Manaslu | 1972 S Face

A Austria expedition to Manaslu in 1972 via S Face, led by Wolfgang Nairz. Summit reached on 25th April 1972. 11 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2364
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MANA72102
Peak ID MANA
Year 1972
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Austria
Leaders Wolfgang Nairz
Sponsor Tirolean Himalaya Expedition to Manaslu
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 4th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Italy
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1972-03-21
Summit Date 1972-04-25
Summit Time 1400
Summit Days 35
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8163
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 9
Summit Members 1
Member Deaths 2
Total Hired 12
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 1
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 Climbed Hervis Peak (1st ascent) and Stubaier Spitz (1st ascent)
Campsites BC(21/03,4300m),C1(04/04,5240m),C2(09/04,5850m),C2B(15/04,5850m),C3(20/04,6600m),C4(7400m),Smt(25/04)
Route Notes Expedition climbed 2 minor peaks also 2 virgin peaks climbed from great plateau by Austrians 1) 6640m - Stubaier Spitz, west of great plateau of Manaslu 2) 6890m - Hervis Peak, west of SW Ridge of Manaslu 1) climbed 24th April by Fankhauser and Nairz, very steep ice climbing 2) climbed on 21st April by Messner and Jager, steep ice hill Nairz & Messner - 12 May 72 Nairz: All members have now come by truck last night at 10:00 pm. Knoll and Nairz leave 15th to see embassy. All others to NDH 16th. In evening leave and 17th am home, 1-1/2 hours to Munich. NDH/Paris/Munich Wed 8:00 am. Messner loses nothing from fingers which are now pink. Messner: Went to C4 7400m Messner and Jager on 24th April; put up 1 tent and on 25th about 6:00 am left this tent and two start for top. First part of route from C4 to top no difficulty only snow. Weather very good (little wind, earlier lot of wind but by 6:00 wind drying down). We made first part only a plain and after that we meet a little ice hill - at beginning of 2 big ice hills about 10:00. Franz said I will go back to the tent in camp C4 because impossible for him to reach the top in same day because of his constitution; long way 4-5 km and 800m in height and very difficult without oxygen. In evening of 24th Jager had said when down not sure of reaching top and back to C4 would return to camp - had lost some toes. Franz in good condition at 10:00 and weather good on north side (south side could not see). Not necessary for Messner to return with him because easy way, easiest part of whole route and weather good. Messner was himself not sure too reach summit same day and to return to C4 also when he knew he could not reach summit and return same day; biv without oxygen in cold would be dangerous. Messner goes up, not so very difficult: 40-degree ice (needs great strength which Messner had. Jager sees Messner stronger and can do it alone but he couldn't). Messner had temperment which Jager hadn't). I go 4 hours; 1st part 2 ice hills and then long rock crest. 1 tower after another each looks like top; 6-7 towers in all and on last tower found 2 pitons and remains of flag pole left by Japanese last year or 1956 (1 piton brought back). Weather: little wind from south and sees south clouding and fog so stays on top only few minutes. Goes back along crest which is Ok but when reaches ice hill. Very strong wind and fog and very difficult to find route but rocks along route were like markers and made it possible to find route. Wind and snow and fog increased very much. When reached plateau, can't see with goggles and must take them off. Storm increased and must go backwards. When on plateau no stones; snow pyramids from am were different and he lost his concentration and he doesn't know where he is. I go and go and go and after while I hear voice of Franz; hear him calling Reinhold and I think sure he's in the tent. I try to find direction by his voice but in the storm this was impossible. I try and try to find tent and this crying lasted perhaps 1 hour. Finally found tent at 7:00. If not find tent I think I would have died. 4 times back and forth on crest when C4 is before finding tent. Thinks now Jager also lost on plateau within few hundred meters of C4 and blinded by snow and wind. When Messner arrives and no Jager. Fankhauser goes out few minutes and hears Jager. Fankhauser and Schlick go out to look for him and then lose their way. Messner 1 hour in tent. After radio contact with others, goes out but can hear and see nothing. Weren't in and out all night until midnight and then sure 3 together in cave or bivouac by tent buried in snow and snow in tent. Next am Fankhauser comes alone. Strong wind but no fog and snow falling and he can easily find tent. Fankhauser and Messner searched plateau but could find nothing. Others could not come up to help because of avalanche danger and deep snow and too dangerous: others must come down searched 2-3 hours, 5-6 times around plateau; "impossible to find anything in this new snow." Started down about 11:00 am. Messner's 4 right fingers giving pains and swollen. 