Ganesh IV | 1980 S Face

A USA expedition to Ganesh IV in 1980 via S Face, led by Phillip R. Trimble. Summit reached on 10th January 1981. 5 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1854
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID GAN480401
Peak ID GAN4
Year 1980
Season 4
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Phillip R. Trimble
Sponsor Joint US-Nepal Expedition to Pabil or Ganesh IV
Success 1 False
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Nepal
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1980-12-30
Summit Date 1981-01-10
Summit Time -
Summit Days 11
Total Days 14
Termination Date 1981-01-13
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 5650
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 4
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 1
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used False
O2 None True
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(30/12,4000m),C1(02/01,5100m),xxx(10/01,5650m)
Route Notes Trimble press conference - 21 Jan 81 Weather did not cooperate. Abandoned expedition 13 Jan due to combination bad weather very cold and high winds and sustained snow fall. 4 reasonably good days when first arrived. Helicoptered to BC on 30 Dec at 4000m; couple days to acclimatize then made C1 on 2 Jan (slightly above 1978 C2); too short to acclimatize. 5 days of heavy snow, -20 degrees to -40 degrees, wind 40-60 mph. Snow quite heavy so difficulty to move higher. Got 2 days reasonable weather, back to C1 and tried push route further up. Then 4 days of snow and at end of that food running low and weather not improving and time running out; abandoned after 15 days. In walk out weather still bad. Highest point 18,500 feet by Trimble with other 3 slightly higher. 16,700 feet = C1 on South Face From C1 looked at variety routes possible. 1978 route had been swept clean by avalanches which left hard blue ice instead of snow slopes; also icefalls and icewalls to be encountered. No accidents, frost bite but wind and cold made him feel physically beaten. Lot of avalanches on slopes of Ganesh II but relaxed little on C4 till day left BC 13 Jan two huge avalanches and one swept near C1. Followed hostages progress on radio. Not sure about Tilicho in spring; Xixabangma in fall definite; no plan to return to Ganesh IV. Wind now worse than on Everest in autumn 1976; ice difficulty greater now. Saw no Yeti, but believes Yeti highly probable since descriptions so similar and areas so wild. Trimble press conference - 29 Dec 80 Joint US-Nepal Expedition to Pabil (Ganesh IV) Important for ambassador Trimble to see as much of a country as possible so have tried to spend 1/4 of my time outside KTM valley. 1st attempt by ambassador in Nepal to climb a Nepalese peak and 1st American winter expedition in Himalayas. I expect weather greatest obstacle we will face. Only 4 on mountain; no one at BC. "Four men against the next" and expect to accomplish it relatively quickly. I expect it will be extremely cold down to -60 degrees F and high winds part of time of 50-60 mph. If constant winds that violently and that cold, will not be possible to climb mountain. Will try SW Ridge route which would be new route. From South Face, SW Ridge route straight up from BC and not off to right as Japanese route; but if ridge not possible will repeat Japanese route. Food for 21 days; all have to be back in KTM at end of January. Helicopter to 3000m tomorrow and then 1-2 days to BC other climbing members; Mingma Tenzing, Annapurna [sirdar]. (LO) Yogendra Thapa, inspector Kamal Bhandari, subinspector May return to KTM by helicopter depending on time left after climb; would like to walk out. Mountain climbing always dangerous; less dangerous in winter because should be diminished avalanche activity. "One never knows about these things" but in winter with less snowfall. BC at 4000m. Expect minimum of 12-14 days of climbing of 21 days. If weather good, no storms no one gets sick should be able to reach summit 12-14 days, so don't have time to sit out a week's storm. 4-5 days to acclimatize in 4000m area then climb. 3 camps above BC, moving each camp up as go, not leaving fixed camps in place as move up mountain. Expect all 4 members to go to top. Picked Ganesh IV because waited about 7000m peak with challenge, but feasible in short time and because close to KTM. Trimble - 8 Dec 80 Leave for Ganesh IV on 30 Dec. Route = Japanese South face to Ridge or some shorter variation; exact route depends on winter conditions; hopes avalanche danger, which appears to be there in other seasons, will be less in winter. Plans alpine ascent: no fixed camps, no up and down, just up. BC = Japan's C1 Frank Morgan not coming. Only 4 men on mountain: Trimble, 2 Nepalese (Thapa and Bhandari) and 1 Sherpa who also will climb. Hope to spend only 10-20 days on mountain; maximum 30 days out of KTM. Chance of success not 100%. Winter weather, avalanche possibilities, possible difficult section high up No oxygen, even medical Sharma, Tourism - 2 Dec 80 Permit granted to Ambassador Phillip Trimble with 1) Yogendra Thapa of Nepal Police 2) Kamal Bhandari, Nepal Police both of whom climbed Ganesh IV in 1978 3) Frank Morgan, attorney (private practice) 1 Sherpa, Mingma Tenzing as sirdar (was Japanese sirdar in 1978) Climbing 3-4 weeks in Dec and Jan Route = SE Ridge, same as Japanese 1978
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2446910
Year 1980
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) s face

Members

5 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Phillip R. Trimble M 1937 USA Leader Kathmandu Ambassador to Nepal Details Other expeditions
Frank Morgan M 1938 USA Climber Twin Falls, Idaho Attorney Details Other expeditions
Yogendra Bahadur Thapa M 1948 Nepal Climber - Inspector Nepal Police Details Other expeditions
Kamal Bhandari M - Nepal Climber - Subinspector in Nepal Police Details Other expeditions
Mingma Tenzing Sherpa M - Nepal Sirdar Thami, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
GAN480401 AAJ Trimble, Phillip R. - - 55:258-259 (1981) -
GAN480401 MM - - - 79:14 (May 1981) -
GAN480401 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198125803/Asia-Nepal-Ganesh-IV-Winter-Attempt-1981 - - -