Manaslu | 1989 NE Face

A USA expedition to Manaslu in 1989 via NE Face, led by Adrian Burgess. Summit reached on 25th October 1989. 13 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 347
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MANA89305
Peak ID MANA
Year 1989
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 NE Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Adrian Burgess
Sponsor Colorado Manaslu 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 1989-09-30
Summit Date 1989-10-25
Summit Time -
Summit Days 25
Total Days 34
Termination Date 1989-11-03
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7060m due to winds
High Point (m) 7060
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 13
Summit Members 0
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 Lakpass scaled a peak of 6790m near Manaslu
Campsites BC(30/10,4300m),C1(03/10,5500m),C2(08/10,6250m),C3(25/10,7060m),xxx(25,28/10,7060m)
Route Notes BC at low BC C1 at Naike Col C2 in ice cave at usual site for C2 C3 300m above and slightly left of North Col High point at C3. From 8th to 25th kept going up to C2, waited for winds to stop and went down again. 3 Austrian "Sherpas" and Andy Lapkass were up breaking trail to 22,000 ft; Andy down to C2 and Sherpas coming down when slab 1000 ft high and 500 ft wide and 3 ft thick broke away just below N Col at 22,000 ft, a place where wind comes over N Col and leaves snow. Sherpas went down with it and ended up on tip of it unhurt. Lapkass and one of this team's Sherpas went up to rescue them; very, very lucky no one injured and this avalanche shook up Austrians so much they left 2 days later (18th Oct). This team then skirted "deposition area" but now winds had started up. Put 2 tents at C3 and slept one night, but wind so strong no question of making summit bid next day: Both Burgesses, Moores and Lapkass had intended to go to top from this camp and back within a day. Went down and waited for winds to ease. New plan for Burgesses and Lapkass to C2, from C2 overnight to summit (spending night in shaking tent useless) with winds not so strong at night; but at C2 on 2nd Nov winds were fierce. High BC, where Austrians had been, was devastated by huge ice cliff broken off by earthquake 20th Oct. This expedition's depot at this site was translocated and would have been catastrophic if occupied. A crevasse below C2 was opening at route of 8 inches/day and was 20 feet wide by end of expedition; another reason abandoned climb because of this danger on edge of couloir that has to be crossed between C1 and C2; ladders have now became necessary for this area. The normal NE Face route was a dangerous place to be: a great slab of snow 300m high, 150m wide and one meter thick broke away at about 6700m, a few hundred meters below North Col (in an area that is often avalanched), and carried another team's Sherpas with it; with great luck, no one injured. About two days later, an earthquake dislodged a huge ice cliff which devastated the area around high base camp and would have killed anyone in it (no one was there at the time). A crevasse below camp 2 at about 6000m kept opening at the rate of about 20 centimeters per day, was 6 meters wide when this team abandoned their climb chiefly because of fierce winds.
Accidents Avalanche carried 3 Austrian 'Sherpas' down 1000 ft (uninjured)
Achievement -
Agency Tawache
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2451029
Year 1989
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) ne face

Members

13 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Peter George (Pete) Athans M 1957 USA Climber Mt. Kisco, New York Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Adrian (Aid) Burgess M 1948 UK Leader Boulder, Colorado Alpinist Details Other expeditions
Alan Burgess M 1948 UK Climber Huddersfield, W Yorkshire, England Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Lorna Burgess F 1954 USA Climber Boulder, Colorado Attorney Details Other expeditions
Andrew Atis (Andy) Lapkass M 1958 USA Climber Ukiah, California Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Ronald A. (Ron) Matous M 1952 USA Climber Kelly, Wyoming Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Steven W. Matous M 1955 USA Climber Boulder, Colorado Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Connie McDonald F 1954 USA BC Manager Boulder, Colorado Geologist Details Other expeditions
James McEachern M 1957 USA Climber Los Angeles, California Cameraman Details Other expeditions
Paul Anthony Moores M 1952 UK Climber Glencoe, Argyll, Scotland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Peter David Nichols M 1948 USA Climber Glenwood Springs, Colorado Manager of shale oil extraction company Details Other expeditions
Kenneth Thorp M 1942 USA Climber Conifer, Colorado Executive director of Public Manager Center Details Other expeditions
Christopher J. Treese M 1956 USA Climber Rifle, Colorado Economist Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MANA89305 AAJ Burgess, Adrian - - 64:244-245 (1990) -
MANA89305 - Burgess, Ad & Burgess, Al Burgess Book of Lies Mountaineers, Seattle - -
MANA89305 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199024402/Asia-Nepal-Manaslu-Attempt - - -