Himalchuli East | 1985 SW Ridge

A Hungary expedition to Himalchuli East in 1985 via SW Ridge, led by Pal Orban. Summit reached on 23rd May 1985. 13 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 163
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID HIME85101
Peak ID HIME
Year 1985
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Hungary
Leaders Pal Orban
Sponsor Hungarian Himalayan Expedition 1985
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 Dordi Khola
Basecamp Date 1985-04-25
Summit Date 1985-05-23
Summit Time -
Summit Days 28
Total Days 31
Termination Date 1985-05-26
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 7893
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 12
Summit Members 2
Member Deaths 2
Total Hired 3
Summit Hired 1
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(25/04,4550m),C1(30/04,5450m),C2(04/05,6480m),C3(11/05,7000m),C4(22/05,7200m),Smt(23/05)
Route Notes BC near Dordi Khola SSW of peak C1 above icefall and dangerous couloir on ice ridge C2 on ridge above icewall, seracs and icefall C3 on ridge above another icewall (100m) C4 north of West Peak (only 1 tent). 2 technical problems: 1st 200-300m rock at about 5000m and here will fix rope; big serac area and ice overhang at 6200m and again here will fix rope. Daily constant rocks, ice and water down 12m high, 1m wide couloir below C1. Everyday new snow (6 days excepted). Was difficult to find route above C2 up icewall and seracs and took 3 days to get up ice wall and fix ropes on it halfway between C2 and C3. In meantime 2 Sherpas deserted after very small carries and many rest days; left expedition BC 4 May. From C3 three summiters went around West Peak to its east up another icewall, down and again up in poor decision regarding route (in descent followed Japanese route to its west) to C4. Returned to BC 25 May and turned back in strong wind and new snow; they were tired. 16 May Csanadi and Greskovits carrying supplies to C3 in supply build-up at C3 in clear weather. Above ice wall met Tolnai at 2:30 pm (Tolnai coming alone) and extremely strong storm came up damaging BC tents. On 17 May members went up from C2 and found backpacks of Csanadi and Greskovits were they they left them a short way above meeting point on easy way from there to C3 and ski-stick of Csanadi at top of ice wall and his ice axe at bottom of ice wall. After 2 days search no trace and no hope. Believe probably blown of ridge. No other serious health problems. Shrestha, Tourism - 24 May 85 After establishing C2, 6 members were ferrying loads from C2 to C3 site with view of establishing C3. On 16 May Sandor Csanadi (born '49, engineer Budapest) and Peter Greskovits ('52 pharmacist, Budapest) carried loads to C3 but did not return to C2 to stay overnight. Then BC and C2 tried to contact them by walkie-talkie but no contact, consequently in moving of 17 May other members and sirdar started to search for them from C2 to C3, but they were not traced. Search continued next 2 days May 18 and 19 from C2 to C3 and when had reached near C3 at 4:30 pm, the wind was blowing at 130 km/hr and might have been blown away by the wind. On May 20 2 members, Jozsef Csikos ('54, engineer Miskola) and Laszlo Voros and sirdar Pemba Norbu Sherpa established C3 at 7100m on north side of mountain. Expedition planned to make summit bid on May 22 or 25. Csanadi & Kallo - 15 April 85 Have been planning expedition for 3 yrs. Problem to get it organized since had no official backing, only climbing officials do not know what is mountaineering (Hungary has no mountains). Only 500 climbers in Hungary - 10 years ago only 100. Himalchuli is forerunner to '87 Makalu attempt by Czech on SE Buttress. East Germans had best rock climbers in the world. Difficult to get vacation time to come on climb in Nepal.
Accidents Death of two members (probably swept away by high winds between C2 and C3)
Achievement 1st Hungarian ascent of any Nepalese mountain
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2448599
Year 1985
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) sw ridge

Members

13 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Istvan Szabo M 1939 Hungary Climber Dorog, Hungary Mechanic Details Other expeditions
Laszlo Berzi M 1950 Hungary Climber Budapest, Hungary Engineer, railway Details Other expeditions
Sandor Csanadi M 1949 Hungary Climber Budapest, Hungary Engineer, computer development Details Other expeditions
Jozsef Csikos M 1954 Hungary Climber Miskolac, Hungary Engineer, geophysical Details Other expeditions
Peter Greskovits M 1952 Hungary Climber Szentes, Hungary Pharmacist Details Other expeditions
Antal Kallo M 1935 Hungary Exp Doctor Budapest, Hungary Surgeon Details Other expeditions
Laszlo Katona M 1954 Hungary Climber Budapest, Hungary Instructor, sports Details Other expeditions
Pal Geza Orban M 1922 Hungary Leader Budapest, Hungary Technician Details Other expeditions
Pemba Norbu Sherpa M - Nepal Sirdar - - Details Other expeditions
Gyorgy Toldi M 1956 Hungary Climber Budakalsz, Hungary Engineer, agricultural Details Other expeditions
Istvan Tolnai M 1961 Hungary Climber Dorog, Hungary Mechanic Details Other expeditions
Csaba Toth M 1958 Hungary Climber Budapest, Hungary Engineer, agricultural Details Other expeditions
Laszlo Voros M 1951 Hungary Climber Szentendre, Hungary Mechanic Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
HIME85101 AAJ Orban, Pal Geza - - 60:240 (1986) -
HIME85101 MM - - - 105:11 (Sep 1985) -
HIME85101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198624002/Asia-Nepal-Himalchuli-Ascent-and-Tragedy - - -