Manaslu | 1983 NE Face (Japanese 1956 & 1982 Winter rtes)

A Canada expedition to Manaslu in 1983 via NE Face (Japanese 1956 & 1982 Winter rtes), led by Alan Burgess. Summit reached on 22nd December 1983. 17 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1672
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MANA83401
Peak ID MANA
Year 1983
Season 4
Host Country 1
Route 1 NE Face (Japanese 1956 & 1982 Winter rtes)
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Canada
Leaders Alan Burgess
Sponsor Canadian Manaslu Winter Expedition
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 UK
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1983-11-20
Summit Date 1983-12-22
Summit Time -
Summit Days 32
Total Days 34
Termination Date 1983-12-24
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 6860m due to high winds
High Point (m) 6860
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 17
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 6
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(20/11,4115m),KoreanBC.Dep(30/11,4875m),C1(24/11,5435m),C2(08/12,6250m),xxx(22/12,6860m)
Route Notes 22 Dec Al and Adrian Burgess left C2 9:00 am in good weather with 3 Sherpas at 22,000 ft; very strong winds coming thru N Col at noon. 3 Sherpas sent back camplaining of cold feet. Burgesses went on 1-1/2 hrs more and then winds gusting 100 mph knocking them off their feet. Were few hundred feet below normal C3 where they planned to put a box tent and then down C3. Decided to give up because only one day in six winds permitted climbing and other members weren't ready to take their turn in lead. Didn't have strong enough team, people were sick. All down in BC on 23rd. Had excellent relation with same people: Sirdar had helped same in 1979 and expedition had blessing ceremony. Support members trekked to dump camp but carried no loads and last of them left on 30 Nov. Hannigan, Smith and Jones - 8-9 Jan 84 Trio slept at C1 at Naike Col on 24 Nov with 2 Sherpas. 30 Nov date not correct for its establishment. Hannigan, Smith and Jones consider this unethical when winter season doesn't begin until 1 Dec. Trio fault Burgesses for: - inadequate Sherpa clothing - insufficient supplies of gear, e.g., only 4 real snowstorms [?] 1/4 inch rope - inadequate food supplies and other items such as toilet paper - only 3 high camps planned meaning single day carries of 4000+ ft - bad and dangerous route-finding; made route (later shifted by others) under dangerous seracs for prolonged periods (1 hurt) - no planning or proper leadership and autocratic leader Adrian Burgess - Jan 1984 The expedition gathered in KTM, Nepal on hte last day of Oct 1983 where it was learned that Peter Hillary would not be able to join the expedition because of the death of two of his climbing companions while trying to climb Mt. Makalu in the fall. On the 3rd Nov a team of 5 climbing members and 12 accompanying trekkers assembled in the samll town of Gorkha at the beginning of the 200 kms. walk into Manaslu BC. On the 14th Nov we arrived at a small Tibetan village called Samagaon where our lowland porters were replaced by better clad Tibetan porters. All loads reached BC by the 19th Nov. On the 20th Nov, a local Buddhist Lama blessed the expedition at a traditional Sherpa ceremony; the first time an expedition climbing on this side of the mountain had been favoured in this manner. The trail was broken up to 16,000 ft on 21st Nov and local porters helped to stock an "equipment dump." By the 25th Nov. Adrian, Allan, and 3 Sherpas had blazed a trail through deep snow to the C1 sited at 18,300 ft and had dug an ice-cave large enough to sleep 5 people. From then on the expedition worked mainly as two groups: Group 1 was Alan, Adrian, Dawa Nuru Sherpa, Tenzing Tashi Sherpa and Pema Dorje Sherpa: Group 2 was Trevor and Gordon with Pinzo Sherpa, Gyaltsen Sherpa and Lhakpa Tshering Sherpa. On 30th Nov team 1 occupies C1 and works on the route breaking trail and fixing rope where necessary until 4th Dec. Team 2 replaces them at C1 and team 1 rests at base camp. The route we were trying to reach C2 by (the French variation) proved impossible due to a badly crevassed area and team 2 eventually reached the site of C2 at 21,500 ft by another way on 7th Dec. The teams switched again and team 1 digs and establishes C2 (another ice-cave) as well as loading it with some food and equipment, by 10th Dec. On 12th Dec team 1 breaks trail to 6950m and deposits some fixed rope and climbing gear at that point. On 15th Dec team 2 occupies C2 while team 1 returns to BC. Team 2 also reaches 22,800 ft with additional rope on 16th Dec. On 17th Dec team 2 returns to base so that at this point everyone is at base camp. On 22nd Dec team 1 start out above C2. At 22,800 ft some of the Sherpas complained of cold feet and fearing a risk of frostbite were sent back to C2. Alan and Adrian continued upward in winds which were gusting to 180 kms per hour. The temperature was about -30 degrees C but no exceptionally adverse effects were experienced due to excellent equipment. The 2 climbers reached 23,300 ft before returning to C2. It was decided that we must wait for a calmer day before all climbers would safely be able to establish C3. Another change around for teams was imminent but at the radio call that same evening sickness in BC was reported and so in the face of a depleted team the decision to abandon the expedition was sadly made. The mountain was cleared of equipment on the 23rd Dec and left base camp on the 28th Dec. KTM was reached on the evening of 6th Jan 1984.
Accidents None except flu which may be standed chest infection in winter
Achievement -
Agency Mountain Travel
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2448889
Year 1983
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) ne face (japanese 1956 & 1982 winter rtes)

