원정 개요

All members went to same BC. Kanch South climbers then went to Talung while Jannu climbers acclimatized on Kangchenjunga Central Summit. Kanch South reached at 10:30 am of 1st May, having left C3 at 10 pm on 30th April and climbed Polish route; 3x50m fixed rope 7 difficult climb on mostly rock; returned to C3 at 10 pm. 1st May (took no stove but had 1 litre thermos of water, biv bag but no sleeping bag); stopped only 1 hr at 8200m to rest.

Main summit pairs left C4 2 am 1st May on top 1:25 pm and back to C3. On 2nd May Frantar and Rozman from C3 to C4. 2/3 May left C4 with 1 oxygen bottle; no one knows where left C4: planned to leave at 10 pm of 2nd May, but probably left later; were seen at 8000m at 8 am; wind very strong; last seen at 8100m at 11 am and then clouds came over them. One had 1 oxygen bottle and one of them moved only 100 vertical meters in 3 hrs while another went up 50m and returned to the other and then both seem going up together. At 4 pm they radioed they were 150m below top, they were cold, one wanted to descend and one wanted to go on up, woman was becoming snowblind but it was she wanting to go up (ambitious to become first woman a top). Both agreed to descend. Last radio contact at 7 pm and reported (speaking with difficulty) they did not know where they were "lost completely" or where to find C4; were having trouble pushing radio's buttons. Bodies found on 3rd and 4th; probably fell about 8:00 pm; definitely fell.

Rutkiewicz did not reach summit because she was too slow, spent too much time and energy on photography with much equipment, had no climbing plan. Skarja made no agreement (as she claims he had) to give her 2 summit attempts and after fatal accident climbing finished.


Rutkiewicz - 15 May 91

Left BC 9 May

WR to C2 on 4 May
BC to rest 4 May

and then learned porters called for 8th at BC, but WR had paid $8800 and received promise to wait for her to make 2 attempts.

Yugos had asked her to help in search/rescue.

WR to BC to ask someone to help her with obtaining porters when she finished her 2nd attempt. WR started up on 8 May reached C2 - all learned on 8th from BC no staff to wait for her; only 2 porters for one day would wait. Down to BC on 9th, where 2 porters (and ill Ewa) were only people left.

30th April - Stremfelj and Prezelj reached South Summit by new route so planned without oxygen and in one push of 6 days and down normal route to C3 at 7300m on Great Shelf - had made acclimatization climb of Talung.

1 May - Rupar solo ascent to Central Summit from C3 via Polish route without oxygen; started 30 April night; descended same route to C3 on 1 May.

1 May - 2:00 am Bozic and Groselj started from C4 (7600m) to main summit by normal route using oxygen and on top 1:30 pm and down to C3 and 2 May to BC (5500m).

2nd May Frantar and Rozman arrive C4 and 3 May tried for main summit (one on oxygen) at 4:00 pm radioed reached 150m below top and one decided to go down and one up; leader said both should come down (now late and windy) and they agreed and would radio again about 6:30 pm. At 6:30 they reported didn't know, where they were and where to go; Frantar snowblinded and it seemed they had frostbitten fingers. This last contact.

4 May Rutkiewicz alone going up to C4 - 100m below C4 she found Rozman's body battered body must have fallen more than 800m); she returned C3.

5 May Drazan and Juhant up from C3, put Rozman body in crevasse and 50m below C4 found Frantar's body also body battered; put here body in crevasse. Down to C2 and 6 May to BC and expedition finished unless Rutkiewicz tried for top again.

Jannu - tried face in alpine-style from 28 April - reached 7050m in 5 days. Stopped by wind and snow and resounded in 2 days and no additional attempts. Extremely difficult and in daytime sun produced waterfalls.

Others in 18 May KTM; leave 20 May if team arrives as planned.

20m-high serac 7200m on Kangchenjunga impossible by Sherpa.