Lhotse | 2008 W Face

A Italy expedition to Lhotse in 2008 via W Face, led by Mario Merelli, Marco Zaffaroni. Summit reached on 21st May 2008. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 6032
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID LHOT08101
Peak ID LHOT
Year 2008
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Italy
Leaders Mario Merelli, Marco Zaffaroni
Sponsor Independent team on Lhotse
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 121
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 2008-04-29
Summit Date 2008-05-21
Summit Time 0750
Summit Days 22
Total Days 25
Termination Date 2008-05-24
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8516
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 100
Total Members 2
Summit Members 1
Member Deaths 0
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 False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(29/04,5350m),C2(07/05,6440m),C3(18/05,7496m),C4(20/05,7763m),Smt(21/05)
Route Notes Independents on Lhotse, co-leaders Mario Merelli & Marco Zaffaroni - 28 May 2008 The two-man team began their summit push from BC on 17 May when they climbed to C2. On the 18th they were in C3 and on the 20th in C4. They had to stay an extra day in C3 because the wind was too strong to climb on the 18th. On the 21st they left C4 for the top at 1:00 am. Zaffaroni turned back at about 8300-8400m midway up the couloir and descended to C2; he doesn't remember why he turned around or at what time he turned back and reached C2. At C2 three members of a Spanish army expedition put him in a tent of Silvio Mondinelli's Italian team and gave him some medication -- for cerebral edema? Merelli continued on up; from the top of the couloir he moved to the left of the usual line in an area of loose rock, which most climbers don't like but which he is very much used to where he climbs in Italy. He reached the summit at 7:50 am and in his descent he took the normal line, where ropes had been fixed by other expeditions. He descended to C3, bringing with him C4's gear; he expected to find Zaffaroni there. He slept there alone and on the next day, the 22nd, he found Zaffaroni in Mondinelli's tent in C2, and they descended together to BC. (Zaffaroni's memory resumed from about 10:00 pm on the 21st). On the 23rd, when they were in BC, Zaffaroni realized he had badly frostbitten toes; he thinks he will probably lose parts of the toes and possibly a bit more. They left BC on the 24th and went to Lobuche, Zaffaroni on horseback; on the 25th they went to Namche Bazar, and on the 26th to Lukla, Zaffaroni still on horseback. They flew to Kathmandu on the 27th. Fixed rope: gave 100m to Sherpas to fix last bit just below the top.
Accidents Zaffaroni frostbite & cerebral edema?
Achievement -
Agency Prestige Adventure
Commercial Route False
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2457336
Year 2008
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w face

Members

2 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Gian Mario Merelli M 1962 Italy Co-Leader Alagna Valsesia, Vercelli, Italy Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Marco Enrico Zaffaroni M 1962 Italy Co-Leader Cesate, Milano, Italy Factory manager Details Other expeditions

References

0 recorded references.