Lhotse | 1980 W Face

A Italy expedition to Lhotse in 1980 via W Face, led by Reinhold Messner. Summit reached on 17th October 1980. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 517
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID LHOT80302
Peak ID LHOT
Year 1980
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Italy
Leaders Reinhold Messner
Sponsor Messner Himalayan Expedition to Lhotse
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 -
Approach Khumbu Valley
Basecamp Date 1980-10-04
Summit Date 1980-10-17
Summit Time -
Summit Days 13
Total Days 13
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7800m due to high winds
High Point (m) 7800
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 1
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 1
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 1
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(04/10,5400m),C1(08/10,6400m),Biv1(15/10,6400m),Biv2(16/10,7400m),xxx(17/10,7800m)
Route Notes Messner - 26 Oct 80 Messner and Dawa Tenzing went up to Everest C2 on 8th Oct and pitched two-man tent, then back to BC. Messner agreed to wait for Italian-Nepalese Everest team to go to Lhotse themselves. By 15th Santon said they were not attempting Lhotse, so he went up to C2 on 15th and next day to Everest C3. Carried light tent and other gear to C3. Climbed with Everest Sherpas (Dati had reached age 26 and this an inauspicious year in which to undertake hazards without puja which he not done). On 17th tried to go top summit but wind too strong, couldn't stand up against it as soon as he got above Nuptse ridge, so went down to BC was strong enough to go back up for another try but Everest expedition pulling out, route not to be maintained in Icefall and no one to go with. Impossible to go through Icefall alone if route not maintained - so made no further attempt. Had wanted Diemberger to come from South Col and join him, but Everest leader Santon refused permission to Diemberger. Shailendra Sharma, Tourism - 17 Oct 80 Messner left 7400m at 3:00 am and reached 7800m at 7:00 am; very bad weather (high wind, thick clouds and very cold). He returned to BC at 12:00 noon. Because of continuous of bad weather, he has abandoned climb and leaves BC 20th. Shailendra Sharma, Tourism - 16 Oct 80 Messner has gone alone to C3 and reached there today. Left BC yesterday at 6:00 am; above C3 he makes his own route. Used Italian Icefall route and reached C2 at 11:00 yesterday. Today arrived C3 9:00 am; had left C2 5:30-6:00 am. Was not accompanied by Dawa Tenzing, but today from C2 to C3 by an Italian expedition Sherpa. Tomorrow will attempt summit from C3 alone. Shailendra Sharma, Tourism - 13 Oct 80 Messner will start his climb after 20th Oct. Bobby Chettri - 21 Sept 80 Messner left KTM yesterday at 5:00 am for Lamosangu; will acclimatize in Gokyo and Teshi Lapcha areas until goes for Lhotse. Tourism Ministry have told him not to go into Khumbu Icefall until 15 Oct to keep peace with Italy-Nepal expedition. Messner said will take him a week to go top once he starts through Icefall. (Santon refused to talk on BC radio with Messner last week). Messner - 16 Sept 80 Will climb West Face with or without Dawa Tsering ("Dati" of Mountain Travel) as DT likes, but wants him through Icefall and Cwm. No claim to make solo Lhotse ascent since Everest expedition there in Icefall and Cwm. Wants helicopter to Khumbu. [Helicopter not available, so walks in, leaves KTM 20 Sept; will not try to go through Icefall until 15 Oct, leaving Italy-Nepal expedition time to do their climb; he needs time for acclimatization anyway - Bobbi Chetri].
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Mountain Travel
Commercial Route -
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2447320
Year 1980
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w face

Members

2 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Reinhold Messner M 1944 Italy Leader Villnoss, Bolzano, Italy Author & alpinist Details Other expeditions
Dawa Tenzing Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
LHOT80302 AAJ Cheney, Michael J. - - 55:254 (1981) -
LHOT80302 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198125402/Asia-Nepal-Lhotse-Solo-Attempt - - -