Manaslu | 1985 NE Face

A Japan expedition to Manaslu in 1985 via NE Face, led by Noboru Yamada. Summit reached on 14th December 1985. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 237
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MANA85401
Peak ID MANA
Year 1985
Season 4
Host Country 1
Route 1 NE Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Noboru Yamada
Sponsor Manaslu Japanese Winter Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 26th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach Helicopter->Samagaon
Basecamp Date 1985-12-05
Summit Date 1985-12-14
Summit Time 1140
Summit Days 9
Total Days 10
Termination Date 1985-12-15
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8163
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 2
Summit Members 2
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(05/12,4800m),Biv1(06/12,5350m),Biv2(07/12,6150m),Biv3(08/12,7000m),Biv4(13/12,7050m),Smt(14/12)
Route Notes BC half day above Samagaon Biv1 near Naike col Biv2 on NE Face Biv4 in crevasse on face (no wind in crevasse). 9th Dec first summit attempt reached 7200m, then high wind and very cold and returned to BC same day. 10th Dec BC and 11th Dec up again to 6150m biv site of 7th Dec. 12th Dec little snowfall and did not move 14th Dec, 8-1/2 hours climb to top. Left biv at 3:20 am and on top 11:40 am in strong wind. Near top very cold wind. That night in 13th Dec bivouac which reached 3:30 pm but no food since had spent extra day on ascent. 15th Dec to BC, where only 1 tent and 1 Sherpa, and on to Samagaon, which left 17th Dec. Technically not difficult but too far from last bivouac point to top. Below 7000m not colder than autumn, but above very cold and windy. No fixed ropes used, true alpine-style climb. At summit found match box with names and date of 11 May 1956 summiters in Peace and cigarettes with stones (probably from Japan). The Iwa-to-Yuki The author and Yasuhira made an alpine-style ascent of Manaslu in Dec 1985. This was the second winter ascent, following that of the Poles. Yamada climbed K2 in July and Everest in Oct, both without oxygen, and then made elaborate plans for the perfect alpine-style ascent of Manaslu. Yamada and Saito helicoptered to Sama on Dec 2nd to join the sirdar and loads, having caravaned beforehand. BC was made on Dec 5th. They set about climbing next day, but the weather deteriorated three days later and forced them to retreat from 7200m. Taking one day's rest at BC, they later resumed activity and after three bivouacs reached the summit at 11:40 am, Dec 13th. On the top they found a tin for cigarettes containing the register of the Japanese party which had made the first ascent of the mountain. This was a big bonus for their remarkable feat of this time.
Accidents Saito some frostbite on side of nose on summit day
Achievement 1st Japanese winter ascent
Agency -
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2449614
Year 1985
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) ne face

Members

2 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Yasuhira Saito M 1953 Japan Climber Kawasaki, Takatsu, Japan Sports shopkeeper Details Other expeditions
Noboru Yamada M 1950 Japan Leader Kawasaki, Takatsu, Japan Sports shopkeeper Details Other expeditions

References

9 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MANA85401 AAJ Yamada, Norboru - - 60:240 (1986) -
MANA85401 JAC Yamada, Norboru K2, Everest and Manaslu: Successive Climbs of 3 8000ers in 1985 - 81:21-31 (1986) -
MANA85401 MM - - - 108:13 (Mar 1986) -
MANA85401 JAC Yamada, Norboru K2, Everest and Manaslu: Successive Climbs of 3 8000ers in 1985 - 81:24-32 (1986) -
MANA85401 IM Yamada, Norboru Three 8000 Summits in One Year - K2, Everest, and Manaslu - 21:41-53 (Spring 1988) -
MANA85401 IWA - - - :270 (1987) -
MANA85401 IWA - - - :57-58 (1986) -
MANA85401 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198624001/Asia-Nepal-Manaslu-Northeast-Ridge-in-the-Winter - - -
MANA85401 - - https://explorersweb.com/december-1985-the-story-of-the-second-winter-ascent-of-manaslu/ - - -