Lhotse | 2003 W Face

A USA expedition to Lhotse in 2003 via W Face, led by Damian Benegas. Summit reached on 26th May 2003. 7 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 4343
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID LHOT03112
Peak ID LHOT
Year 2003
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Damian Benegas
Sponsor Lhotse International Expedition 2003
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 89th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Ecuador, Spain
Approach -
Basecamp Date 2003-04-07
Summit Date 2003-05-26
Summit Time 1000
Summit Days 49
Total Days 52
Termination Date 2003-05-29
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8516
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 6
Summit Members 3
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 1
Summit Hired 1
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(07/04),C1(11/04,6100m),C2(15/04,6350m),C3(24/04,7400m),C4(20/05,7800m),Smt(26/05)
Route Notes C1 at 6100m top of Icefall C2 at 6350m in Western Cwm C3 at 7400m on Lhotse West Face C4 at 7800m below couloir, above "the turtle." Summit bids: 21 May up to 8000m and down because windy and snowing from C4, down to BC same day. Returned to C4 25th and left for top, Pasaban 2:00 am and Mesias and Vallejo 2:30 am. Mesias turned back 150m below top because feet getting very cold (he returned to C4). Others on top: Pasaban and Nima Wandeki at 10:00 am, Vallejo 10:30 am, Juan got up at 11:00 am. Only people on top that day (turned left when emerged from couloir). All 5 down to C4 except Pasaban on down to C2 after waiting for others in C4, so reached C2 7:30 pm. 30 oxygen bottles left by Indo-Nepal army expedition and Mesias at C4, when very little space left for other expedition's tents. Pasaban didn't enjoy last day's climb because can nothing in couloir (4 hours in couloir ascent, 2-1/2 hours in descent). Damian Benegas did no climbing on Lhotse but was leader from BC. [Damian and Willie were climbing on Nuptse instead.]
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Mountain Madness
Commercial Route False
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2455509
Year 2003
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w face

Members

7 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Damian Benegas M 1968 USA Leader Berkeley, California Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Guillermo (Willie) Benegas M 1968 USA Climber Berkeley, California Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Juan Angel Goikoetxea Sarasola M 1973 Spain Climber Ibarra, Guipuzcoa, Spain Construction worker Details Other expeditions
Julio Cesar Mesias Aillon M 1957 Ecuador Climber Quito, Ecuador Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Edurne Pasaban Lizarribar F 1973 Spain Climber Altzo, Guipuzcoa, Spain Industrial engineer Details Other expeditions
Edgar Ivan Vallejo Ricaurte M 1959 Ecuador Climber Quito, Ecuador Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Nima Wandeki (Nima Ongdi/Wangdi) Sherpa M 1973 Nepal H-A Worker Kharikhola, Solukhumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

1 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
LHOT03112 - - http://www.edurnepasaban.com - - -