원정 개요

SR Sharma, Tourism - 2 Aug 78

Leader of Kangchenjunga expedition banned from climbing in Nepal for 5 years from June 1978 as penalty for his expedition's climbing Kangchenjunga South and Central peaks without official permission (these summits not on permitted list).


Dr. Branski - 16 June 78

Poles climbed South Summit of Kangchenjunga via SW Face and Central Summit via southwest side.

Made a 2nd attempt on Central Summit on 25 May, by Marek Janas and Marek Malatynski; reached nearly 8400m.


Brady & Tobin - 7 June 78

Eugeniusz Chobak and Wojciech Wroz to South Summit on 19 May.

Wojciech Branski, Zygmunt Heinrich and Kazimierz Olech from Spanish C4 about 7600m to Central Summit 22 May.

Weather pretty good all the time although storm between 19 and 22 May - snow and wind.

South Summit much more difficult climb technically than Central Summit. Chobak and Wroz only members capable of climbing this from C4.

Many members not really climbers - another climbers and administrator.

Brady and Tobin reached Poles C4 but not high enough in Club to get summit chance.

Others in team in KTM about 13 June.


Jean Brady - 7 June 78

Route of same difficulty from BC to Great Shelf. Fixed rope almost all way from C1 to C3 put in by 2 Poles. Used total over 3000m fixed rope.

Real difficult climbing above C4 to South Summit: 2 barriers of rock to be climbed and steep ice and snow - West Face of South Summit.

Didn't stay over 1 hour in each C4 because oxygen needed to sleep there, carried load for Poles to each C4 - "we were sort of Sherpas."

Fixed ropes put in as high as 8200m on South Summit day before ascent to top.

Spaniards tried only one summit bid. Should be in KTM 9 or 10 June.

Neither expedition had accident, real frostbite or avalanche.

Tobin and Brady could have gone to summit if Poles had permitted. "Carl's more disappointed then James." "It was a Polish expedition" with a shrug of shoulders.


SR Sharma, Tourism 23 May 78

Kangchenjunga South 8490m: Eugeniusz Chrobak and Wojciech Wroz reached summit 19 May at 14:00 hrs and safely returned to lower camps.

Expedition leaving BC 30th to return to KTM. All well.


Dr Branski - 26 Feb 78

2 in KTM now, Ship has arrived in Bombay and 5 men there. If lucky should disembark first and leave 28 Feb with baggage to Biratnagar.

BC on Yalung Glacier, same site as British: 5000m+; route not sure: will see
when get to mountain.

Leave Dharan about 10 March, reach BC about 24 March, summit mid-May.
Really want to climb South summit, probably will not attempt main summit.
Using oxygen for climbing.
5 HA Sherpas including sirdar Ila Tsering
6-7 high camps


Kangchenjunga 1978

The Polish Himalaya Expedition on Kangchenjunga led by Piotr Mlotecki was organized by Polish Club Gorski. The Expedition was 37 persons strong including 10 Sherpas.

According to the permission granted by His Majesty's Government the main goal of the Expedition was to climb Kangchenjunga by the new route from the south side. This goal was not realised completely. As the bottom of the spur leading to south ridge was threatened by constant serac-fall from the Talung Cwm and Yalung Peak we were forced to choose traditional way leading towards the Great Shelf. From there it was possible to obtain a secure access to South Ridge.

The Expedition met with first problems already during caravan, which started from Dharan Bazar on March 14, 1978.

Because of very severe weather conditions (heavy snowfall in the region behind Yamphudin) and permanent lack of porters carrying the loads of the expedition which was possible only in groups, one after another, 10 first loads reached the base camp on April 10 and the last one in April 27.

The Base Camp was established at the altitude of 5200m. On the way to Great Shelf three camps were set up. The first one was established on April 16 at 6200m altitude, second one on April 24 at 6600m altitude and the third one on April 27 at 7150m altitude.

Proceeding towards main Kangchenjunga from the Great Shelf through Camp 4 the south Summit (altitude 8490m reached on May 19 by Eugeniusz Chrobak and Wojciech Wroz) and Central Summit (altitude 8469m reached on May 22 by Wojciech Branski, Andrzej Heinrich and Kazimierz Olech) of the mountain were scaled. In both cases the climbers used Polish Oxygen apparatus and French oxygen cyclinders.

Heavy weather condition going worse from day to day (strong wind and snowstorms) as well as forecast of coming monsoon caused the further attempts towards main Kangchenjunga summit from the south side to be abandoned.

Technical difficulties on the way forced us to install fixed ropes.

It should be underlined that the Sherpa team performed a very good work. Two of them should be distinguished first of all Lhakpa Gyalu, who twice above worked above 8000m and Mingma Gyalzen who once crossed 8000m.

The expedition's return way to Ilam via Yamphudin was met with no difficulties.