Kangchenjunga | 1979 W Face of N Col-N Ridge-N Face

A UK expedition to Kangchenjunga in 1979 via W Face of N Col-N Ridge-N Face, led by Doug Scott. Summit reached on 16th May 1979. 5 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2076
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID KANG79101
Peak ID KANG
Year 1979
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Face of N Col-N Ridge-N Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality UK
Leaders Doug Scott
Sponsor British Kangchenjunga Expedition
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 France
Approach Dharan->Ghunsa->Pangpema (BC)
Basecamp Date 1979-04-04
Summit Date 1979-05-16
Summit Time 1700
Summit Days 42
Total Days 46
Termination Date 1979-05-20
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8586
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 4
Summit Members 3
Member Deaths 0
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 True
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(04/04,5000m),C1(05/04,5200m),C2(14/04,5800m),C3(28/04,6900m),C4(02/05,7400m),C5(04/05,7900m),Smt(16/05)
Route Notes Scott - 29 May 1979 Attempt as of Boardman's letter of 9th May: Without oxygen no big deal if you give yourselves time to acclimatize as we did inadvertently. All 3 of us on top 3/4 hrs with no trouble, no hallucinating, fairly technical near top rock to deal with. Just a matter of giving yourself time. Without oxygen "has been a bit overstated." Went up W Face to col at 22,600 ft. So steep had to fix ropes up it and only one of expedition's Sherpas could manage it (Ang Phurba). Then to N Ridge to N Face - not even on Indian's route, for where Indians got onto ridge, Brits on face. 2nd attempt: 13th May to try for C4 snow cave at 24,500 ft thinking to climb all night but got really violent storm early on 13th and built snow caves at 26,000 ft. George and Pete had gone ahead to make higher snow cave about 1500 ft from top. At this point George burnt himself out and felt couldn't go on 3rd attempt. He he had done lot of leading on lower part of face, went back to C4 and decided weather looked brighter and could go back up from there. Night of 15th occupied a cave at 26,000 ft and on 16th 8:00 am 3 British set off together up right of N Ridge out of NW Face really. Took turns leading and after about 2000 ft of climbing reached pinnacles of 1955 route and hence to 8 ft. below summit (stayed below summit because of local feeling). Arrived about 5:00 pm and stayed 3/4 hrs and then back to cave in dark arriving at 9:00 pm in magnificent storm's bronze sunset. Had reasonably good snow conditions which facilated climb. Westerly winds are constant battle and have to pick your time when its not so fierce. All members arrived KTM - all well. Doug Scott letter to Cheney - 6 April 1979 What LO calls BC at 5140m is actally temp BC (at Pangpema, which is Gorch Sherpa's altitude) - actual BC to be at 17,500 ft. 5335m up Kangchenjunga Glacier. Pangpema is where 1930 International Expedition had BC. Higher site better for a BC for lightweight, modern expedition. Pete Boardman "still having problem with foot but should be OK." MJ Cheney - 18 April 1979 Doug Scott writes from BC that Peter Broadman broke a bone in his foot where he slipped on a boulder and had to be carried for 4 days on march to BC; not clear whether these were last 4 days). Scott & Boardman - 17 March 1979 Kangchenjunga Glacier just west of Nepal Peak with BC at Pangpema, a pasture, at 5739m. Then so to head of the Glacier and east to foot of North Col and thence to Col (3000 feet steep climbing to Col) at 22,500 feet; then North Ridge and North Face to summit. In 1950 2 members approached this route when got avalanched at base of North Face and abandoned this route. Brits will go slightly left of their route. Leave today by air to Biratnagar; baggage left yesterday by truck. Leave for Dharan tonight and from Dharan 19 March. 45 porters from Dharan. Arrive BC in 18 days about 7 April. 6-7 weeks time available for climbing and if first attempt fails, for a week's rest for another's camp above BC. C3 on North Col at 6900m (22,600 feet). Very steep wall up to Col which should take time with fixed ropes probably. Avalanches from NW Face to right of this wall threaten it; have to be careful not to get caught out high on mountain in bad weather because long way back to highest camp. This route very similar to Bettembourg on Broad Peak; he is one of four who have done fast alpine ascent of 8000m. 1 bottle oxygen for medical purposes 2 Sherpas maybe to the Col (not higher) Mike Cheney - 23 March 1979 Actually left Dharan 18 March with 49 porters. Letter from Peter Boardman - 9 May 1979 Established a camp on C3 on the North Col "bivouac snow cave" on the ridge at 24,500 ft. On the 4th May we made our first summit attempt and put a tent up out of the wind on the Sikkim side. At 1:30 am 5th May the wind direction changed and within an hour the tent had been destroyed by 100 mph gusts. This at 26,000 ft. So we spent the rest of the early morning escaping back down. Now we've had 3 days recuperation. 2 are moving back up for another go. All technical difficulties have been overcome. We just need our health to hold. The weather to be good. Letter from Doug Scott - 21 May 1979 We are down in BC sitting out bad weather after climbing within 100 meters of the North Col. We reckon we are at 22,200 (7800m) with our gear in place to like along the North Ridge. The fastest climbing is behind us. 3000m of North Face ground that has taken up 8 days; very exhausting.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2446529
Year 1979
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w face of n col-n ridge-n face

Members

5 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Georges Bettembourg M 1950 France Climber Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France Alpine guide & ski instructor Details Other expeditions
Peter David Boardman M 1950 UK Climber Leysin, Vaud, Switzerland Director of the International School of Mountaineering Details Other expeditions
Douglas Keith (Doug) Scott M 1941 UK Leader Nottingham, E Midlands, England Formerly school teacher; now author Details Other expeditions
Joseph Thomas (Joe) Tasker M 1948 UK Climber Hope, Sheffield, England Proprietor of climbing equipment shop Details Other expeditions
Ang Phurba Sherpa M - Nepal Sirdar Khumjung, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

14 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
KANG79101 AAJ Scott, Douglas K. Kangchenjunga From the North - 53:437-444 (1980) -
KANG79101 HJ Scott, Doug The British Kangchenjunga Expedition - 36:14-17 (1978-79) -
KANG79101 AJ Tasker, Joe Kangchenjunga North Ridge 1979 - 85:49-58 (1980) -
KANG79101 - Boardman, Peter Sacred Summits Hodder & Stoughton, London - B342
KANG79101 - Tasker, Joe Savage Arena Methuen, London - T25
KANG79101 - Bettembourg, Georges The White Death Reynard House, Seattle - B325
KANG79101 MM - - - 68:13 (Jul 1979) -
KANG79101 MM Dyhrenfurth, G. O. & Dyhrenfurth, Norman Kangchenjunga - 68:34-40 (Jul 1979) -
KANG79101 HMJ Scott, Doug The British Kangchenjunga Expedition 1979 - 13:36-43 (1979) -
KANG79101 IM Scott, Doug The British Kangchenjunga Expedition, 1979 - 4:11-16 (Autumn 1979) -
KANG79101 - Scott, Doug Himalayan Climber Sierra Club Books, San Francisco - S252
KANG79101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198043700/Kangchenjunga-from-the-North - - -
KANG79101 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/36/4/the-british-kangchenjunga-expedition-1979/ - - -
KANG79101 - - https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1980_files/AJ%201980%2049-58%20Tasker%20Kangch.pdf - - -