Members

17 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Adrian (Aid) Burgess M 1948 UK Climber Boulder, Colorado Alpinist Details Other expeditions
Alan Burgess M 1948 UK Leader Calgary, Alberta Carpenter Details Other expeditions
Carl Hannigan M 1942 Canada Climber Calgary, Alberta Veterinary surgeon Details Other expeditions
Trevor Jones M 1951 UK Climber Calgary, Alberta Draughtsman (sic) Details Other expeditions
Gordon Smith M 1945 Canada Deputy Leader Calgary, Alberta Mechanical engineer Details Other expeditions
David Bedry M 1950 Canada Member Calgary, Alberta Mechanical engineer Details Other expeditions
Eleanor Eileen Dalen F 1959 Canada Member Grande Prairie, Alberta Hospital's administrative staff Details Other expeditions
Thomas Keith Dresser M 1952 Canada Member Edmonton, Alberta Whitewater outfitter Details Other expeditions
Jo-Anne Falkiner F 1960 Canada Member Vancouver, British Columbia Helicopter bourne rescue worker Details Other expeditions
Gary Gully M 1953 Canada Member Edmonton, Alberta Communications electrician Details Other expeditions
Robert Gully M 1951 Canada Member Vancouver, British Columbia Physician Details Other expeditions
Clayton Loren Ham M 1944 Canada Member Vancouver, British Columbia Physician Details Other expeditions
Jenny Collen Mccloskey F 1953 Canada Member Camberwell, Victoria Australia Details Other expeditions
Beverley Pinard F 1946 Canada Member Santa Cruz, California Nurse Details Other expeditions
Arden Rankins F 1962 Canada Member Wasa, British Columbia Cook Details Other expeditions
Michael Jack Williams M 1950 Canada Member Spillimacheen, British Columbia River guide Details Other expeditions
Nina Vishnevska F 1952 Canada Member Venice, California Physician Details Other expeditions

References

8 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MANA83401 AAJ Burgess, Adrian - - 58:248-249 (1984) -
MANA83401 HJ Burgess, Alan Manaslu Winter Expedition, 1983-1984 - 41:151-153 (1983-1984) -
MANA83401 CAJ Burgess, Alan Manaslu Winter Expeditin - 68:65 (1985) -
MANA83401 - Burgess, Ad & Burgess, Al Burgess Book of Lies Mountaineers, Seattle - -
MANA83401 AAJ Burgess, Adrian - - 58:249 (1984) -
MANA83401 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198424901/Asia-Nepal-Himalayan-Winter-Climbing - - -
MANA83401 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198424803/Asia-Nepal-Manaslu-Northeast-Face-Attempt-in-Winter - - -
MANA83401 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/41/21/expeditions-and-notes-41/ - - -