Langtang Lirung | 1978 Lirung Glacier-E Ridge

A Japan expedition to Langtang Lirung in 1978 via Lirung Glacier-E Ridge, led by Akira Ban. Summit reached on 24th October 1978. 14 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2144
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID LANG78301
Peak ID LANG
Year 1978
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 Lirung Glacier-E Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Akira Ban
Sponsor Langtang Lirung Expedition 1978 (Osaka Univ-Tribhuvan Univ)
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 1st
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Nepal
Approach Trisuli Bazar->Langtang Valley->Lirung Glacier (BC)
Basecamp Date 1978-09-09
Summit Date 1978-10-24
Summit Time 0925
Summit Days 45
Total Days 48
Termination Date 1978-10-27
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 7227
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 13
Summit Members 2
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 6
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(09/09,4200m),C1(29/09,4800m),C2(15/10,5710m),C3(19/10,6280m),C423/10,6650m),Smt(24/10)
Route Notes Shailendra Raj Sharma, Tourism - 30 Oct 78 Langtang joint team climbed summit 1st time by Seishi Wada and Pemba Tshering, 35, on 24 Oct via Lirung Glacier route. Wada 9:25 am PT 9:27 From C4, established 23 Oct (6650m) in 3 hours 25 minutes. Hoisted flags of Japan and Nepal in 40 minutes on summit. Returned to C3 at 13:30 hours same day. Because of bad weather and very different route between C1 and C2 on Lirung Glacier, leader decided not send more summit teams and to leave mountain 27 Oct. Expected all in BC by 25 Oct. All are well. Shailendra Raj Sharma, Tourism - 24 Oct 78 Summit attempt today 24 Oct or tomorrow C2 15 Oct 5710m C3 19 Oct 6280m C4 to be made 22 Oct on SE Glacier at 6800m Seishi Wada and Pemba Tsering were to go to summit on 24th or if weather not favourable on 25th. Ban - 2 Sept 78 Tribhuvan University appointed 2 strong climbers as new members of expedition (so expedition now has 4 Nepali members). New members are: Pemba Tshering, summiter on Jannu and Dhaulagiri V (Spr 1978 Korean) Pemba Lama, Annapurna IV summiter In addition to these 2 Sherpa members, expedition will have 7 Sherpas (incl sirdar) above BC. Ban - 20 Aug 78 Same route as 1961: from Lirung Glacier to East Ridge in 1961 on which reached 6460m (avalanche at 5600m at C3); C4 not made. 2 members arrive 23 Aug, 7 already arrived; 2 members from Tribhuvan University who have no climbing experience but trekking. Leave KTM 3rd Sept. After 7-8 days via Trisuli reach Langtang village, thence east and north to BC on Lirung Glacier at 4000m. 120 porters. 2 months for climbing, summit early Nov. BC 4000m C1 5000m C2 5600m C3 6300m C4 6800m Most difficult 2 icefalls from BC to C2, very dangerous. If reach East Ridge at 6450m, no real problems. Only real problems are avalanches: will study avalanches patterns and then choose safest route. Sirdar and 5 Sherpas Sonam Gyalzen (Italian Everest summiter) and with Everest RCC 1973. Have permit for next spring also in case of failure this season.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2446459
Year 1978
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) lirung glacier-e ridge

Members

14 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Takashi Azuma M 1936 Japan Exp Doctor Kawachinagano, Osaka, Japan Chief surgeon Details Other expeditions
Akira Ban M 1939 Japan Leader Kamagaya, Chiba, Japan Works in the office of Chori Co., exporter Details Other expeditions
Masayuki Goto M 1947 Japan Climbing Leader Midori, Nagoya, Japan Export salesman for Chori Co.'s textiles department Details Other expeditions
Hideo Hirose M 1947 Japan Climber Tajiri, Osaka, Japan Staff member, textile department of export firm, Nitto Boseki Details Other expeditions
Yasuhiko Kataoka M 1955 Japan Climber Sumiyoshi, Osaka, Japan Student of commerce, Osaka City University Details Other expeditions
Masao Nishimura M 1948 Japan Climber Hirakata, Osaka, Japan Staff member, Hitachi Express Co., safe-control dept Details Other expeditions
Tsuneo Okamoto M 1939 Japan Deputy Leader Suita, Osaka, Japan Staff member, Osaka city municipal government Details Other expeditions
Seishi Wada M 1949 Japan Climber Sumiyoshi, Osaka, Japan Director of Daiko Sangyo Industries Details Other expeditions
Koichi Yoshimoto M 1951 Japan Climber Izumisano, Osaka, Japan Member of sales department of Sekisui Chemical Industries Details Other expeditions
Chandra Prasad Gurung M - Nepal Climber Village near Pokhara Postgraduate student of geography at Tribhuvan University Details Other expeditions
Indra Narayan Manandhar M - Nepal Climber Kathmandu Assistant lecturer in geography at Tribhuvan University Details Other expeditions
Pemba Lama Sherpa M - Nepal Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Pemba Tshering Sherpa M 1943 Nepal Climber Thamo, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Sonam Gyaltzen Sherpa M 1943 Nepal Sirdar Bagam, Taksindu, Solukhumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

8 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
LANG78301 AAJ - - - 53:269-270 (1979) -
LANG78301 JAC Ban, Akira The First Ascent of Langtang Lirung, 1978 - 74:8-9 (1979) -
LANG78301 - Osaka City University Alpine Club Expedition to Langtang Lirung 1978 Osaka City University Alpine Club, Osaka - jA245
LANG78301 MM - - - 64:14 (Nov 1978) -
LANG78301 JAC Ban, Akira The First Ascent of Langtang Lirung, 1978 - 74:42-50 (1979) -
LANG78301 IWA - - - 67:145 (1979) -
LANG78301 IWA - - - 67:43 (1979) -
LANG78301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197926903/Asia-Nepal-Langtang-Lirung-East-Ridge - - -