Lhotse | 1993 W Face

A France expedition to Lhotse in 1993 via W Face, led by Alain Esteve. Summit reached on 4th October 1993. 7 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field	Value
ID	1494
Imported	2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID	LHOT93301
Peak ID	LHOT
Year	1993
Season	3
Host Country	1
Route 1	W Face
Route 2	-
Route 3	-
Route 4	-
Nationality	France
Leaders	Alain Esteve
Sponsor	Groupe Militaire de Haute Montagne (GMHM)
Success 1	True
Success 2	False
Success 3	False
Success 4	False
Ascent 1	24th
Ascent 2	-
Ascent 3	-
Ascent 4	-
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Countries	-
Approach	-
Basecamp Date	1993-08-27
Summit Date	1993-10-04
Summit Time	0800
Summit Days	38
Total Days	0
Termination Date	-
Termination Reason	1
Termination Notes	-
High Point (m)	8516
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Camps	3
Fixed Rope (m)	0
Total Members	6
Summit Members	1
Member Deaths	0
Total Hired	12
Summit Hired	1
Hired Deaths	0
No Hired	False
O2 Used	True
O2 None	False
O2 Climb	True
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Taken	False
O2 Unknown	False
Other Summits	Climbed Everest (EVER-933-06)
Campsites	BC(27/08,5400m),C1(30/08,6000m),C2(05/09,6400m),C3(18/09,7150m),C4(03/10),Smt(04/10)
Route Notes	10th Sept avalanche took away C3 and supplies for Lhotse C4, Everest C4 (3000m rope) and fixed ropes; re-established C3 100m higher than first C3 on 30th Sept with only one tent since Sherpas didn't want to sleep on face. Then fixed rope on 1 Oct 250m above C3 from C3. 2nd Oct bad winds; 3rd Oct two teams left C3, one for S Col and other for C4 of Lhotse and slept in Lhotse C4 by 1 French and 2 Sherpas while 1 French slept in C3 to join them next day to Lhotse summit. 4th Oct Lhotse team in their C4 started at 9 am while man in C3 started at 4:30 am, on Lhotse C4 at 8:00 am and down at 9:00 am; 2 Sherpas fixed rope to bottom of couloir. Lhotse summit reached 4 pm by Vionnet-Fausset (sirdar Danu claimed he also got to top but French do not believe him and Vionnet denies this) and slept in C2 at 9:30 pm; now Lhotse climb finished. Everest C4 made and occupied 5 Oct by Gramond, Cayrol, Bernard, Gyalbu and Dawa Tashi and all 5 on summit on 6th (Gramond never used oxygen) and slept in C4. On top about 2:30 pm; Gyalbu fell 15m on Hillary Step and waited for 2 French to go first; 9th next party to top; Esteve found 1 British guide and 1 Sherpa from Ball's expedition and tripod with glass altitude measuring device from Italian research program. Sherpas previous ascents of Everest: Norbu - South Col route Gyalbu - Hornbein route Dawa Tashi - 2X South Col Gombu - no Everest summit before Everest Aut 1993, Sherpa summiters 6 Oct - Gyalbu, 29, Rolwaling Spr 1991 Everest (N) Swedes Dawa Tashi 30, Rolwaling Spr 1993 Everest Aut 1992 Everest Dutch 9 Oct - Norbu (Nuru) 25, Rolwaling Gombu, 25, Rolwaling no previous Everest ascent None atop any other 8000ers before.
Accidents	Gryzka slight frostbite
Achievement	1st French Lhotse summiter
Agency	Pabil Treks
Commercial Route	False
Standard Route	True
Primary Route	False
Primary Member	False
Primary Reference	True
Primary ID	EVER93306
Checksum	2452068
Year	1993
Summit Success	True
O2 Summary	Used
Route (lowercase)	w face

Members

Field	Value
ID	16542
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	LHOT93301
Member ID	01
Peak ID	LHOT
Year	1993
Season	3
First Name	Alain
Last Name	Esteve
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1952
Calculated Age	41
Citizenship	France
Status	Leader
Residence	Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France
Occupation	Army Commandant
Leader	True
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	True
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	0
Summit Date 1	-
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	0
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	1
Summit Term	17
HCN	0
Checksum	2432213
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	alain esteve
Year of Birth	1952
Year	1993
Age at Expedition	41
Role	Leader

Field	Value
ID	16543
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	LHOT93301
Member ID	04
Peak ID	LHOT
Year	1993
Season	3
First Name	Emmanuel
Last Name	Morin
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1959
Calculated Age	34
Citizenship	France
Status	Climber
Residence	Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France
Occupation	Army adjutant
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	0
Summit Date 1	-
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	0
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	False
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	0
Summit Term	0
HCN	0
Checksum	2434842
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	emmanuel morin
Year of Birth	1959
Year	1993
Age at Expedition	34
Role	Member

