Manaslu | 2023 NE Face

A Germany expedition to Manaslu in 2023 via NE Face, led by Felix Berg. Summit reached on 18th April 2023. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 11156
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MANA23102
Peak ID MANA
Year 2023
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 NE Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Germany
Leaders Felix Berg
Sponsor Seven Summit Treks (SST) Manaslu Expedition 2023
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Switzerland
Approach -
Basecamp Date 2023-03-27
Summit Date 2023-04-18
Summit Time 1530
Summit Days 22
Total Days 24
Termination Date 2023-04-20
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8163
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 0
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(27/03,4850m),C1A(31/03,5600m),C2B(06/04,5800m),C2(13/04,6350m),Smt(18/04)
Route Notes Approach: Heli to BC BC 27/03 4850m C1 31/03 5600m (lower) C1 06/04 5800m (upper) C2 13/04 6350m Smt 18/04 at 3:30 pm by Berg Koenig and Berg acclimatised together and were going to summit together, but Koenig abandoned the expedition on 13/04 as he thought the conditions were too dangerous. His highest point was 6000m. On 13/04, Berg continued to C2 and set up his tent and stayed one night. On 14/04 Berg reached 6400m and descended to BC. On 17/04, Berg ascended to his first C2 at 6200m, grabbed his snowshoes and continued to 6350m where he pitched his tent. Berg started his summit push from C2 at 1am.The Japanese team was behind him. He changed his snowshoes for crampons at about 6900m and the conditions were perfect from then. Hard snow and ice, perfect for crampons. He ate a sausage at 7450m at around 10am. He crossed blue ice to a plateau and then a bit of an ascent to another plateau, and then a bit up (rocky summit on the right). He climbed a slope of about 45 degrees and turned left on a rocky pyramid (about 6m high). He did not stay very long on the summit as it was very windy and descended immediately. He stopped at the first plateau, and it had started to snow with big thundery clouds above him. At around 4 pm a fully blown snowstorm had started. Below C3 he met a big crevasse and he thought that he had to stay there as he could not cross, but he found a way (there was an old track) and managed to cross the crevasse. On his descent, he was a bit lost on the mountain and could not find C2. With his tracker and GPS, Koenig helped him find the route again and he arrived at C2 at 10 pm. He boiled some water and collapsed in his tent. He was still a bit traumatized by the descent. Back to BC 19/04. Left BC on 20/04 to Samagaon. The team used skies between C1 and BC. They also ascended parts of Naike Peak and reached about 5800m from where they skied down. Sherpas above BC: 0 Oxygen: Not taken, not used. Instgram postings from Berg: 10/04 In the last 2 weeks we estimate around 300cm of snow fell. Hence in two rotations we only reached C1 at 5800m and touched the icefall at 5900m via an intermediate C1 at 5600m, digging in deep snow. digging in deep snow! Look at snow show and ski trace. We did enjoy a few nice rides, a line just below Base Camp at 4800m height. Let’s hope finally the weather changes. 15/04 Summit climb: Manaslu, C2 about 6300m reached. Last three days were used via C1 to move to a lower C2 (pictures 2,3 at approx 6100m) above the main obstacles of the Manaslu icefall. Joined next beautiful morning by 2 Japanese climbers and their 3 Sherpas we pushed higher to the flatter plateau above the ice fall. 23/04 On the plateau with view of Manaslu East and Central. Start of climb around 1h night on 18th of April 2023 [photos] chronological]: (2) Sunrise near C3 (3) Snow Shoe tracks (4) changed to crampons, view around 8h30 halfway to C4 (5) rocky outcrop on plateau (6) last clear view to the peaks (7) below summit ridge (8) during descent The weather deteriorated quickly from around noon. First around the summit wind clouds build, and there was nearly no visibility. Cumulus clouds had also started to build up. With so much effort put in and so close to the goal, I head up higher as fast as possible to the rocky outcrop of the main summit. By a 45*-slope below a ridge I reached a big rock boulder in white-out and high winds. That was my Manaslu summit, and I turned around immediately. On the way down I picked my depot (had let a bag behind) and realized that overall the weather was deteriorating, not just a storm on the top. That lead to a descent for survival. White-out, 20-30cm of new snow, darkness, track blown… finally at a crevasse where I thought to be stuck, I negotiated out and found a slightly visible track that lead back to C2, reached after 20.5h round-trip. Foremost now I am happy not to be on Manaslu anymore. The small weather window from 17-19th April was used perfectly, thus it was on the limit. On 19th a team of 5 from Japan and Nepal had followed to C3, probably quite crucially deepening the track enough that I could find it again. Matthias who stayed at BC even so he had no intention to climb anymore: He helped me with communication on the descent, a very crucial help.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Seven Summit Treks
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2464506
Year 2023
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) ne face

Members

2 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Felix Alexander Berg M 1980 Germany Climber Interlaken, Bern, Switzerland Managing director of a travel company Details Other expeditions
Matthias Benjamin Koenig M 1986 Switzerland Climber Rueschegg Heubach, Switzerland French and English teacher Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MANA23102 - - https://explorersweb.com/felix-berg-summits-manaslu/ - - -
MANA23102 - - https://explorersweb.com/felix-berg-manaslu-summit/ - - -