Everest | 1979 S Col-SE Ridge

A W Germany expedition to Everest in 1979 via S Col-SE Ridge, led by Gerhard Schmatz. Summit reached on 1st October 1979. 14 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2125
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER79301
Peak ID EVER
Year 1979
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Col-SE Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality W Germany
Leaders Gerhard Schmatz
Sponsor Swabian Mount Everest Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 34th,35th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries New Zealand, Switzerland, USA
Approach Khumbu Valley
Basecamp Date 1979-08-25
Summit Date 1979-10-01
Summit Time 1400
Summit Days 37
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8849
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 9
Summit Members 8
Member Deaths 2
Total Hired 20
Summit Hired 5
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb True
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(25/08,5400m),C1(04/09,6000m),C2(07/09,6500m),C3(12/09,7200m),C4(24/09,8000m),Smt(01-02/10)
Route Notes 28 Sept 79 No tent pitched on SE Ridge in 1979 autumn; oxygen dumped at site of others camp. Sungdare had heart attack during descent from C3 to C2 and was unconscious in C2. Von Kaenel - 19 Oct 79 Von Kaenel and Warth argued against all 8 going together to top on 2nd Oct, thus leaving no one in C4 in support; 2 deaths unnecessary. Von Kaenel's party carried stove and gas all the way to top in case of need, but 2nd party had none. Doesn't understand Genet's wildness when oxygen ran out. Bank's oxygen finished at South Summit in descent and he not affected. Schmatz - 16 Oct 79 Mrs Schmatz died just below site of former ridge camp at about 8350m. Maybe Sungdare should have dragged her down, maybe she was not dead when he continued alone, but maybe she would have had permanent brain damage and very bad frostbite. Schmatz thinks the rucksack Genet threw over the side when his oxygen ran out contained their food and drink. Press Conference - 15 Oct 79 1 Oct - summiters from Col snow conditions: very soft snow, bad conditions - not too bad weather, windless. Same day all other members and 3 Sherpas from C3 to Col, summiters returned to South Col and stayed that night at C4. 2 Oct - 2nd summiters left Col 5:00 am - 1st rope: Fischbach, Ang Phurba; 2nd rope: Banks, Kaempfe and Genet; 3rd rope, Ang Zamba, Mrs Schmatz and Sungdare. Shortly after leaving Col, Genet unroped and fell behind; unroped against Schmatz's orders but sometimes you don't find same rhythm with other climbers and maybe this the reason. 3 parties went close together to summit but after while Genet fell behind 3rd party; don't know why, maybe only 50m behind all others. 2nd team (=8 climbers) reached top 1:00-1:30 pm; short time on top and then down; first to reach top next last ones going up as first party were descending; all well. 1st party to C2 6300-6400m from C4 this day, 2 Oct resting in C3. Saw 6 climbers at 7400m turned back because of bad weather. Poles [on Lhotse] said the 6 were Poles and in fact they were Poles. Banks said he always heard last party behind and they were coming down well snow and cloud decreased by wind became very strong and temperature dropped markedly. Fischbach, Sherpa, Kaempfe and Banks reached 8350-8400m on ridge about 5:00 pm and saw and heard other 4 descending steep section on ridge below South Summit and above ridge camp site at 8500m. At base of steep section Genet's oxygen ran out and he expressed strong desire to biv refused to continue down. 5:00-5:30 pm according to Sungdare and Ang, the sources about all future events of Genet and Mrs. Schmatz. Zambu went to ridge camp site and collected oxygen left as ascent and then back up to others still on ridge (Sungdare, Genet and Mrs Schmatz); reached others perhaps 7:00-7:30 pm. Genet again insisted on staying there for night; snow cave in the deep snow but bad cave because snow very soft; whether he had food or drink, doesn't know. Sungdare and Mrs Schmatz stayed with Genet. They stopped, Schmatz believes, because Genet did. Zamba went on down to Col and reached there 9:30 pm. Genet transferred experience from Alaska to Himalayas and didn't realize 2000m higher. In morning Genet dead from exposure, exhaustion and frostbite. Oxygen must have run out during night; very strong wind this night. 3 Oct - Sungdare descended to ridge camp site and brought up more oxygen to Mrs Schmatz. These two start going down leaving Genet at cave at 8:00-9:00 am and were visable from Col as they were going to ridge camp site. Very early same morning, 6 Sherpas left C3 with oxygen and supplies to attempt rescue. One of them Nawang Tenzing arrived Col at 8:30 am and he and Fischbach began going up towards the 2 descending climbers but at this time while NT and F going up only 1 person seen coming down. Mrs Schmatz had sat down, said she could no longer go on and died also of exposure, exhaustion and frostbite. Sungdare continued down. When they met Sungdare, helped him down; they did not go on up to Mrs Schmatz. Mrs Schmatz not in first day's summiters because stronger climbers had to break trail. 