Kangchenjunga | 1929 SW Face

A USA expedition to Kangchenjunga in 1929 via SW Face, led by Edgar Francis Farmer. Summit reached on 27th May 1929. 1 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2549
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID KANG29101
Peak ID KANG
Year 1929
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Edgar Francis Farmer
Sponsor -
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 -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1929-05-21
Summit Date 1929-05-27
Summit Time -
Summit Days 6
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 6
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 6000
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 1
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 3
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(21/05),C1(23/05),C2(24/05),C3(25/05),xxx(27/05,6000m?)
Route Notes From Himalayan Journal, 1930 The Tragedy of Kangchenjunga, 1929 Edgar Francis Farmer, of the Standard Oil Company of New York, lost his life on or about 27th May, 1929 in a plucky but misguided attempt to reach the summit of Kangchenjunga, alone. Though Farmer had no experience of climbing elsewhere than in the Rockies, his books and notes show that he had studied his subject thoroughly. He did not divulge his intention to officials or others in Darjeeling, competent to advise or dissuade him, but having obtained the Sikkim frontier pass, after signing the usual undertaking that he would not enter Tibet or Nepal, he started on 6th May, ostensibly to explore the Guicha La region. His ambitious resolve was only disclosed on the return of his porters without him and on examination of his papers after his death. His sole companions were Sherpa and Bhutia porters -- all reliable men -- whose story is as follows. Having visited the Guicha La, Farmer turned west, and after crossing the Kang La into Nepal, he carefully avoided Tseram and ascended the Yalung glacier to a point immediately below the southwest cliffs of Kangchenjunga. His camp-site here is identical with that of Raeburn and Crawford in 1920, and his party found graves which can only have been those of the victims of the disaster to Guillarmod's expedition of 1905. On 26th May, with three ex-Everest porters, he started up an icefall below the Talung saddle, the southwest cliffs of Kangchenjunga being on his left. Though Farmer himself was extra warmly clad and well equipped with crampons, his men were indifferently shod and had no crampons. The sun grew powerful, and when his Sirdar pointed out the danger of proceeding thus equipped, he promised to turn back by noon. The going became worse, and porter slipped and was unable to proceed. At this juncture, Farmer ordered the remainder to halt while he continued a little higher in order to take photographs, after promising to return shortly. All efforts to dissuade him failed; he went on and on into the mist, the porters waving to him to descend, at intervals when the mist cleared. He was still climbing at five o'clock, after which the mist seems to have obscured him. The porters remained on the look out till dusk, when they descended to camp and prepared food food for him. From here they signalled at intervals with electric torch and Meta fuel. On the following morning they climbed to spot whence his route could be clearly seen, and as the sun topped the Talung ridge they caught a glimpse of him far above them on a steep snow slope; but he soon disappeared -- to be seen no more. Vision plays strange tricks under such circumstances, and it is of course possible that the porters were mistaken. But they assert it positively, and describe him as moving wildly with arms outstretched. This gives rise to the theory that he had been smitten with snow-blindness. Their vigil continued throughout the whole day and until nine o'clock on the morning of the 28th, when intense hunger forced them down. Reaching Tseram on the 30th they exchanged a chuba, or Tibetan coat, for some Indian corn, and sent their strongest man straight to Darjeeling, where he arrived on 6th June with news of the tragedy. The men's narratives were taken down separately and checked by knowledge of the locality, by dates and by distances. Those who investigated the evidence are convinced that the whole truth was told and that the conduct of the porters was unexceptionable. Farmer had previously, near the Guicha La, created alarm by disappearing alone for several hours. He had the ideal build for a climber and possessed courage and determination, but without the obsession of his ambition affected his judgement and brought about his tragic end. The greatest sympathy is felt with his mother, whose only son he was. Taken from American Alpine Journal Vol 1, No.2, 