Pumori | 1975 SW Ridge

A France expedition to Pumori in 1975 via SW Ridge, led by Jean Lescure. Summit reached on 30th April 1975. 9 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2298
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID PUMO75101
Peak ID PUMO
Year 1975
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality France
Leaders Jean Lescure
Sponsor French Expedition to Cholatse
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 6th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach Khumbu Valley
Basecamp Date 1975-04-03
Summit Date 1975-04-30
Summit Time 1330
Summit Days 27
Total Days 34
Termination Date 1975-05-07
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 7138
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 7
Summit Members 3
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 4
Summit Hired 1
Hired Deaths 1
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(03/04,5350m),C1(11/04,6000m),C2(23/04,6500m),C3(29/04,6700m),Smt(30/04)
Route Notes Jean Francois Bernardin - 10 May 75 Yesterday with Pilatus Porter very clear. Went very close to summit (10m away) and 100m below; sure absolutely nothing on summit. Went 3/4 around Pumori. Jean saw again the "pick" and just below saw tracks all around this pick; maybe something happened here. Today with army helicopter but weather very bad, i.e., clouds which had to go around. Up on Pumori clear but clouds climbing from valley. Helicopter could not go as high as wished because warm temperature (-5 degrees C instead of -20 degrees C), but saw very clearly 5000-6400m section and saw nothing at all. Could not see picture very clearly, could not go that high. Mrs. Bernardin - 10 May 75 Today helicopter went again to Pumori and again found no traces of her husband. Clouds forming in area and weather very warm, grave danger of avalanches. J. F. Bernardin - 8 May 75 Lescure was near Lobuche where expedition slept last night. Brought to KTM today. Did not search mountain again because clouds beginning to form. Rest of expedition arrive KTM from Lukla 11 May. Went to Thyangboche on way back to leave prayers for Ang Kami. Philippe Bernardin was J. F.'s younger brother. Jean Lescure - 8 May 75 Philippe Bernardin and Ang Kami slept C1 30th April. 1 May: Lescure passed Bernardin and Ang Kami between C1 and C2 and they going well. Told both to take biv, tent and small gas heater and ice "pick" because last part much steeper then had thought. Said to Bernardin it's long and tiring journey. Should leave from C2 (one 2-man tent) instead of C3. C3 not very comfortable because had to dig into snow for place for tent and powder snow falling from ridge. Put C3 there when very bad weather with big wind in big hurry. Bernardin had no walkie-talkie with him. He did not sleep in C2 because silly to sleep in C3 and B very careful and precise man. 2 May Lescure at BC. Very beautiful weather in morning and expecting return. At about 12:30 spotted Bernardin and Ang Kami going up; climbing easily and steadily 1/2 hour from summit. Until 12:30 weather nice then above 6900m covered with clouds. As usual on Pumori very strong winds also came up and moved clouds very fast. Clouds closed in on Bernardin and Ang Kami like Mallery and Irvine. 5 pm weather cleared for few minutes. Lescure saw nothing in this clear moment. At that time Lescure could see entire ridge and Bernardin and Ang Kami should be on ridge at that time, but perhaps by then they were behind ridge out of sight from BC. Not worried for might be in C3. Very strong wind with beginning of clouds probably blew one off balance and pulled other with him. 3 May very beautiful weather in am. 2 Sherpas went to C3 Kami Rita and Mingma Norbu from C2 on 3rd (from BC 1 May and from C1 on 2nd) to dismantle C3 and help others (pre-arranged) and could see them going up. 2 Sherpas went to C3 and dismantled it and 4:30 pm were seen from BC at C1. When Lescure saw only 2 descend, realized Bernardin and Ang Kami not there. At 5:00 De Nuncques and Clemenson went to Namche and walked all night to request helicopter. At C3 found one tent with no sign that Bernardin and Ang Kami had been there. From helcopter saw pile; right under summit in snowy triangle at 7050m. Probably Bernardin and Ang Kami had reached summit and on way back were caught by tempest and had left pile above them when no longer needed. Did not see red biv tent; was searching for it from helicopter but did not find it even when went very close to mountain in helicopter. All members well; 1 Sherpas not well and being looked after. Route same on Japanese 1973; saw Japanese ropes in the ice. No earlier summit bid than that of 30 April. No other accidents. Rill Dykes - 5 May 75 25 minutes around mountain up to 22,000 ft (C3 altitude) Leader with him in helicopter. Picked up at Gorak Shep. Tomorrow badly wanted to go over smooth snow top but aircraft service ceiling 20,000 ft. Saw no one but did see C3 red tent. No one climbing on mountain; about 6 at BC abandoned hope = Bill's impression. Snigh, RSS - 4 May 75 Philippe Bernardin and Ang Kami Sherpa went for summit on 17 Baisakh 30 April. On 19 Baisakh = 2 May from BC saw them at 12 noon near summit and later that became cloudy with bad weather could no longer been seen. 20 Baisakh watched again and leader requested helicopter for search tomorrow. Bernedette Vasseux - 2 May 75 Philippe left BC 30 April with 1 Sherpa to try summit tomorrow or day after. Leave BC 6 May Arrive KTM 12 May Leave KTM 15 May MP Khanal, MFA - 2 May 75 30 April 2 teams reached summit from SW Ridge 13:30 hours: 1) Mrs Claudine Lescure Philippe de Nuncques 2) Leader Lescure Sirdar Mingma Tsering, 40 C3 29 April 6750m; started from C3 5:30 30 April. 21 April 75 Left BC 19 and reached KTM yesterday. To Shyangboche tomorrow. On 19th were at 6140m. Keep week of entire expedition in between 6140m and 6300-6400m; if manage this part will reach summit. Probably now at 6300-6400m with C2 there. 2 granite towers very high and vertical which must be by passed. From C1 can see route very easy about C2 site. Mrs Bernardin - 10 April 75 She reached BC on yak and with expedition on 3rd and left 4th. All members are well except for 1 member Boissy had bad stomach trouble and went down to below and returned to BC on 4th because of boredom but probably not fully recovered. Bernardin left BC early am 6th and saw climbers moving up rapidly. Are climbing route they expected to use; difficultly appeared also what expected. They think route not dangerous since on ridge and no avalanche risk. 1st day at BC very strong wind so built 2 stone houses. Leader gave Sherpas some training in technique climbing. Expect to reach top; hope everybody will reach top but not sure. Hope by end April since now booked to leave Nepal 14 May. Mrs Bernardin leaves Nepal 14 April and goes directly to France. Has right foot in cast from very bad twist (not break). Letter from Philippe Bernardin We had some trouble with the weather and we are little late on our planning. A party composed of Jean Lescure, Claudine Lescure, Philippe Degouve and Mingma Tsering are today establishing our C3 at about 6750m and probably tomorrow will try reach the summit. Unhappily there was a very little terrace to implant our C2 and we were able to put only one tent for two persons. Our Sherpas are very efficent and through up to C3. Everything is working well unless the weather, last week was not so good, and one member Jean Clemenson was obliged to come back to Khunde Hospital for a toothache. We yet arrived at something like 6500m on the ridge we have there all the material for C2 and we are looking for a good place to situate this camp. Unfortunately we found yet not any platform. Anyway, our C2 will be established rapidly, probably tomorrow. We already think to C3. Letter 12 April 75 from Philippe Bernardin Our expedition is going smoothly: 3,4,5 of April - installation of the base camp. 6th April Philippe Degouve and Clemenson climb up to 5800m 7th April Jean Lescure and Mingma Nuru climb up 6100m (50m under the south pass on the ridge) 8th April Philippe Degouve, Clemenson were on the ridge. 9th April bad weather 10th April perhaps? 11th April the first camp is situated and equipped at 6000m in rocks on the left hand of the glacier from the south pass. Now we are equipping the fine snow and ice ridge of the pass to reach the rocks of SW Ridge. Everyone is well. Letter from Philippe This is our marriage of our 4th camp in Lobuche. Next day we will be in base camp. Everything is right; only some headache from time to time. Probably you had some news by Bernedette Vasseux; the only accident was a Dzo falling on a icy track and twisting the leg. It was necessary to help it back 1 kilometre to some flat place and the doctors tried to put the leg right - after it.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2445948
Year 1975
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) sw ridge