4th Oct - Warth and Von Kaenel from C2 to Col and stayed at Col that night to try to recover bodies but very bad weather (especially wind) drove them down on 5th; they did not go above Col. Asked Doug Scott to bury bodies if he reaches them. Genet made decision to biv because area covered ridge camp is not so difficult he couldn't have descended during night; made wrong decision because lack of oxygen which affected judgement. Schmatz - 14-15 Oct 79 All summiters used oxygen from South Col upwards. Genet would have been in first summit party if hadn't given Schmatz his own oxygen mask when Schmatz's went down the Lhotse Face when they were climbing to Col. Genet's oxygen ran out in descent and as result he lost his judgement. Mrs Schmatz would be alive if not for this. He threw his rucksack over the side and did other wild things. Vogler left expedition in a hurry, concerned about girl friend. Shailendra Raj Sharma, Ministry of Tourism - 7 Oct 79 5 members and 3 Sherpas climbed Everest 2 Oct between 13:00 & 14:00 hours: - Fischbach - Kaemphe - Banks - Ang Phurba Sherpa, 22, Namche - Mrs Schmatz - Genet - Ang Jambu, Pangboche - Sungdare Sherpa, 24, Pangboche While descending because of exhaustion and bad weather, Genet, Mrs Schmatz and Sungdare could not reach South Col same day; had to biv at 8400m Next am (3 Oct) Genet found dead of freezing. Mrs Schmatz and Sungdare descended for 1 hour and she died that am. Sungdare coming down alone when Nawang Sherpa of rescue party from C3 found him. He was taken to C3, given oxygen by rescue party; frostbite in both feet and snowblind; being taken to BC 4 Oct. Bodies: no information Jin Jerram - 6 Oct 79 Kathy Sullivan and Mike Corington (Ray Genet's girl friend and Scott Nuptse-Everest member) came from Everest BC yesterday in 2 days with news: All other German Everest expedition members and 3 Sherpas are believed to have reached summit on the day after the first team - went in 2 or more parties. Last party composed of Mrs Schmatz, Ray Genet and 2 Sherpas. Last party was last seen from C3 at 4:00 pm that day near South Summit Genet and Mrs. Schmatz died of exhaustion and dehydration, 1/2 hour apart between South Summit and South Col. One Sherpa reached South Col that night, other Sherpa bivouacked and is in bad condition (whether frostbitten, Jerram doesn't know) - party had no water with them. Kathy Sullivan came to KTM, this morning in Jerram's helicopter. Shailendra Raj Sharma, Ministry of Tourism - 3 Oct 79 Summit 1 Oct by 1) G. Schmatz 2) Warth 3) Von Kaenel 4) Pertemba, 30 Years - 1st in autumn 5) Lhakpa Gyalu, 28 years Left South Col 5:45 am and reached summit 14:00 hours; 1 hour on top and left 15:00 hrs and returned to South Col 19:00 hrs [after dark]. Weather cloudy that day. All summiters in good health. 2nd and last attempt scheduled for 2 Oct by total 8 more people. Peter Vogler - 28 Aug 79 Expedition was spending 5 days at Pheriche because of poor weather which brought snowfall - should have reached BC 25-26 Aug. Warth, Genet and LO joined rest of team at Namche. Vogler left expedition because full climbing period will finish too late for him; he must be back in Germany before then; hadn't expected HMG's requirement that climbing begin only on 1st Sept. Also apparently Vogler not happy with Schmatz and/or his leadership. Deepak Lama - 17 Aug 79 Everest expedition arrive Khunde 13 August according letter from Pertemba received by Deepak today. Would be 2-3 days at Khunde and 4-5 days at Pheriche. Schmatz - 30 July 79 Arrive BC 24 Aug after 3 days acclimatization Khunde Summit early Oct (6 weeks or less climbing) S Col route: nothing new - probably no camp on SE Ridge; C3 on face, C4 on col. Oxygen 120 bottles; will take to high camps and each man decides his own use 20 HA Sherpas; Pertemba = sirdar All members able to get to top - Mrs S? "I don't know" whether will succeed 6 have been on Lhotse Face 9 members including 1 Swiss, 1 New Zealand and 1 USA 21 Aug 79 Ray Genet sent oral message by a Sherpa who met him near Junbesi to say he wants his wife and baby to go on foot to Khumbu with 3 Sherpas not by plane to Lukla. Letter from Gerhard - 15 Oct 79 We have all been above Base Camp and busy with the ascent. Tragedy struck our second party and led to the death of Hannelore and Ray Genet on the descent from the summit. Inspite of the tragic ending to our expedition I believe we have set several precidents. These include - ours was the fastest successful expedition to Everest (from establishing BC until reaching the summit, 32 days) - it is the smallest successful expedition to Everest (seven men and one woman)? - the first Everest expedition of which all members reached the summit (plus five Sherpas) - the first married couple to climb Everest - Hannelore Schmatz was the fourth women and first woman of the Western Hemisphere to climb Everest. - I have now ascended the highest peaks of all the continents
Accidents Hannalore Schmatz and Genet died on descent from exposure
Achievement Gerhard Schmatz oldest summiter to date (50 yrs)
Agency -
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2446217
Year 1979
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) s col-se ridge