1930 The Fatality On Kangchenjunga - W.S Ladd When Mr Farmer arrived in India, he proceeded to Darjeeling and there met Mr. G.H. Johnson a climber of experience in the Himalayas. He and others helped Farmer to secure excellent porters - several of them being well known men of experience and veterans of Mt. Everest Expeditions. The story of what befell Mr. Farmer is best told by the testimony of the porters before the Indian Police, which follows: "Statement of Lobsang, son of Dawa Tibetan of Patual-Sho, Lhasa; age 33, of Bhuti Bosti. Mr. Wood-Johnson, Assistant Manager of Geille TE went to Giuchela last year in October and I went with him as his headman, There were 20 coolies. General Bruce of the Mount Everest Expedition on two occassions and it was for this reason. Mr. Wood-Johnson took me with him. He had a successful trip. In April on a Wednesday I went to Geille TE on the call of Mr. Wood-Johnson who told me that Mr. Farmer was going to Jongri for one month and six days: 9 days each way to Jongri and back and he would halt 18 days at Jongri and take photos. He would be going up Kang La. On my question I told that Mr. Farmer was not going to do mountain climbing and being such a light job, he arranged to give 1-4 -) per day for me, and to Sonam Topgay and Nima Tenduk and seven other coolies, anna 12 per day. He also promised that rations would be provided from Yok-Sun onwards. "On 6th May, 1929 we started from Jongri at 7 am taking with us five days rations for six of us, leaving our reserve ration at Jongri with a yak herd. We halted at Aluk-thang. On 7th May, 1929 we arrived at Chematang at 4 pm. Mr Farmer alone climbed Guichela. he told us to stay at Camp. At nightfall I sent Nima Tenduk with a lantern and Mr. Farmer returned at about 7:30 pm. "On 8th May, 1929 at 6 am, Nima Tenduk, Sonam Topgay and myself accompanied Mr Farmer. We went about half way to Guichela when he said he had been on the top of Guichela the previous evening, and turned towards Kanchen Junga. We walked in that direction up to 11 Am. When we reached the Lap-tse (cairn) heavy cloud intervened and we could not see the Kanchenjunga. We halted there for one hour but it did not clear so we returned to Chematang and halted the night there. On 9th May, 1929 at 6 am we got ready to start, when he suddenly said that he must go towards Kanchen Junga, the same direction where we went the previous afternoon, and would return in half an hour. We waited there and he returned at 10 AM and came to Jongri at 5:30 pm. "On 10th May, 1929, on my suggestion, Mr Farmer sent Nima Tenduk and Dam-du to purchase flour, vegetables, eggs etc. at Yok-Sum and Pemingchi. Mr Farmer, myself Sonam Topgay and Sonam Chompe halted at Jongri. On 11th May, 1929, Mr. Farmer told me to take 5 days rations and four of us left for Kang La where he said he wanted to see the road. We halted that night at Tre Kyaplak cave near Chu-rang Chu. On 12th May 1929, we went further towards Kang La and halted at Chokar-Pang. On 13th May, 1929 at 6 AM , Mr Farmer, myself and Sonam Topgay went towards Kang La. We crossed Kang La and went about one fourth mile. There was heavy snow on the Pass. "On 14th May, 1929 we came to Jongri where we halted on 15th may 1929. That day Mr. Farmer went alone towards Ke-pur mountains. I objected to his going alone but he refused to take any one of us. That night Nima Tenduk and Dam-du returned from Pemiongchi with one mound flour, potatoes eggs beans onions and a seer of butter. On 16th May, 1929 morning Mr. Farmer instructed me to take 14 days rations and we started for Kang La at 10 am. We halted that night at Tre-Kyamla. On 17th May, 1929, at Chu-kar pany. On 18th May 1929 we halted near Tse-ram on a grassy place. It was a bad and cloudy day. On 20th May, 1929 we came to a village. I thought we were in Nepal and asked Mr. Farmer whether he got a pass to enter Nepal. He replied "I know" "I know ". We then returned back and about one fourth mile and turned towards Kanchen junga and halted on a hill. "On 21st May, 1929 we went down into a valley and here we made our Base camp. There were small or dwarf rhododendron trees available for fire wood. On 22nd May, 1929 Mr Farmer, myself, Sonam Topgay and Nima Tenduk went up for about one mile and on account of snowfall we returned to base camps. On 23rd May, 1929 Mr Farmer ordered me to take 4 days rations and about 10 AM we started Mr Farmer, myself, Nima Tenduk and Sonam Topgay. We halted at the glacier till 2 PM then we crossed the stream on the left and halted there for the night. We were on the lowest portion of the glacier. Mr Farmer called this No. 1 camp. "On 24th May, 1929 we were actually on glacier. We saw avalanche falling near our camp. We left at about 7 AM and came to our camp at 5 PM