원정 개요

Calcogna - 27 Oct 73

Left BC 9 Oct, arrived Choya for porters. 3 or 4 days of bad weather still and 6 days for porters up and back. Reached Jomsom 2 days after plane which had not asked for. Reached Pokhara yesterday am and by road to KTM 10 pm last night.


Gogna - 12 Oct 73

Arrived yesterday:
1) Gogna
2) Dr. Nerli
3) Prina Cerai
4) Pomodoro
5) Zonta

Others coming with heavy baggage, arrive KTM not less than one week.

Intended to climb Annapurna with classical method and make new route via NW Buttress. Were a group of friends. All went very well to 26 Sept; because all went well, we were very confident, no problems, no difference of character, good team work.

Reached C4 6900m 22 Sept.

On 23 Calcagno and Machetto (leader) went up to 7000m to try to put C5 and then fixed ropes to 7000m (impossible fix more then 100m/day); in evening they returned to C4.

Next am very bad weather with heavy snow and decided all should return to base camp except 2, Cerruti and Rava, at C2 because C2 very important as advance base camp with all possible HA baggage and other material and C2 without men and with snow camp would collapse so every 2-3 hours they should go out and remove snow.

24-28 Sept very bad weather; really until 9 Oct only 1 day good weather.

C1 and C2 same as French, British Army and Japanese; thence to NW Buttress which begins at 6000m and to top of peak.

Base camp 4300m at beginning of icefall.
C1 5100m
C2 5750m

From C2 to beginning of buttress is 1 km long snow and ice plateau, about 6000m.

French route: C1 and C2 same, from C2 Italians went night.

C2 somewhat protected from avalanching; found Japanese ladders and food; snows from monsoon had not avalanched.

Had 11 Sherpas and 1 sirdar of whom 1 was with Japanese and they said C2 very safe. From Italians own knowledge this safe site.

Tragedy was not a normal avalanche: started from 7800m above sickle and of rock, not only ice - whole rock strata fell away; after avalanche, could see exposed bare rock.

Tragedy occured at 9 pm on 26 Sept; radio 8 am 27th no contact, no reply; again 6 pm no reply.

28th good weather. Dr Nerli, Gogna, leader Calcogno, Di Pietro went up and saw crevasses full of snow ice and rock. At C2 found only little piece of tent and 1 chocolate all that was remaining of 5 tents and lot of HA baggage in their advance base camp. Went to see how avalanche came down; saw place of departure and that beyond C2 many up to 60-70m deep x 20m wide crevasses completely filled by ice and started. Saw C3 was not destroyed by this avalanche, but in very bad condition because of snowfall and perhaps wind of avalanche; C2 intact with fixed rope completely carried away.

Were searching 3 hours for bodies; "all expedition cried" when found their 2 friends gone - all were close friends for 10 yrs. Cerruti was Gogna's brother-in-law (2 men married 2 sisters). When we in base camp at 9 pm, we felt strong wind shaking tents; wind lasted 10 secs, suddenly started and stopped; snow on tent, cannot see C2 from base camp.

Lost contact at 6 pm fatal night. They were waiting bad weather go away; calm, tranquil, did not feel themselves in danger.

Search for bodies impossible because at least 4m ice and stone came down.

Brought from Italy 4000m of rope; fixed 1000m and rest was in C2 including, in 2 tons equipment there decided to comes back from base to KTM. Always bad weather; not in hurry, not keen to make 2nd Oct, 5 members in 2 days to 1st village to go quickly to KTM.

Others today now walking to Jomsom and reach there 3 or 4 days.

Gogna will not return to north of Annapurna; it is booked up for 3 yrs.

Italian have Lhotse 1975 spring
Dhaulagiri 1976 spring

Power of avalanche so big strength that of experience: little piece of tent 50m down and shredded by explosion.

Gogna brings back brother-in-law's passport and dairy. Gogna goes quickly to Italians perhaps tomorrow impossible to go by normal route because HA shoes in base, very little rope.

NW Buttress route is possible; with 10 days good weather could have reached summit; had already by 23 Sept reached 7000m.

Post-monsoon not so bad for expedition: when good weather was warm and no wind.


Rana, MFA - 8 Oct 73

2 died of avalanche
9 pm 26 Sept

Rava (26 Biella)
Cerruti (34 Milan)

Expedition abandoned

** There is no information about whether oxygen used or not.