Members

14 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Nicholas Victor Aloysius (Nick) Banks M 1951 New Zealand Climber Llanfairfechan, Gwynedd, Wales Alpine instructor Details Other expeditions
Tilman Fischbach M 1948 W Germany Climber Friedrichshafen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, W Germany Holds a diploma as a chemist & is candidate for medical degree Details Other expeditions
Raymond Edward (Ray) Genet M 1931 USA Climber Talkeetna, Alaska Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Guenter Kaempfe M 1932 W Germany Climber Ulm, Baden-Wuerttemberg, W Germany Mechanical engineer Details Other expeditions
Gerhard Schmatz M 1929 W Germany Leader Neu-Ulm, Bavaria, W Germany Attorney Details Other expeditions
Hannelore Schmatz F 1940 W Germany Climber Neu-Ulm, Bavaria, W Germany Housewife Details Other expeditions
Johann (Hans) Von Kaenel M 1940 Switzerland Climber Bern, Switzerland Head of department in sporting-goods shop Details Other expeditions
Hermann Warth M 1940 W Germany Climber Althegnenberg, W Germany University lecturer in political science Details Other expeditions
Pertemba Sherpa M 1948 Nepal Sirdar Khumjung, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Lhakpa Gyalzen/Gyalu Sherpa M 1948 Nepal H-A Worker Phortse, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Ang Jangbu (Ang Jambu) Sherpa M 1958 Nepal H-A Worker Pangboche, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Sungdare Sherpa M 1955 Nepal H-A Worker Pangboche, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Ang Phurba Sherpa M 1957 Nepal H-A Worker Namche Bazar, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Peter Vogler M 1948 W Germany Climber Durach, Bavaria, W Germany - Details Other expeditions

References

9 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER79301 AAJ Schmatz, Gerhard - - 53:606-607 (1980) -
EVER79301 HJ Schmatz, Dr. Gerhard Swabian Everest Expedition, 1979 - 37:147-148 (1979-80) -
EVER79301 MM - - - 70:14 (Nov 1979) -
EVER79301 MM - - - 71:13 (Jan 1980) -
EVER79301 HMJ Schmatz, Dr. Gerhard Swabian Mt. Everest Expedition 1979 - 13:26-27 (1979) -
EVER79301 - Warth, Hermann Tiefe Uberall Rosenheimer Raritaten, Rosenheim, W Germany - W71
EVER79301 NZAJ Banks, Nick An Account of the 1979 Swabian Everest Expedition - 33:102-104 (1980) -
EVER79301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198060602/Asia-Nepal-Mount-Everest - - -
EVER79301 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/37/30/expeditions-and-notes-37/ - - -