Kangchenjunga | 1992 N Face-N Ridge

A Mexico expedition to Kangchenjunga in 1992 via N Face-N Ridge, led by Carlos Carsolio. Summit reached on 12th May 1992. 6 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1102
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID KANG92101
Peak ID KANG
Year 1992
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 N Face-N Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Mexico
Leaders Carlos Carsolio
Sponsor Mexican Kangchenjunga Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 40th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Poland
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1992-03-11
Summit Date 1992-05-12
Summit Time 1700
Summit Days 62
Total Days 71
Termination Date 1992-05-21
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8586
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 6
Summit Members 1
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
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(11/03,5050m),C1(13/03,5630m),C2(30/03,6890m),C3(09/04,7350m),C4(22/04,7900m),Smt(12/05)
Route Notes BC at Pangpema C1 at glacier C2 in ice cave at North Col C3 in crevasse on North Ridge below the Castle C4 in ice cave/crevasse on North Face below last pyramid. 1st summit push made from C4, waited 2 nights (Wanda had to bivouac on 22nd at 7800m on long traverse to C4 because she was slow & arrived on C4 on 23rd). Weather bad with small blizzard so descended (4 Mexicans & Elsa on 24th, Arek down on 23rd because he was very tired after having made the track to C4). Elsa & Alfredo got frostbite and left expedition. 2nd summit push by Carlos & Wanda only. Arek had fever & stomach trouble. Other remaining Mexican did not go above C1 now, very tired & had bladder problem since end of March. Carlos & Wanda had different climbing styles & speeds: agreed from beginning they would make separate summit attacks but help each other when together in camps. Started together from 9th May C1 because needed each other on glacier with its hidden crevasses. Carlos in C2 4 hrs earlier than Wanda: this was her best time. 10th May, after much food, drink & sleep in C2, started then different projects: Carlos planned on stop at 6 pm. Wanda had left C2 at 11 am. 10th May Carlos met Wanda who was in a crevasse making bivouac & cooking soup. Carlos left C3 site 3:15 pm with Wanda. Snow very deep above C3 & after about 2 hrs Wanda shouted to Carlos thet she was very tired & she would bivouac there at about 7450m while Carlos climbed all night through deep snow mixed with snow slabs; had planned to reach C4 at midnight but actually got there at 6:30 am on 11th May. Now weather not good with wind & snow & Carlos decided to stay full day in C4 where he had sleeping bags, little gas & food. Wanda arrived at C4 7 pm & was very unhappy that her stove had not been working, was very thirsty but did not drink very very much for fear of vomiting. Both slept deeply but briefly, woke up 12th May, cooked with last gas supply. Wanda had 1 liter of cold water when she left C4. Both left C4 at 3:30 am but Wanda immediately fell behind. Carlos fixed ropes in 2 couloirs for Wanda & for descent. Deep snow here too & progress slow. Wanda carried 20m of 5mm rope, biv sack, head lamp, extra batteries, perhaps sweats, extra gloves & goggles, 1 small camera & water. Carlos reached summit at 5 pm, stayed 50 minutes & descended in very good weather from top down. Met Wanda in bivouac at 8250m, chatted briefly (Wanda told Carlos to take his sleeping bag down from C4; she showed in her eyes her determination to reach summit). Carlos told her he would wait for her in C2. Carlos reached C4 after 10 pm & left 12 noon for C2. Left C2 16th May, arrived BC 17th. In C2 he left in tent food, gas, water in thermos, walkie-talkies & medicine kit containing oxygen (in C4 same kit). C4 pitched 22 April by all members except Delgado for summit bid on 23rd. Rutkiewicz biv below C4 on 23rd thunderstorm and very windy. Arkadius not well so down while Delgado arrived C4. On 23rd Carlos went up 50m to look for route above C4. Wanda, who had not seen others, went up a little and then down to C4. 8:00 am all 4 nights of 24th and 25th. 26th to C4 only because storm still continuing and Avila and Carsolio had frostbitten fingers and toes especially Avila's fingers, which made it difficult for her to descend the ropes. 27th all 4 members on BC. Many avalanches started now and storm continued. Avila de Carsolio and Alfredo Carsolio left BC 4 May and helicopter to KTM 7th in improved weather. Gasienica was in good health but no motivation (long route, very tiring, stonefall from C2 to C1, avalanche danger "so you have to run" says Elsa. From C1 to C2 "very scary." Delgado has one medical problem so not going to try for summit but Wanda and Carlos were waiting for weather to permit a 2nd attempt. Wanda and Carlos to stay still till 20 May at above BC (arrive KTM early June). Wanda cancelled plans for another 8000er this spring. Carlos pulled leg ligament when he tripped at 5400m in early April but resumed climb. Carlos - 26 May 1992 "There is not a chance that Slu is alive; weather turned bad windy snow on 14th. On 12th evening Wanda in a kind of cave made by wind out of snow; it was good protection because it was not windy" at that time; "very cold night but clear and not windy." Wanda and Carlos left C4 3:30 am together; "she was going extremely slowly." 