Gurja Himal | 1976 SW Ridge
A France expedition to Gurja Himal in 1976 via SW Ridge, led by Philippe Ertlen. Summit reached on 5th May 1976. 7 members recorded.
Expedition Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| ID | 2199 |
| Imported | 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634 |
| Expedition ID | GURJ76101 |
| Peak ID | GURJ |
| Year | 1976 |
| Season | 1 |
| Host Country | 1 |
| Route 1 | SW Ridge |
| Route 2 | - |
| Route 3 | - |
| Route 4 | - |
| Nationality | France |
| Leaders | Philippe Ertlen |
| Sponsor | Alsatian Expedition to Gurja Himal |
| Success 1 | True |
| Success 2 | False |
| Success 3 | False |
| Success 4 | False |
| Ascent 1 | 4th |
| Ascent 2 | - |
| Ascent 3 | - |
| Ascent 4 | - |
| Claimed | False |
| Disputed | False |
| Countries | - |
| Approach | Pokhara->Ghustang Khola (BC) |
| Basecamp Date | 1976-04-09 |
| Summit Date | 1976-05-05 |
| Summit Time | 1300 |
| Summit Days | 26 |
| Total Days | 0 |
| Termination Date | - |
| Termination Reason | 1 |
| Termination Notes | - |
| High Point (m) | 7193 |
| Traverse | False |
| Ski | False |
| Paraglide | False |
| Camps | 3 |
| Fixed Rope (m) | 0 |
| Total Members | 7 |
| Summit Members | 3 |
| Member Deaths | 2 |
| Total Hired | 2 |
| 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(09/04,4450m),C1(12/04,5030m),C2(16/04,5750m),C3(20/04,6000m),C4(6800m),Smt(05/05) |
| Route Notes | Accident 5 May - 3 members who reached summit fell: Soubrane died immediately C. Ertlen critically injured and died 7th May Schoenahl minor injuries Bernadette Vasseux - 17 May 76 Bodies not brought down at all. Will be left where they are and rest walking back in 10 days. Only Maurice Schoenahl remains now in KTM: leader and Sissler went to BC in Today's helicopter. MB Pandey, MFA - 16 May 76 Gurja Expedition's bodies have been brought down to BC. B Vasseux - 12 May 76 No news from mountain; idea is to bring bodies to KTM and cremate here with Godavari fathers conducting service. Parents of Christine not coming to Nepal. Philippe Ertlen - 9 May 76 Arrived by helicopter from Gurja: Schoenahl P. Ertlen Sissler 5th in C4 5 members and on 6th Philippe and Laubacher went down for help. Climbed via SW Ridge C3 in col at 6000m shoulder at 6800m: most difficult part of route; fixed rope up this part. 1st team put 1 tent on shoulder on 4th May. 5th May up from C3 to C4 and found no one at 2:30 pm (started 4:30 am). At shoulder meet Japanese route. At 5 pm heard Maurice coming down and he cried accident. Helped him to C4; 3 of 2nd team went to accident site at about half hour up from C4. Started fall about 7000m and fell 200m. Francois died immediately on rocky mountain side, Christine unconscious and carried her to C4. 6 May Philippe and JC to BC to get help via Japanese route. Reached BC 2:00 pm and sent messenger and LO to Dhorpatan to ask for helicopter and sent 2 Sherpas to C2 to go up next day to C4. 7th May weather too bad (heavy snowfall) and Sherpas could not reach C4 via Japanese route and returned to BC. Christine died, but 2 others could not leave C4 because weather. 8 May RNAC Alouette helicopter: hoped it could take persons to C2 at 5750m, but unable reach that altitude. Maurice and Bernard to C2 in am, Bernard to BC. 9th May Alouette to C2 and brought Maurice; Maurice really in good health. 2 bodies are on shoulder. Others go up to bring back bodies with help of Sherpas and bring to KTM. Don't know how accident happened or cause of death of Christine. Dr Sissler - 8 May 76 (from helicopter) 2 groups of 3. 