with water ice
All members are experienced waterfall climbers
21,500-23,000 ft really difficult climbing
1st Canadian expedition to attempt new route in Nepal.
2 more arrived 14th and leave KTM 17th and leave Pokhara 18th
Approach up Modi Khola via Hinko to east side of Gangapurna South Ridge
BC about 13,500 ft
ABC = 17,000-17,500 ft
Above ABC probably alpine-style climb; no Sherpas above BC.
Arrived BC 25-27 March
3 weeks to stock ABC and acclimatization.
3 weeks to do face itself.
If go up alpine-style will descend via East Ridge; if not will be moving
siege (rope fixed and then pulled up) and descend same route.
No oxygen.