Nilgiri North | 1981 N Face-W Ridge
A France expedition to Nilgiri North in 1981 via N Face-W Ridge, led by Bernard Moreau. Summit reached on 23rd October 1981. 7 members recorded.
Expedition Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| ID | 1787 |
| Imported | 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634 |
| Expedition ID | NILN81301 |
| Peak ID | NILN |
| Year | 1981 |
| Season | 3 |
| Host Country | 1 |
| Route 1 | N Face-W Ridge |
| Route 2 | - |
| Route 3 | - |
| Route 4 | - |
| Nationality | France |
| Leaders | Bernard Moreau |
| Sponsor | French Expedition to Nilgiri North |
| 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 | - |
| Approach | - |
| Basecamp Date | 1981-10-11 |
| Summit Date | 1981-10-23 |
| Summit Time | - |
| Summit Days | 12 |
| Total Days | 2 |
| Termination Date | - |
| Termination Reason | 5 |
| Termination Notes | Abandoned at 5900m due to knee deep snow and cold temperature of minus 20 degrees |
| High Point (m) | 5900 |
| Traverse | False |
| Ski | False |
| Paraglide | False |
| Camps | 1 |
| Fixed Rope (m) | 0 |
| Total Members | 7 |
| Summit Members | 0 |
| 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(11/10,4100m),C(16/10,5600m),xxx(23/10,5900m) |
| Route Notes | Richard Yves & Christian Nuytten - 25 Oct 81 Were on North Face. Did not actually reach West Ridge found some fixed ropes from 19 yrs ago (Lionel Terray expedition, whose altitudes were 200m too high). 5900m high point reached by Moreau and Yves, 4 others 100m below. Arrived BC 11 Oct 4100m C1 16 Oct 5600m High point 23 Oct 5900m (19,350 feet). No more progress: snow above knee a 60% sleeping face and no more time: 7-10 more days. Also very cold (-20 degrees). [?] days above 4000m only; more needed for good acclimatization. 2 here now today via air from Jomsom, 5 after one week. Route to C1 via a ridge, which was safe, then must traverse right (to avoid rocks) to West Ridge. Much more snow than Terray expedition; he had snow only above C1 but now well below. All members Ok; little frosting of toes. No accidents, no avalanches although left of their ridge there was constant avalanching. Yves Richard & Bernard Moreau - 28 Sept 81 Route = North Face to West Ridge (1962 Dutch route, but not completely sure where exactly Dutch went). Leave KTM 29 or 30 Sept by road to Pokhara, then approach via Jomsom to north of mountain. BC about 4500m, arrive 9-10 Oct. 1 or 2 fixed camps; don't know exactly where but probably are on face and one on ridge at 6500m. No Sherpas above BC No oxygen at all Most difficult part of route between 1st and 2nd camp: very steep, will need fixed rope here. Summit 20-25 Oct. |
| Accidents | - |
| Achievement | - |
| Agency | - |
| Commercial Route | - |
| Standard Route | - |
| Primary Route | False |
| Primary Member | False |
| Primary Reference | - |
| Primary ID | - |
| Checksum | 2448187 |
| Year | 1981 |
| Summit Success | False |
| O2 Summary | None |
| Route (lowercase) | n face-w ridge |
Members
7 recorded members.
| Name | Sex | Year of Birth | Citizenship | Status | Residence | Occupation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yannick Delu | M | 1953 | France | Climber | Sevres, Hauts-de-Seine, France | Computer engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Richard Lassaigne | M | 1944 | France | Climber | Paris, France | University teacher of mathematics | Details Other expeditions |
| Bernard Moreau | M | 1945 | France | Leader | Bagneux, Hauts-de-Seine, France | Engineer (optics) | Details Other expeditions |
| Francoise Moreau | F | 1947 | France | Climber | Bagneux, Hauts-de-Seine, France | Pharmacist | Details Other expeditions |
| Christian Nuytten | M | 1945 | France | Climber | Paris, France | Computer engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Anne Catherine Pernot | F | 1955 | France | Exp Doctor | Paris, France | Physician | Details Other expeditions |
| Yves Richard | M | 1946 | France | Deputy Leader | Paris, France | Member of administrative staff of Institut d'Etudes Politique | Details Other expeditions |
References
4 recorded references.
| Expedition ID | Journal | Author | Title | Publisher | Citation | Yak 94 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NILN81301 | AAJ | Cheney, Michael J. & Hawley, Elizabeth | - | - | 56:234 (1982) | - |
| NILN81301 | HJ | Moreau, B. | French Himalayan Expedition to Nilgiri North, 1981 | - | 39:169-171 (1981-1982) | - |
| NILN81301 | - | - | http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198223403/Asia-Nepal-Nilgiri-North-Attempt | - | - | - |
| NILN81301 | - | - | https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/39/23/expeditions-and-notes-39/ | - | - | - |