Numbur | 1979 SW Ridge

A Switzerland expedition to Numbur in 1979 via SW Ridge, led by Jacques Bovier. Summit reached on 21st May 1979. 10 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2090
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID NUMB79101
Peak ID NUMB
Year 1979
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Switzerland
Leaders Jacques Bovier
Sponsor Joint Nepal-Swiss Numbur 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 Nepal, New Zealand
Approach Paphlu->Numbur (BC)
Basecamp Date 1979-05-04
Summit Date 1979-05-21
Summit Time -
Summit Days 17
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 10
Termination Notes Abandoned at 6700m due to difficult crevasse and lateness in the day
High Point (m) 6700
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 10
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 -
Campsites BC(04/05,4850m),ABC(06/05,5150m),C1(10/05,5700m),C2(15/05,6250m),xxx(21/05,6700m)
Route Notes Molinari - 5 June 79 Route = SW Ridge 6700m reached on 21 May. Started at 6:00 am from C2. Route then difficult with crevasse which took 3 hours for Braschler and Scheibler to cross. After 7-1/2 hours were at 6700m and all decided they should return and not risk not returning to C2 after dark. Next team was already in C2 and when Braschler and Scheibler found it occupied (C2 had room for only 2 people), went down to try to reach C1 but not radio contact all night with C1. Actually spent night above C1 out in icefall. 2 days later, on 24 May, Jacques, Lama and Paul Reymond reached 6600m after 6 hours and then turned back by winds. By this time, Swiss members had to go back to work. 1 to 1-1/2 more weeks would have reached top with 1 more camp or biv. Technically most difficult was part icewall between C1 and C2 and this surpassed. Difficult to believe Japanese reached top from C2 in 5-1/2 hours. Japanese took 6 days for ice wall whereas Swiss did it in 3 days. Lot of stone - icefall just below C1. No serious accidents, frostbite or illness Adrian Gray, Phaplu - 30 April 79 Numbur expedition, departs today except myself and 2 Nepali members, one of whom has yet to arrive from KTM with the rope. I will leave on Wednesday (2 May). Molinari - 26 Feb 79 Must go to Phaplu 26-8 April. Litscher in advance from PHA to base. Established BC by 5 May at 5400m which is where Japanese in 1963 had C4: 2 camps above BC C1 on SW Ridge 5900m C2 = biv for summit but - at 6400m on same ridge Route from BC to ridge is icefall which may be difficult. May go behind a subsidiary ridge but don't know exact route. Ridge between C1 and C2 may be blue ice requiring step making which slows climb but not technically difficult. Above C2 go onto South Face briefly and then knife-edge ridge: Japanese took 5 hours from their last camp at 6200-6300m to summit. C1 by 9 May C2 by 16 May Summit by 17 May: 1st bid - try to get as many as possible on top including Sherpas (2 Sherpas as H-A porters). 4 oxygen only for emergencies, not mountain climbing or sleeping. Letter from BC We established BC on 4th May. Advanced BC on 6th at an altitude of 150m. C1 was then established on 10th on an altitude of 5100m. The furnishing of C1 took more time then expected and only tomorrow from Numbur only two will push the route to C2. We expect to establish C2. We expect to establish C2 on 16th May latest.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2447299
Year 1979
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) sw ridge

Members

10 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Jacques Bovier M 1943 Switzerland Leader Valais, Switzerland & Pokhara, Nepal Engineer on water-supply project assisted by Swiss Association Details Other expeditions
Urs Braschler M 1951 Switzerland Climber Thalwil, Zurich, Switzerland Forestry engineer Details Other expeditions
Adrian Gray M 1951 New Zealand Exp Doctor Phaplu, Solukhumbu Physician in charge of a Himalayan Trust hospital Details Other expeditions
Mingma Tenzing Lama M 1957 Nepal Climber Phaplu, Solukhumbu Student Details Other expeditions
Rinzi Pasang Lama M 1955 Nepal Climber Phaplu, Solukhumbu Hotelier Details Other expeditions
Juerg Litscher M 1947 Switzerland Climber Brione, Ticino, Switzerland & Kathmandu, Nepal Civil engineer, Swiss Association for Technical Assistance Details Other expeditions
Peter Molinari M 1948 Switzerland Co-Leader Kathmandu & Zurich, Swizterland Civil engineer on the board of small Hydro-electric Development Details Other expeditions
Dalim Mukhiya M - Nepal Climber Ilam, Mechi Zone Alpinist Details Other expeditions
Paul Reymond M 1946 Switzerland Climber Vaud, Switzerland & Kathmandu, Nepal Plumbing technician for a Swiss Assoc for Technical Assistance Details Other expeditions
Hans Scheibler M 1943 Switzerland Climber Zurich, Switzerland & Kathmandu, Nepal Architect Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
NUMB79101 AAJ Cheney, Michael J. - - 53:615 (1980) -
NUMB79101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198061502/Asia-Nepal-Numbur - - -