Manaslu | 2015 NE Face

A New Zealand expedition to Manaslu in 2015 via NE Face, led by Russell Brice. Summit reached on 24th September 2015. 16 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 8957
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MANA15307
Peak ID MANA
Year 2015
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 NE Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality New Zealand
Leaders Russell Brice
Sponsor Himalayan Experience Manaslu Expedition 2015
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 Argentina, Canada, Japan, UK, USA
Approach -
Basecamp Date 2015-09-02
Summit Date 2015-09-24
Summit Time -
Summit Days 22
Total Days 28
Termination Date 2015-09-30
Termination Reason 5
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7200m due to deep snow and avalanche danger
High Point (m) 7200
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 9
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 7
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(02/09,4800m),C1(07/09,5604m),C2(16/09,6276m),C3(23/09,6900m),xxx(24/09,7200m)
Route Notes Sherpas climbed up to 7200m, but found snow to deep pitch to C4 on 24th Sept. Then bad weather set in with snow blowing around vigilantly. Everyone returned to BC on 25 Sept. Now too great of an avalanche danger. From Himex Dispatch #8 We should have all been to the summit and be on the way back down to BC, but I am afraid that this is not the case. All the members made it up to C3 and the Sherpas were pushing the route up towards C4. All was going to plan but then as the Sherpas were reaching the upper slopes and the beginning of the traverse towards C4 things took a turn for the worse. Nima one of our strongest Sherpas who was also using oxygen was pushing the route, however we were encountering the same sort of snow conditions that we experienced on Broad Peak, waist deep sugar snow. Nima pushed through this for over 800m put then he was getting worried about his safety and so decided to stop. The problem was how to find a stable and reliable belay in this snow. But another problem was soon to become apparent. Behind him 5 more Sherpas crossed the snow bridge across a crevasse that we have never experienced before. We have always just stepped across this crevasse on previous expeditions, but this year there was a narrow snow bridge. As Namgel the seventh Sherpa to cross this bridge was making his way up the rope, the bridge collapsed complete with Namgel on it. Fortunately he is fine, but this created a delicate moment as he was now about 5m down in the crevasse, the wind was blowing strongly, there are 6 Sherpas above the crevasse and another 6 or seven below the crevasse. And now there is a 4m wide and 100m long gaping hole. The Sherpas that were below were able to get Namgel out, but now what to do with the guys above. They made a high traverse to a point where they could still see a small bridge across the crevasse, and then managed to slither across this small bridge and so were able to re-join the original fixed ropes. But now we have a problem, will this small bridge hold for teams to make a route to C4 ? But also this small bridge is under the active ice cliffs above. Do we want to put everyone in this danger ? On the day, all the Sherpas were more pleased to return to C2 where it was safe, and of course our members were safe in C3. The next decision was to decide if we could safely fix rope to C4 as well as carry loads on the 25th. After much discussion it was decided that this was not possible, so this would mean that we would not be able to attempt the summit on 26, the last day before the jet winds are expected to come in. Reluctantly everyone returned to BC yesterday as it is not a good idea to be staying at C3 for the next week. This prompted yet another rope fixing meeting in my camp with leaders from most camps attending. Himex has already put 30 man days towards the rope fixing and Altitude Junkies have put 33 man days along with Seven Summits who have put 9 man days. It was previously agreed that AJ and Himex would push the route towards C4, but now we can no longer afford to put more man days towards this effort for the benefit of all expeditions as we also need to get our own equipment up the hill. At this latest meeting it was agreed that Seven Summits would once attempt to push the route past the offending crevasse and through the deep snow to C4. Let’s hope that they can do this, and this morning Adventure Consultants also offered to send 4 Sherpas to help with this task. We are all expecting strong winds for the 27 – 29 so we are unsure when these Sherpas will have conditions that allow this work to be done. But for us, we will now rest for a few days and will then go back up to C3 to be in a position to go for the summit on 02 Oct. It appears that there is a calm period on 01 and 02 of Oct before the winds will return again. Having put so much effort in breaking trail so far, we are quite content to follow behind other teams who we hope will reach the summit on the first. It is interesting to experience these new conditions at this altitude. This is a new phenomenon that I suspect that high altitude expeditioners will have to contend with in future years. Is this because of the heavy snow falls this last spring, or is it because the average freezing level is going to a higher altitude, or is it because average temperatures seem to be much higher these last few months. A debate for the future. Regards Russ
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Mountain Experience
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2460475
Year 2015
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) ne face

Members

16 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Russell Reginald Brice M 1952 New Zealand Leader London, England Alpine guide & expedition organizer Details Other expeditions
Nicholas Jan (Nick) Cienski M 1966 Canada Climber Baltimore, Maryland Innovation designer Details Other expeditions
Sandra (Sandy) Cienski F 1966 Canada Climber Baltimore, Maryland Artist Details Other expeditions
Maria Vladimirovna (Masha) Gordon F 1974 UK/Russia Climber London, England Company director Details Other expeditions
Tracee Lee Metcalfe F 1974 USA Climber Vail, Colorado Physician Details Other expeditions
Gregory Scott Paul M 1954 USA Climber Salt Lake City, Utah Business owner Details Other expeditions
Juan Pablo Sarjanovich Solano M 1976 Argentina Climber Rosario, Sante Fe, Argentina Farmer Details Other expeditions
Shinji Tamura M 1966 Japan Deputy Leader Zermatt, Valais, Switzerland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Lisa Irene Thompson White F 1972 USA Climber Snohomish, Washington Company director Details Other expeditions
Gyalzen Dorje (Gyaljen Dorje) Sherpa M 1988 Nepal H-A Worker Phortse, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Lhakpa Nuru Sherpa M 1980 Nepal H-A Worker Phortse, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Ngawang Tenjing (Nawang Tenzing) Sherpa M 1993 Nepal H-A Worker Phortse, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Nima Tshering (Ngima Chhiri) Sherpa M 1972 Nepal H-A Worker Phortse, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Phura Namgya Sherpa M 1987 Nepal H-A Worker Khumjung, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Son Dorje Sherpa M 1963 Nepal H-A Worker Phortse, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Lobsang Temba (Lupsang Temba) Sherpa M 1968 Nepal H-A Worker Khumjung, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MANA15307 - - http://himalayanexperience.com/newsletters/manaslu-expedition-2015#sthash.sg7eokL9.dpbs - - -
MANA15307 - - http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2015/11/17/the-back-story-on-manaslu-2015-summits-retreats-death/ - - -