Kangchenjunga | 1985 N Ridge-N Face

A USA expedition to Kangchenjunga in 1985 via N Ridge-N Face, led by John Roskelley. Summit reached on 13th May 1985. 6 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 167
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID KANG85101
Peak ID KANG
Year 1985
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 N Ridge-N Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders John Roskelley
Sponsor Kangchenjunga N Wall 1985
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 Canada
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1985-04-06
Summit Date 1985-05-13
Summit Time -
Summit Days 37
Total Days 39
Termination Date 1985-05-15
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7900m due tothreatening weather and lack of time
High Point (m) 7900
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 6
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 3
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb True
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical True
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(06/04,5000m),ABC1(07/04,5200m),ABC2(14/04,5200m),C1(14/04,5800m),C2(25/04,7000m),C3(28/04,7400m),xxx(13/05,7900m)
Route Notes BC at Pangpema ABC.1 on Kangchenjunga Glacier at base of North Face ABC.2 on moraine debris at side of glacier C1 at middle of high glacier above icefall, on left side of base of North Face C2 at North Col C3 at base of a cliff. On face at C2 the technical difficulties occurred: steep rock and ice with some rockfall; also avalanching elsewhere. Well to Col was 27 pitches of fixed rope on ice - very demanding hard work to climb. Last few days of the climb the winds reversed and came from Sikkim but then shifted back again. Very little snow on mountain till last week when snow collected. Mountain was avalanching all the time but didn't threaten this expedition, but ice avalanche came came close once and could hear rockfall. 15 May Crown got cerebral edema. Actually no one acclimatized well: "the bodies not adjusting themselves." Did not see Chris Chandler's body; probably carried down by avalanches. Shrestha, Tourism - 24 May 85 Kangchenjunga from Skreslet to Ministry of Tourism: "As of 15 May we evacuated the mountain having reached a high point of 25,500-26,000 ft on 13 May attempting to establish C4, failing to reach that camp, equipment was stashed at halfway point and the 2 members, John Roskelley and Kim Momb, came down off high ridge to C2. Same day Laurie Skreslet and Gregg Cronn advanced to C3 in preparation for summit bid. After 2 days in C3 on morning of 2nd summit bid, Gregg Cronn was stricken with cerebral edema on 15 May and had to be evacuated of the mountain. He was helped down from 24,500 ft to 16,000 ft at BC and eventually recovered. From April 22nd it took approximately a week to stock pile C2 before pushing up the ridge from this North Col to the site of C3 at the base of the great serac slope. Then after stock piling C3 waiting for the weather to abate before fixing rope to the top of the cliff to the great serac slope and eventually setting out for C4. That took up to May 15. "The main reason for quitting the mountain was bad weather."
Accidents Cronn stricken with cerebral edema (helped down to BC and eventually recovered); actually no one acclimatized well ('the bodies not adjusting themselves')
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2448724
Year 1985
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) n ridge-n face

Members

6 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Gregg Cronn M 1960 USA Climber Spokane, Washington Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Jeffrey Clement Duenwald M 1942 USA Deputy Leader Spokane, Washington Veterinarian Details Other expeditions
Robin MacDonald Houston M 1948 USA Exp Doctor Kathmandu & Burlington, Vermont Physician (Peace Corps) Details Other expeditions
Kim A. Momb M 1956 USA Climber Spokane, Washington Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
John Fenton Charles Roskelley M 1948 USA Leader Spokane, Washington Photographer Details Other expeditions
Laurie Skreslet M 1949 Canada Climber Brossard, Quebec Alpine guide Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
KANG85101 AAJ Duenwald, Jeff - - 60:214 (1986) -
KANG85101 MM - - - 105:10 (Sep 1985) -
KANG85101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198621400/Asia-Nepal-Kangchenjunga-North-Face-Attempt - - -