1st reached summit: Schoenahl, Soubrane, Miss Ertlen. New route - very marvelous, nice and very difficult. Would to return by Japanese easy route and 15 minutes before reaching C4 at 6800m Christine crampons caught and she fell and pulled other 2. Soubrane died instantly and he left where he died because very difficult terrain. She was brought to C4 by 2nd group Philippe Ertlen, Jean-Claude and Aghina who planned go summit next day. J-C saw distress signal from Maurice who was crawling towards C4. Christine still in C4 with beginning serious frostbite and frozen arm and and with her Aghina and Maurice who has fractured ribs. Philippe and Jean-Claude to BC to inform about accident. J-C had frostbite on all fingers but now all right. Christine she is still in C4. Sent 3 Sherpas but one twice. Accident happened 5 May: 1:00 on summit, 3:00-3:30 accident occured Alouette to try to take rescuers close. Letter from Philippe - May 6, 1976 Yesterday after reaching the top of Gurja by a new and difficult way (SW Ridge) 3 members had a bad accident, they fell down 200m. Francois Soubrane died immediately, Christine Ertler has small cerebral commotion and Maurice Schoenahl is only little contusioned. 3 other members are in good health but abandoned the ascent at 6800m because of this accident. Letter from Philippe - April 21, 1976 We reached C2 on 15th of April. (We find some useful old fix ropes between C1 and C2). We put a temporary Camp 3 on 6000m (19th of April) just below the SW Ridge of Gurja Himal. This ridge looks, rather difficult between 6000m and 6800m (first part is rock, second ice or hard snow) but we hope to climb it soon with help of some fixed rope in the beginning. Weather is nice in the morning but it is snowing each day in the afternoon. Philippe Ertlen - 23 March 76 BC on left side of Ghustang Khola beside glacier into Khola. Route same as Friday 1972 and Japanese 1969 to about C2; thence entirely new route via and SW Ridge. Christine Ertlen - 23 March 76 Ridge, not same as 1972 route except in lower part. BC 4500m; 3 high camps on south side. Leave Pokhara end March; 12 days to BC No climbing oxygen. 2 Sherpas. Letter from Philippe In a hurry to send you a short message yesterday. After reaching the top of Gurja by a new and difficult way 3 members had a bad accident. They fell down 200m. Francois Soubrane died immediately, Christine Ertlen had small cerebral coronation and Maurice Schoenahl is only little contusioned. 3 other members are in good health, but abandoned the ascent at 6800m because of this accident. |
| Accidents | Accident 5 May - 3 members who reached summit fell: Soubrane died immediately, C Ertlen critically injured and died 7 May, Schoenahl minor injuries |
| Achievement | - |
| Agency | - |
| Commercial Route | - |
| Standard Route | - |
| Primary Route | False |
| Primary Member | False |
| Primary Reference | - |
| Primary ID | - |
| Checksum | 2445240 |
| Year | 1976 |
| Summit Success | True |
| O2 Summary | None |
| Route (lowercase) | sw ridge |
Members
7 recorded members.
| Name | Sex | Year of Birth | Citizenship | Status | Residence | Occupation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernard Aghina | M | 1952 | France | Climber | Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, France | Architect | Details Other expeditions |
| Christine Ertlen | F | 1953 | France | Climber | Mulhouse, Haut-Rhin, France | Teacher | Details Other expeditions |
| Philippe Ertlen | M | 1951 | France | Leader | Mulhouse, Haut-Rhin, France | Teacher | Details Other expeditions |
| Jean-Claude Laubacher | M | 1948 | France | Climber | Mulhouse, Haut-Rhin, France | Post official | Details Other expeditions |
| Maurice Schoenahl | M | 1954 | France | Climber | Kingersheim, Haut-Rhin, France | Student | Details Other expeditions |
| Jacques Sissler | M | 1946 | France | Exp Doctor | Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, France | Physician | Details Other expeditions |
| Francois Soubrane | M | 1941 | France | Climber | Paris, France | Engineer | Details Other expeditions |
References
2 recorded references.