Nilgiri South | 2015 S Face (up), SW Ridge (down)

A Austria expedition to Nilgiri South in 2015 via S Face (up), SW Ridge (down), led by Hansjoerg Auer. Summit reached on 25th October 2015. 3 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 8959
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID NILS15301
Peak ID NILS
Year 2015
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Face (up), SW Ridge (down)
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Austria
Leaders Hansjoerg Auer
Sponsor Austrian Nilgiri South Expedition 2015
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 2nd
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach Around Annapurna trail
Basecamp Date 2015-10-11
Summit Date 2015-10-25
Summit Time 1100
Summit Days 14
Total Days 18
Termination Date 2015-10-29
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 6839
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 3
Summit Members 3
Member Deaths 1
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(11/10,4600m),ABC(17-18/10,5300m),Biv1(23/10,6500m),Biv2(24/10,6740m),Biv3(25/10,6500m),Smt(25/10)
Route Notes Route: S Face of NILS to W Face/S Ridge/NW Ridge of Nilgiri "Spire"to E Ridge of NILS up, SW ridge of NILS down. BC 11/10 4600m ABC 17-18/10 5300m (acclimatization) 22/10 5200m (ascent) Bv1 23/10 6500m Bv2 24/10 6740m Bv3 25/10 6500m Smt 25/10 by all 3 members. Had first period of hard work to erect a higher base camp than usual, so that they could better see the South Face. Then had to acclimatize properly. Hauer, just back from Mt. Kenya, had already acclimatized, but not his companions. Trio had 2 nights at 5300m at foot of the South Face, with relatively a few rock falls. Then rested at BC before starting on 22 Oct afternoon when they came to sleep at their ABC, lower this time to avoid any rock fall. On 23 Oct started at 5400m bergshrund, using the same ramp the Japanese did in 1981, that one appearing to be exposed just everywhere! Ramp like 60-degree average with some bits at 90 degrees. At 6000m chose to continue on their right, climbing through harder ground of the western face of newly christened "Nilgiri Spire" (southeastern subpeak of Nilgiri South, 6675m on Finn map, 6780m with their GPS watch) to reach a big serac system at about 6500m where they found a bivouac place. Difficulties up to M5 and 70 degrees. On 24 Oct started at 6 am, went up right to reach the S Ridge of Nilgiri Spire at 6000m, reaching its steep summit at 11 am. Begun to traverse down saddle between Nilgiri South and Nilgiri Spire through an exposed sharp corniced ridge, with a notable 30m overhanging abseil. Reached at 3 pm a nice comfortable flat bivouac place at 6740m below the main summit. That night Gerhard had a bad night, showing probable first signs of AMS, knowing this one and the previous one were cold and windy. On 25 Oct start at 8 am, Gerhard being very slow moving. Reached the top at 11 am after a final steep pitch on a cornice. Started the descent by the southwest ridge. They expected it to be easy but in reality it wasn't. On first part, had to down climbed and abseil through a steep hanging glacier down to 6500m. After a while, Gerhard being super exhausted, other two recognized they had to stop and at 3 pm afforded a bivouac there to help him to recover, motivationg him "its close." Gerhard apparently not being aware anymore about the situation. On 26 Oct weather forecast was predicting 75 km/hr winds. On 26 Oct after a new cold night, the wind got effectively stronger and trio started at 8 am to descend through a snow/ice sharp ridge traverse, climbing unroped to remain fast as much as possible, this until the end of the snow. From there, at a 6100m small step at 2 pm. Gerhard, downclimbing it, fell on the southeast side, enduring a 800m fall in a tortured complex couloir. Both shocked members continued further and abseiled down 3 times to an ice field, then continued downclimbing, putting new belays and abseils for the last part. All the way down could find and pictured traces of their friend fall. At 6 pm duo reached the glacier, then BC at 9 pm for a big break. On 27 Oct talking with the parents of Gerhard, the parents asked 2 survivors to find and take back the body their lost son, both members trying to explain them the body was certainly destroyed after the fall and there was nothing to save. A helicopter rescue was nevertheless decided to respect parents wish. On 28 Oct it snowed down to 3500m, rendering heli-search impossible. On 29 Oct due went down from BC to Deurali through Thulobugin pass in precarious snow conditions for the porters. On 30 Oct one search flight could be made in the morning towards the footstep of the South Face to eventually find nothing, the mountain climbed in dry conditions being snow covered with snow. That same day, duo was helicopter evacuated to Kathmandu. 1st ascent of the South Face, 1st ascent of Nilgiri Spire, 1st traverse of the peaks. Traverse of both Nilgiri Spire to South "very nice." Faced with dry conditions, but strangely found a lots of "blank ice" (very strong old ice), more than everywhere else in their previous expeditions! At first, believed they could have also gone down by the normal route (to Annapurna I BC), but SW Ridge seemed like a more direct route and also more secure knowing their friend's situation. 2 surviving members in same time happy for the route and very sad for the loss of their friend. "That's alpine-style ascents risk."
Accidents -
Achievement 1st ascent of the South Face, 1st ascent of the southeastern (Nilgiri Spire) peak, 1st traverse of both peaks
Agency Dream Himalaya Adventures
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2460641
Year 2015
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) s face (up), sw ridge (down)

Members

3 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Hansjoerg Auer M 1984 Austria Leader Oetz, Tirol, Austria Alpinist Details Other expeditions
Alexander Bluemel M 1987 Austria Climber Tirol, Austria Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Gerhard Fiegl M 1988 Austria Climber Tirol, Austria Alpine guide Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
NILS15301 AAJ Griffin, Lindsay - - 90:333-335 (2016) -
NILS15301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201213861/Nilgiri-South-South-Face-and-Tragedy - - -
NILS15301 - - http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web15y/newswire-tragedy-on-nilgiri-south - - -