Manaslu | 1973 NE Face

A W Germany expedition to Manaslu in 1973 via NE Face, led by Gerhard Schmatz. Summit reached on 22nd April 1973. 9 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2342
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MANA73101
Peak ID MANA
Year 1973
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 NE Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality W Germany
Leaders Gerhard Schmatz
Sponsor Swabian Himalaya Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 5th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Austria, Switzerland
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1973-03-20
Summit Date 1973-04-22
Summit Time 1500
Summit Days 33
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8163
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 5
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 8
Summit Members 2
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 9
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 -
Campsites BC(20/03,3950m),C1.ABC(21/03,5070m),C2(26/03,5600m),C3(29/03,6450m),C4(12/04,6950m),C5(15/04,7550m),Smt(22/04)
Route Notes Dr. Schmatz - 9 May 73 151 Blue Star, this evening NE wall climbed by Germans Icefall very dangerous towards end of expedition because of many ice avalanches. Left of North Col. Were very late on summit day. Weather so bad couldn't leave in till 9 am. On summit 15:00 hours and again back at 17:45 hours. Saw red paint at about 7500m on summit platform and think was one of dead Austrians (tent would have blown away but probably red anorak or red pullover on body). I am sorry I didn't go there but in evening too tired and in following morning we had to go down. I had frozen my feet and cheek and ear and Sigi froze his feet and fingers - frostbite getting well. Mrs Schmatz at C2 at Naike Col and climbed a peak over 600m east of Naike Col; had intended climb North Peak but shortage of supplies. Kaempfe and Woergoetter with her on 21 April; probably climbed by Japanese, not so difficult. Met Japanese women for 1974 (East Ridge their route). Arnold had lung embolism from and probably perhaps also altitude at 5600m. Was very weak and had to be helped down from C2 to C2 and to base; later he went above C4 and had relapse with lungs again on 13 April. Sherpas caught in avalanche but no one injured. All but Sturm returned to KTM yesterday evening. Sturm - 25 April 73 Left expedition 19 April; has to return to work. Too much snow and more important too much wind. 2nd attempt to be made beginning on 19th by Schmatz, Hupfauer and some Sherpas including sirdar Urkien. The mountain is not difficult but weather bad, snowing every day. British possible they reach the summit if 3-4 days fine weather. Mountain Magazine July-August 1978 on Manaslu by Norman Dhyrenfurth: Pinned down by frequent snowstorms, men had to wait until April 22 before summit ascent could be started from C5, 24,700 ft. Gerhard Schmatz, Hupfauer and Urkien did not leave until 9:am, rather late for the test ahead. Soon it was discovered that of the three oxygen sets only 1 Urkein's functioned properly - the valves of others froze up time and again. Painfully short of breath, the two Germans rid themselves of their faulty sets and their rucksack and continued the climb; towards 2 pm the base of rocky summit pyramid was reached. The weather was so bad by then that Urkien was ready to turn back, but in the end he relented and stuck it out. "Another hour went by before we reached the top we are standing on the highest summit ever attempted by German we take few photographs, pick up some rock samples and depart from this inhospitable spot."
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2444938
Year 1973
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) ne face

Members

9 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Gerhard Schmatz M 1929 W Germany Leader Neu-Ulm, Bavaria, W Germany Attorney Details Other expeditions
Hannelore Schmatz F 1940 W Germany Climber Neu-Ulm, Bavaria, W Germany - Details Other expeditions
Rene Arnold M 1933 Switzerland Climber Zermatt, Valais, Switzerland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Volkert Gazert M 1936 W Germany Exp Doctor Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, W Germany Physician Details Other expeditions
Siegfried (Sigi) Hupfauer M 1941 W Germany Climber Beuren, Neu-Ulm, Bavaria, W Germany Mechanical engineer Details Other expeditions
Guenter Kaempfe M 1932 W Germany Climber Ulm, Baden-Wuerttemberg, W Germany Mechanical engineer Details Other expeditions
Manfred Sturm M 1936 W Germany Climber Munich, Bavaria, W Germany Engineer Details Other expeditions
Sebastian (Wastl) Woergoetter M 1937 Austria Climber Saalfelden, Salzburg, Austria Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Urkien Tshering Sherpa M - Nepal Sirdar Khumjung, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MANA73101 AAJ - - - 48:205 (1974) -
MANA73101 MM - - - 29:13 (Sep 1973) -
MANA73101 MM Dyhrenfurth, G. O. & Dyhrenfurth, Norman Manaslu - 62:38-41 (Jul 1978) -
MANA73101 DAV - - - 100:130 (1975) -
MANA73101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197420501/Asia-Nepal-Manaslu-East-Face - - -