Members

9 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Jean Lescure M 1950 France Leader Montgeron, Essonne, France Shopkeeper Details Other expeditions
Philippe Bernardin M 1934 France Climber/Exp Secretary La Celle St. Cloud, Yvelines, France Managing director of supermarket Details Other expeditions
Philippe Degouve De Nuncques M 1949 France Climber Boulogne, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Alain Boissy M 1952 France Climber Herblay, Val-d'Oise, France Butcher Details Other expeditions
Claudine Lescure F 1947 France Climber Montgeron, Essonne, France Hairdresser Details Other expeditions
Gerard Sighele M 1930 France Climber Paris, France Rep. Details Other expeditions
Michel Ziegler M 1934 France Climber Le Viviers-du-Lac, Savoie, France Airplane pilot Details Other expeditions
Mingma Tshering Sherpa M - Nepal Sirdar - - Details Other expeditions
Ang Kami Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
PUMO75101 AAJ Lescure, Jean - - 50:517-518 (1976) -
PUMO75101 HJ Sighele, Gerard The French Expedition to Pumori (7145m) 1975 - 34:22-26 (1974-75) -
PUMO75101 MM - - - 44:10 (Jul 1975) -
PUMO75101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197651700/Asia-Nepal-Pumori-Southwest-Ridge - - -
PUMO75101 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/34/2/the-french-expedition-to-pumori-7145-m-1975/ - - -