원정 개요

Bill Denz made a solo traverse of the mountain in October via the West Face to the main summit and then traversed the ridge to the NE Summit before descending the northwest flank.


Paul Maxim (Denz biographer) - 7 Aug 2010 (email)

Bill Denz of New Zealand did 4 trips to Nepal for the sole purpose of climbing. Details are as follows:

(1) Kusum Kanguru Oct 1981. Obtained permission to climb this peak which he did Oct 5-8th, completely solo and in doing so made the 1st ascent of the high peak, 1st solo ascent of the peak and 1st traverse of the mountain. From Lukla he established his base camp at 16,000 ft under the Southwest Face on Oct 1, but declined to climb the face due to falling ice and so started out up the rock/snow/ice buttress on its left side on the 5th. Spent one and a half days climbing this feature to the West Summit where he bivied waiting for a frost to help stabilise the ridge to the high summit. This he climbed on the 7th, taking all day in the very difficult and trying conditions. Bivied on the high peak that night then descended the Northwest Flank into the Kyashar watershed. Spent two more days bush bashing back out onto the Everest trail.

(2) Menlungste attempt Sept 1982/Oct. Illegal solo attempt on this untouched peak which lies just inside Tibet. Accessed the mountain via the Rolwaling Valley and a high pass and set up a base camp inside Tibet at 17,800 ft and directly under the southern flanks of the peak. Set out to climb the peak, but managed only a few hundred metres before aborting to ensure the safe return of his novice partner from base camp should he be killed climbing. Endured a long hard descent back into Nepal via another route due to storms and lack of food. Denz was the 1st climber ever to attempt the peak.

(3) Menlungste attempt April 1983. A second completely solo attempt via the same route as above, but unable to make the pass due to high avalanche conditions.

(4) Makalu. Attempt on West Pillar, oxygen free and alpine style with Peter Hillary (NZ), Fred From (AU) and Mark Moorhead (AU). Strong progress made right up to Oct 3 when From and Denz were caught in small slab avalanche at 6300m. Denz buried and killed. Moorhead also killed in a fall several days later. Expedition called off despite less than 900 metres of relatively easy travel remaining to summit.