Manaslu | 1981 SW Face

A France expedition to Manaslu in 1981 via SW Face, led by Pierre Beghin. Summit reached on 7th October 1981. 5 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1786
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MANA81301
Peak ID MANA
Year 1981
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality France
Leaders Pierre Beghin
Sponsor Grenoble Expedition to Manaslu 1981
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 13th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1981-09-04
Summit Date 1981-10-07
Summit Time -
Summit Days 33
Total Days 40
Termination Date 1981-10-14
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8163
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 4
Summit Members 2
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 2
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(04/09,3700m),BC(06/09,4750m),C1(16/09,5700m),C2(25/09,6700m),C3(06/10,7400m),Smt(07/10)
Route Notes Ang Kami - 31 March 84 Ang Kami [claims he] went to Manaslu summit with Beghin and Mueller. Beghin - 18 Oct 81 Bretin tried go to C2 to C3 alone but could not find C3 in dark so had to return to C2, one day after summiter success. Route = West Face or SW Face. Very difficult new route; much stone fall so had to go quickly: small expedition had no accident but big expedition too dangerous. Most difficult was C1 to C2: 1000m wall of ice, bad rock which difficult to fix rope, stone fall hurt rope. Very high 3400m face, very difficult and many avalanches. Climbed only between 4:00 and 9:00 am. Difficult to find space for tents; had to dig for space for 1 tent. 50% steepness above C2 and there to summit was alpine-style: 3 days from C2 to top and back to C2 without fixed ropes. Above C2 not so dangerous, but below very much so. After deposit camp swept away by snow about 10 Sept, thought to give up. Deposit at 4800m just above high BC; lost rope, snow pickets, tarpaulin and 1 tent. After this decided to climb only at dark. "I don't recommend it to my friends, this route." Japanese autumn 1981 Manaslu summiter Ozaki said he found snowshoes and basket 50 meters below summit. Beghin - 19 Aug 81 Route = SW Face, on right of Japanese 1971 ridge/face route. No one knows this face which is entirely different from Austria 1972 South Face (on other side of a ridge). SW Face is to left of Austrian route. 2 here now, other 2 arrive 23 Aug. Leave KTM 25-26 Aug by truck to Dumre; about 10 days Dumre to BC. Low BC about 3800m, LO and cook Face = 3500m high very high right expedition. 1 or 2 or 3 camps with only tents; perhaps 2 camps, not more I think. High BC at 5000m; real BC for climbers. 2 or 3 camps above this camp with 1 at about 6000m or little less and others about 6600-6700m and perhaps bivouac camp on summit of face at 7400-7500m. Arrive low BC 5 Sept, then ferry loads to high BC by 4 members, 2 Sherpas and 2 local porters. High BC stocked in 10 days. Enough for members and Sherpas to stay there and above while 2 porters continue ferries. About 10 Sept start making route above high BC by 2 members while 2 continue ferries. Very difficult face, very steep 50-55%, very complex face where must find route, but very very light expedition, not heavy camps; no oxygen. Might finish climb in 4 weeks but will stay as long as possible (until end of Oct). Maybe 1 oxygen for medical. Approach via Marshyangdi Khola to Jhenje, Dhudhkbola - then to Daman Khola?? (Sherpas disagree) - same approach as Japanese 1971.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2448081
Year 1981
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) sw face

Members

5 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Pierre Beghin M 1951 France Leader Grenoble, Isere, France Engineer (in fluid mechanism) Details Other expeditions
Gerard Bretin M 1947 France Climber La Tronche, Isere, France Teacher (of mathematics and economics in a high school) Details Other expeditions
Dominique Chaix M 1952 France Exp Doctor Meylan, Isere, France Physician Details Other expeditions
Bernard Roger Muller M 1952 France Climber Grenoble, Isere, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Ang Kami Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions

References

8 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MANA81301 AAJ Beghin, Pierre Manaslu's Unknown Face - 56:69-76 (1982) -
MANA81301 HJ Beghin, Pierre Manaslu's Unknown Face - 39:32-35 (1981-1982) -
MANA81301 - Beghin, Pierre Passion d'Himalayas Editions Glenat, Grenoble - B234
MANA81301 - Beghin, Pierre Les Cinq Tresors de la Grande Neige Arthaud, Paris - B233
MANA81301 MM - - - 83:9 (Jan 1982) -
MANA81301 MM - - - 84:11 (Mar 1982) -
MANA81301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198206900/Manaslus-Unknown-Face - - -
MANA81301 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/39/6/manaslu-s-unknown-face1/ - - -