Gangapurna | 1981 S Face

A Canada expedition to Gangapurna in 1981 via S Face, led by John Lauchlan. Summit reached on 30th April 1981. 4 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1813
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID GANG81101
Peak ID GANG
Year 1981
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Canada
Leaders John Lauchlan
Sponsor Gangapurna 1981
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 5th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach Pokhara->Modi Khola->Annapurna Sanctuary
Basecamp Date 1981-03-28
Summit Date 1981-04-30
Summit Time 1500
Summit Days 33
Total Days 36
Termination Date 1981-05-03
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 7455
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 1
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 4
Summit Members 2
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
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(28/03,4000m),Acclim.C(07/04,4570m),ABC(10/04,5190m),Snowcave(15/04,5480m),Berg.C(20/04,5940m),TopofSnowCave(23/04,6550m),SeracBiv(27/04,6860m),RockBiv(28/04,6950m),MiserableBiv(29/04,7070m),Smt(30/04)
Route Notes Lauchlan - 11 May 81 28 March BC at 13,500 ft 7 April acclimatazation to 15,000 ft 10 April ABC at 17,000 ft 15 April snow cave at 18,000 feet 4 day's storm with very strong wind: hence in cave, could hardly stand up 20 April bergschrund camp at foot of face at 19,500 ft Alpine-style without fixed ropes, food getting low 23-27 April three days in bad storm at top of 20,000 ft and ice snow cave at foot of rock band at 21,500 feet 27 April Congdon and McNab went down; Lauchlan and Blench up into rock band where climb started to get difficult with some 80-degree ice; seracs bivouacs at 22,500 ft 28 April more mixed climbing in the 75-80 degrees, rock bivouac at 22,800 ft 29 April another storm, 23,200 ft bivouac = miserable bivouac = very narrow 30 April weather cleared and went for summit and got there around 3:00 pm and Blench pretty tired and in midst of lightening storm that shocked through metal in packs to backs; only briefly on top. Altitude hit Blench pretty hard; that night in miserable bivvy and next day Blench very sick: concious but not innovative and not even able to do up his boots. Lauchlan lowered Blench 1 May all way to top of snow cave at snow cave bivvy. 2 May lowered him to bergschrund camp where other 2 met. Blench not really better until 3 May at BC. Coughing so badly lost all strength and vomiting; now Ok, but worn out. All have same frostnipped toes. McNab went down cause not feeling well and Congdon not so strong as Blench, indeed Congdon also not so well. Later not able to go up because not enough food left. Route was South Face, quite difficult. Lauchlan - 11 March 81 Route = South Face = new route 45 degrees, 60 degrees ice face plus rock gullies with water ice All members are experienced waterfall climbers 21,500-23,000 ft really difficult climbing 1st Canadian expedition to attempt new route in Nepal. 2 more arrived 14th and leave KTM 17th and leave Pokhara 18th Approach up Modi Khola via Hinko to east side of Gangapurna South Ridge BC about 13,500 ft ABC = 17,000-17,500 ft Above ABC probably alpine-style climb; no Sherpas above BC. Arrived BC 25-27 March 3 weeks to stock ABC and acclimatization. 3 weeks to do face itself. If go up alpine-style will descend via East Ridge; if not will be moving siege (rope fixed and then pulled up) and descend same route. No oxygen.
Accidents All members have frostnipped toes
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2447021
Year 1981
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) s face

Members

4 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
James Blench M 1955 Canada Climber Seebe, Alberta Alpine instructor Details Other expeditions
Dwayne Congdon M 1956 Canada Climber Seebe, Alberta Alpine instructor Details Other expeditions
John Lauchlan M 1954 Canada Leader Seebe, Alberta Alpine instructor Details Other expeditions
David (Dave) McNab M 1955 Canada Climber Seebe, Alberta Alpine instructor Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
GANG81101 AAJ Lauchlan, John - - 56:233 (1982) -
GANG81101 MM - - - 80:12 (Jul 1981) -
GANG81101 CAJ Lauchlan, John Gangapurna Stories - 65:17-19 (1982) -
GANG81101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198223301/Asia-Nepal-Gangapurna-South-Face - - -