Field	Value
ID	16544
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	LHOT93301
Member ID	05
Peak ID	LHOT
Year	1993
Season	3
First Name	Bernard
Last Name	Orcel
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1947
Calculated Age	45
Citizenship	France
Status	Climber
Residence	Paris, France
Occupation	Army Lieutenant Colonel
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	0
Summit Date 1	-
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	0
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	False
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	0
Summit Term	0
HCN	0
Checksum	2430542
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	bernard orcel
Year of Birth	1947
Year	1993
Age at Expedition	46
Role	Member

Field	Value
ID	16545
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	LHOT93301
Member ID	06
Peak ID	LHOT
Year	1993
Season	3
First Name	Francois
Last Name	Piegard
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1960
Calculated Age	33
Citizenship	France
Status	Exp Doctor
Residence	Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France
Occupation	Army Captain (Dr. in army's mountaineering school)
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	True
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	0
Summit Date 1	-
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	0
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	1
Summit Term	17
HCN	0
Checksum	2434996
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	francois piegard
Year of Birth	1960
Year	1993
Age at Expedition	33
Role	BC Only

Field	Value
ID	16546
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	LHOT93301
Member ID	02
Peak ID	LHOT
Year	1993
Season	3
First Name	Gerard
Last Name	Vionnet-Fausset
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1953
Calculated Age	39
Citizenship	France
Status	Deputy Leader
Residence	Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France
Occupation	Civilian (climbing instructor at army's mountaineering school)
Leader	False
Deputy	True
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	True
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	8516
Summit Date 1	1993-10-04
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	0800
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	24
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	True
O2 None	False
O2 Climb	True
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	From C4 in and above C4
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	5
Summit Term	1
HCN	0
Checksum	2432706
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	gerard vionnet-fausset
Year of Birth	1953
Year	1993
Age at Expedition	40
Role	Deputy

Field	Value
ID	16547
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	LHOT93301
Member ID	03
Peak ID	LHOT
Year	1993
Season	3
First Name	Jean-Marc
Last Name	Gryzka
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1962
Calculated Age	31
Citizenship	France
Status	Climber
Residence	Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France
Occupation	Army adjutant
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	0
Summit Date 1	-
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	0
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	False
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	0
Summit Term	0
HCN	0
Checksum	2435754
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	jean-marc gryzka
Year of Birth	1962
Year	1993
Age at Expedition	31
Role	Member

Field	Value
ID	16548
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	LHOT93301
Member ID	07
Peak ID	LHOT
Year	1993
Season	3
First Name	Norbu/Nurbu (Nuru)
Last Name	Sherpa
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1968
Calculated Age	25
Citizenship	Nepal
Status	H-A Worker
Residence	Beding, Dolakha
Occupation	-
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	True
Sherpa	True
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	True
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	8516
Summit Date 1	1993-10-04
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	0800
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	24
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	True
O2 None	False
O2 Climb	True
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	From C4 in & above C4
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	5
Summit Term	1
HCN	0
Checksum	2437945
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	norbu/nurbu (nuru) sherpa
Year of Birth	1968
Year	1993
Age at Expedition	25
Role	Hired

7 recorded members.

Name	Sex	Year of Birth	Citizenship	Status	Residence	Occupation
Alain Esteve	M	1952	France	Leader	Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France	Army Commandant	Details Other expeditions
Emmanuel Morin	M	1959	France	Climber	Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France	Army adjutant	Details Other expeditions
Bernard Orcel	M	1947	France	Climber	Paris, France	Army Lieutenant Colonel	Details Other expeditions
Francois Piegard	M	1960	France	Exp Doctor	Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France	Army Captain (Dr. in army's mountaineering school)	Details Other expeditions
Gerard Vionnet-Fausset	M	1953	France	Deputy Leader	Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France	Civilian (climbing instructor at army's mountaineering school)	Details Other expeditions
Jean-Marc Gryzka	M	1962	France	Climber	Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France	Army adjutant	Details Other expeditions
Norbu/Nurbu (Nuru) Sherpa	M	1968	Nepal	H-A Worker	Beding, Dolakha	-	Details Other expeditions

References

Field	Value
ID	11136
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:36.307770
Expedition ID	LHOT93301
Reference ID	01
Year	1993
Type	5
Journal	-
Author	-
Title	http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199421301/Asia-Nepal-Everest-Post-Monsoon-Ascents-and-Tragedy-and-Lhotse
Publisher	-
Publication Date	-
Language	-
Citation	-
Yak 94	-
Notes	-

1 recorded references.

Expedition ID	Journal	Author	Title	Publisher	Citation	Yak 94
LHOT93301	-	-	http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199421301/Asia-Nepal-Everest-Post-Monsoon-Ascents-and-Tragedy-and-Lhotse	-	-	-