and halted there. Mr Farmer called this as No. 2 Camp. On 25th May 1929 he started at about 7 AM and reached at the foot of Kanchen Junga mountain at about 4:30 PM. We made our camp on glacier. It was a difficult place and we the camping place. We halted there. It was a cold night. In a few minutes our hot tea got frozen. We walked very slowly from Camp No. I to this camp which Mr Farmer called Camp No. 3. That night he told us to prepare to leave the camp at 6 AM the next morning. "On 26th May, 1929 at 6 AM we all started. Mr Farmer took coffee some dry biscuits and ham. He kept no food of any kind in his pockets. He took a small camera, a pair of field glasses, ice axe and 2 films. He wore 3 shirts, 2 coats, 3 pairs of drawers, 3 pairs of socks. The nails of his boots having worn out he used a pair of crampons. He took no rope. We walked up together on the mountains but very slowly as we were getting difficulty in breathing. It was 9 AM then. I suggested to Mr. Farmer that as the sun was up and the snow melting, we may get trouble if we go up further and suggested and suggested him to return to our camp. Mr Farmer insisted that we must climb the mountain up to 12 noon. We went on. Then we came to a difficult place on snow and ice, sometime down and sometime up. It was like an ice corridor. Then came to a rock and when climbing I slipped and fell down about 6 or 7 feet and injured my back. Mr. Farmer told us to wait here for him. He would return at 12 noon after taking some photographs. He gave his Cine Camera to Sonam Topgay to let the spring go when he climbs us. As he started climbing up the mountain Sonam Topgay tried to operate. We saw him going up to 5 PM. As he walked he looked at us several times; and we called him back but he paid no heed. At 5 PM he sat down on the snow. Just then heavy cloud set in and intervened. We waited on the spot till 6 PM. We thought that he would would be returning and we returned to camp No. 3 and cooked food and waited for him. He did not return. We used his torch light just to show him the camp. On 27th May, 1929, at about 7 AM, we got on the top of an ice hillock and we saw all the way that Mr. Farmer went up. We saw Mr. Farmer climbing up on the steep snow. This time he was long way up. It was small figure. He was climbing up. The peak of Kangchenjunga was on his left hand side.* He got on the top of a mountain and we never saw him again. Heavy cloud intervened. There were other mountains behind the ridge that he crossed. We waited for the Sahib at No. 3 camp. He did not return. We had no food-all exhausted. There were some dry biscuits of the Sahib which we eat. About 300 ft from our camp we found an old camp for 2 tents. (Probably the camp of Raeburn and Crawford who are known to have gone up to Yalung in September, 1920). We thought some Sahibs came here before. There were towo empty tins of kerosene oil and also a broken clay pot. There were two heaps of stones (Cairns) which we thought were graves. "On 29th May, 1929, we waited for the Sahib. As he did not return we left the camp at about 9 AM and came to No. 2 camp where we left some food on the up journey. We reached there at about 5 PM. For want of food we nearly lost our lives. I thought as the Sahibs did not return for 3 days, he must have met his death. "On 30th May, 1929 Sonam Chompe went to "Gote" cowherd and there he exchanged his "Chupa" Tibetan coat for one pathi "Indian". With this food we came to the hill near Tseram and halted there." "On 31st May, 1929, we camped near Kang La. 1st June we came to Chu-Kar-pang and I sent Sonam Topgay to Jongri and told him to proceed at once to Mr. Wood-Johnson and hand over the Cine Camera so that he may be able to develop the films to show the places visited by us and give information about the Sahibs. "When we reached camp No. 3 Mr Farmer had for his food three bundles of pea soup and half a paper box of biscuits, about 2 spoonful of sugar. We took them as we had no food to eat.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2428228
Year 1929
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) sw face

Members

1 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Edgar Francis Farmer M - USA Leader New Rochelle, New York Standard Oil Company of New York Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
KANG29101 HJ Bauer, Paul The Trajedy of Kangchenjunga, 1929 - 2:120-121 (1930) -
KANG29101 AAJ Ladd, W. S. The Fatality on Kanchenjunga - 2:195-199 (1930) -
KANG29101 MM Dyhrenfurth, G. O. & Dyhrenfurth, Norman Kangchenjunga - 68:34-40 (Jul 1979) -
KANG29101 - Dyhrenfurth, G. O. Das Buch vom Kantsch Nymphenburger, Munich - D389
KANG29101 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/02/2/the-german-attack-on-kangchenjunga-1929/ - - -