Lhotse | 1980 W Face

A Italy expedition to Lhotse in 1980 via W Face, led by Pierantonio Camozzi. Summit reached on 2nd February 1981. 7 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 518
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID LHOT80401
Peak ID LHOT
Year 1980
Season 4
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Italy
Leaders Pierantonio Camozzi
Sponsor Italian National Expedition to Lhotse in Winter
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 Lukla->Khumbu Valley
Basecamp Date 1981-01-06
Summit Date 1981-02-02
Summit Time -
Summit Days 27
Total Days 29
Termination Date 1981-02-04
Termination Reason 8
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8050m due to lack of equipment for rock
High Point (m) 8050
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 6
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 5
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(06/01,5350m),C1(17/01,6050m),C2(21/01,6500m),C3(28/01,7500m),xxx(02/02,8050m)
Route Notes Da Polenza, Lhotse - 16 Feb 81 Just under couloir at about 8050m was highest points reached on 2 Feb by Da Polenza above; not to Col but level with Col. Impossible to go to top because couloir only hard rock instead of ice and snow. Expedition not equipped for this rock: needed 4 or 5 days more to scale this. 15 days high up, they had learned by then and could stay at high altitude no longer; weather worse than expected, more cold and stronger wind than expected. All have little frostbite and Da Polenza more on little finger right hand which will heal. Bianchi slipped into crevasse into Icefall 35-40m; very lucky that big rucksack stopped his fall. Near bottom of Icefall when leaving mountain. No oxygen used climbing or sleeping. Sherpas worked badly in winter although had same clothing as members. Very hard and very difficult to climb in winter in Nepal; need better equipment for winter especially. Rouse - 10 Feb 81 Italians planned to leave BC ?th and should be in KTM 12th. One member went up Japanese ropes to South Col but this not their route. He was expedition's only real climber, Agostino Da Polenza. Expedition got very little above C3 on their own route. Icefall kept getting blocked by falling blocks. Sherpas didn't carry food to Cwm. Stopped climbing about 2 Feb. Shailendra Sharma, Tourism - 30 Jan 81 C3 7550m, 28 Jan today. 16 about at BC, pretty cloudy and windy. Are waiting for weather in C3. Da Polenza and Santinello - 16 Dec 80 All arrive KTM 14 Dec; leave KTM end this week. Fly to Lukla and arrive BC for Xmas. Radio at BC 5 climbers 1 Dr 3 trekkers to BC only Route = West Face to couloir (not to Col) 4 camps above with C4 at 7900m 5 Sherpas above BC including sirdar Lhakpa (with Santon on Everest) Expedition to use oxygen above 8000m. Messner records in winter without it impossible - have only 16 bottles and will try not to use it. 4 weeks BC to summit. Will use Japanese route in Icefall and Cwm.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2447428
Year 1980
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w face

Members

7 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Graziano Bianchi M 1939 Italy Climber Milano, Italy Factory worker Details Other expeditions
Felice Boselli M 1943 Italy Exp Doctor Milano, Italy Physician Details Other expeditions
Pierantonio Camozzi M 1951 Italy Leader Albino, Bergamo, Italy Manager, plastic-stamping shop Details Other expeditions
Agostino Da Polenza M 1955 Italy Climber Albino, Bergamo, Italy Factory worker Details Other expeditions
Maurizio Santinello M 1962 Italy Climber Romano di Lombardia, Bergamo, Italy Factory worker Details Other expeditions
Uberto Testa M 1955 Italy Climber Seriate, Bergamo, Italy Restaurant cook Details Other expeditions
Lhakpa Sherpa M - Nepal Sirdar - - Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
LHOT80401 AAJ - - - 56:215 (1982) -
LHOT80401 MM - - - 79:13-14 (May 1981) -
LHOT80401 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198221502/Asia-Nepal-Lhotse-Winter-Attempt - - -