4-5 years ago in Alpinism attacks of big faces of 8000m: Annapurna South Face, Nanga Parbat South, Makalu Pillar. South Face Manaslu: characteristics of both classical route and these big faces (classical = butterfly valley). 1st part much more difficult then Nanga Parbat South. Austrians had few Sherpas and carried loads themselves. Think their Manaslu climb highest done without oxygen and earliest success on 8000m peak. Did not use oxygen because believed if acclimatized properly, don't need it and showed this correct. Nairz - 3 May 72 Extremely difficult 4000m south faces of Manaslu climbed within 5 weeks. 1st 8000m peak in April. 25th Messner and Jager started from last camp 7400m to climb summit. After few hours Jager resigned wanted return to camp. Messner continued and reached summit at 2:00 pm. During descent terrible snowstorm started. Because of dense fog Messner had to search for 4 hours for the tent and almost didn't survive in storm. Surprised not to find his friend Jager in the tent. Schlick and Frankhauser who ascended to last camp on same day started immediately to look for Jager. During search snowstorm swelled to a terrible force and last possibility to survive was to dig a snow cave. Schlick died this night from cold and exhaustion; also Jager. Frankhauser survived the night and in morning found tent. In spite in frostbite Messner and Frankhauser tried to find comrades but in accent was worse new snow was hopeless. Under greatest exertion and avalanche danger they could reach C3 by themselves. After this tragedy whole team to base camp and expedition ended. Very good harmonic team; never any troubles between members with Sherpas. Jager's wife had baby boy in March and Schlick's wife expecting in about July. Others reach KTM 10 May. Fankhauser - 3 May 72 Reinhold and I ahead up to C2. Then very bad snowstorm and tent lost. After that I was not so well and hear of Korean accident and say we have to go base camp. Reinhold Messner makes C3 and C4. From thence Reinhold Messner and Franz Jager start to climb summit from C4. At same time Schlick and I start to go up to C4 from C3 and found Reinhold and Jager not there. Arrived about 2 o'clock. After some time, we hear something crying in very bad weather. I look out of tent and I see Reinhold coming. Reinhold asks if Franz in the tent and I say no, Franz is not here. Then he says you must go and look, I have heard Franz crying. I have been out and I hear Franz as well. I go back to tent, take my rucksack (first & biv) and Andi (Schlick). At that time weather a little bit better then before. We went out and were shouting and we hear Franz shouting as well. Then the storm started again very badly and we could hear nothing, we lost his shouting. I had to put big goggles on and they iced and took them off my eyes full of ice and snow and I could see nothing - nothing with goggles and without goggles. Now dark too: 9-10 o'clock I said to Andi we must build snowhole now this our last chance. I have done this and we go into the snowhole and we stay some time in there and Andi was always saying to me we must find the tent (C4). One time I was going out with him to try to find C4 and after short time I see no chance to see C4 and weather was really terrible and I build another snowhole. We were going into snowhole again and he asked me to rub his legs and hands. I have done this, he was very cold so I was sitting in snowhole and I have him sitting on me (lap) to keep him warm from my body and after some time after some hours, he said I want to look at the weather now. We had closed the snowhole and he opened it with his feet and I see him going out, his legs, he goes to one side and that's all I see. I came out after a little while and I see no track and no Andi. I have called him and no answer. If I go out after him, I know I am lost too; no tracks and storm still. I go back in snowhole and I must stay awake making my feet and bending and arms going to keep me warm otherwise I have no chance to