300 vertical meters by 6:30 pm when reached biv; was not carrying heavy items. Leaving C4 Wanda immediately fell behind Carlos, why "maybe because of her age, maybe because of her leg" which had injured 12 years ago. "We were very worried about her" from 1st push in late April when Elsa and Alfred got frostbite. "She was very good at surviving at high altitude - she did not get frostbite and had no altitude problem. She was sure she would climb it, made bivs and came back." Andres watching from C2 on 12th, 13th with binoculars; did not see any movement on 13th but maybe she started very early at above 8400m she would be out of sight. We had finished gas in C4 and she had stove malfunctioning and when she reach C4 she was very tired and without enough to drink you cannot survive. No idea what happened to her, possible she tried to descend SW Face. Carlos returned C4 10:00 pm, left C4 13th from C3, left C2 16th and BC 17th. Radio open at BC and only other one was in C2, where Carlos left it. No rescue possible. Liver problem since start of expedition and now too sick. Arek had fever and stomach problems; Carlos exhausted; no Sherpas above BC. "She was a safe climber - slow but safe, but on Kangchenjunga the wind changes and the snow comes and you have to be fast." Maybe she reached summit. She was very safe, confident and was very clear in her mind when we talked together. It was very cold and both shivering. Carslio - 28 May 1992 Wanda had survived on K2 in 1986 4 nights in great difficulties at above and just below 8000m without gas for cooking at 8300m 1st night and about 7800m 3rd night. Got frostbitten then but recovered fully (again frostbite on Annapurna I in 1991 but again recovered). She told Carlos on Kangchenjunga she was climbing 3 times more slowly than she had on Everest in 1978 (when used oxygen). She was very slow on Kangchenjunga from C1 upwards. She said she must finish all 8000ers before she become even slower. "Maybe she felt it was her last chance on Kangchenjunga." On 2nd summit push she was not comfortable with the pain of crampons she was using now, they did not fit her boots satisfactorily. But she did not complain about crampon problems high on mountain. In biv on 12 May said her down suit not warm enough and was wearing her biv bag around her shoulders. She and Carlos agreed to climb separately. To: Polish Mountaineering Association from: Carlos Carsolio/ Mexican Kangchenjunga Expedition leader We had good weather in the beginning, but being a small expedition we took some time to fix the ropes in the west face of the North Col. Berg Arek were extremely helpful. We had some problems with Aeores having a liver problem and I a twisted ankle. In our first summit push we had bad weather and Arek turned back being very tired because hard rock before. After 2 nights in C4 we all turned back (Alfredo, Elsa, Wanda and me). Later Alfredo and Elsa fly back with helicopter because of frostbite. In the end of the expedition only Wanda and me were in condition to try the summit again. But Wanda had been extremely slow and we were going to try different styles. We started together on the 7th May to Camp 1 (Wanda, Andres, Arek and Me). But Arek turned back with fever and stomach problem, Andres also turned back from C1 on the 8th May. We wait one day and on the 9th we climbed to C2 (Wanda was in good shape and she arrived in her best time), 4 hours after). We spent the night there and at 11 am Wanda started to C3, I started at 6 pm planning to reach summit next morning, I met Wanda in a crevasse cooking some soup (C3 was destroyed ) at 9 pm. We continued together, but moving very slowly because of very deep snow. At 11 pm Wanda decided to bivouac, I continued to C4 and reach it, very late at 6:30 am 11 May with bad weather so I decided to wait in C4 (Ice Cave), Wanda arrived in camp at 7 pm very tired and telling that her stove was not working so we melt snow and cook. But she had little diarrea, we slept few hours, drink and eat, but the gas finished. We started 12 May at 3:30 am, together and the weather was good but Wanda was even more slow than before. It was very deep snow and ice below the snow, so progress was very slow. I lost sight of Wanda and continued. After the pinnacles it was even more snow. I reach summit at 5 pm, on the way back I met Wanda at 8 pm sitting inside a wind hole, it was very cold and she had no sleeping bag, no stove or gas or food, she had a clear mind during the 10 minutes or so that I stayed with her. She said that she was going for the summit, next morning, we never saw her again. I wait in camp 4 until 12 pm noon next day and continued to C2 where we had food and gas and wait three days for her. I left radio, tent, sleeping bag and thermos for her but we wait until 21 May with radio open. We left BC on 21 May with very bad weather. It is a very sad loss for all of us and the mountaineering world.
Accidents 2 members sick; Carlos twisted ankle; 1 death
Achievement -
Agency Asian Trekking
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2451287
Year 1992
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n face-n ridge

Members

6 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Elsa Flor Avila Bello de Carsolio F 1963 Mexico Climber Mexico City, Mexico Civil engineer Details Other expeditions
Alfredo Carsolio Larrea M 1967 Mexico Climber Mexico City, Mexico Mechanical engineer Details Other expeditions
Carlos Miguel Carsolio Larrea M 1962 Mexico Leader Mexico City, Mexico - Details Other expeditions
Andres Delgado Calderon M 1969 Mexico Climber Mexico City, Mexico Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Arkadiusz (Arek) Gasienica-Jazkowy M 1967 Poland Climber Zakopane, Poland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Wanda Rutkiewicz F 1943 Poland Climber Warsaw, Poland Photographer, writer & lecturer Details Other expeditions

References

6 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
KANG92101 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 67:201-202 (1993) -
KANG92101 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 70:263 (1996) -
KANG92101 HIGH - - - 117:7 (Aug 1992) -
KANG92101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199320103/Asia-Nepal-Kangchenjunga-Ascent-and-Tragedy - - -
KANG92101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199626301/Asia-Nepal-Kangchenjunga-Body-of-Female-Discovered - - -
KANG92101 - - https://explorersweb.com/kangchenjunga-1992-wanda-rutkiewicz/ - - -