stay alive. I stay there all night in the snowhole in the morning. Then next morning when it is really day windy but clouds lifted up. In night 1-1/2m fresh snow after 3 hours breaking trail in this snow I came back to C4 with a little bit of hope to find Andi there, but he was not there, only Reinhold. Reinhold cooked me some Ovaltine and after some rest we go back up to look after them, but so much snow we couldn't see anything and weather started to go worse again and so after sometime spent to find those 2 we say we must go down because way from C4 to C3 is on ice wall with 1400m of length (800m height) and it was very dangerous from avalanching could come. Before this situation comes we have to go back otherwise we couldn't go down. (Also Fankhauser frostbitten feet and Messner frostbitten fingers). This was really a terrible night I have in the mountain at 7700m. What we want was to help Franz but we couldn't. Then storm was so bad we could see nothing. Back at C4 we take our important luggage and rest we have to leave up there in C3. Knoll was waiting for us and he and the Sherpas helped us very much. They take us down to C2 where Dr. Wolfie have broken trails to help us to come down and Dr. looked quickly after our frostbite and he has given me some infusion and Reinhold infusion also will be his home tomorrow. Left base camp on 28th. 4 days to Pokhara with sore feet "very hard way." Nairz and Fankhauser arrive KTM today. Schlick and Jager died on 25 April in terrible storm. Fankhauser frozen feet, not too bad. Messner frozen fingers, comes from base camp to Pokhara now. 18 April 72 Reached base camp 6 April after leaving Pokhara 28th. In 4 days reached Naeje village. On 5th day, 1 April, at 9 am met Karki coming from base camp and his 2 porters. He told her too dangerous to go to base alone with her 1 porter and better to go with him - seh Nairz - 13 March 72 7:00 pm everying evening Manaslu expedition will receive weather report from Prinz, starting 28-30 March. Leave KTM 14 March to Pokhara; leave Pokhara 15, reach BC on 22nd; summit attempt end April; early May Pokhara. Other members left. Nairz - 4 March 72 13 March others arrive and leave for Pokhara after 1 day to catch up. Advance to Pokhara 5 March, leave 7th and take 10-11 days to BC area with porters.
Accidents Schlick and Jager disappeared; LO died of unknown causes (disappeared from BC)
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2444575
Year 1972
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) s face

Members

11 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Wolfgang Nairz M 1944 Austria Leader Innsbruck, Tirol, Austria Glaciologist & alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Reinhold Messner M 1944 Italy Climbing Leader Villnoss, Bolzano, Italy Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Andi Schlick M 1944 Austria Deputy Leader Going, Tirol, Austria Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Oswald Oelz M 1943 Austria Climber Bregenz, Vorarlberg, Austria Physician Details Other expeditions
Maximilian-Horst Fankhauser M 1944 Austria Climber Neustift, Tirol, Austria Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Hans Hofer M 1943 Austria Climber Neukirchen, Upper Austria, Austria Policeman & alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Franz Jaeger M 1943 Austria Climber St. Johann, Tirol, Austria Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Hans-Joerg Hochfilzer M 1945 Austria Climber Going, Tirol, Austria Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Josef (Josl) Knoll M 1924 Austria Climber Innsbruck, Tirol, Austria Secretary Details Other expeditions
Karki M - Nepal Liaison Officer - - Details Other expeditions
Urkien Sherpa M - Nepal Sirdar Khumjung, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

11 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MANA72102 AAJ - - - 47:484-485 (1973) -
MANA72102 AJ Nairz, Wolfgang Manaslu 1972 - 79:15-20 (1974) -
MANA72102 - Messner, Reinhold Sturm am Manaslu BLV, Munich - M332
MANA72102 MM - - - 21:7 (May 1972) -
MANA72102 MM - - - 22:8-9 (Jul 1972) -
MANA72102 MM - - - 28:12 (Jul 1973) -
MANA72102 MM Dyhrenfurth, G. O. & Dyhrenfurth, Norman Manaslu - 62:38-41 (Jul 1978) -
MANA72102 - Nairz, Wolfgang Nepal, Durchwandern und Erleben Steiger Verlag, Innsbruck - N12
MANA72102 DAV - - - 98:161-166 (1973) -
MANA72102 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197348402/Asia-Nepal-Manaslu-South-Face - - -
MANA72102 - - https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1974_files/AJ%201974%2015-20%20Nairz%20Manaslu.pdf - - -