Pumori | 1991 SE Face-E Ridge

A UK expedition to Pumori in 1991 via SE Face-E Ridge, led by Malcolm Duff. Summit reached on 7th October 1991. 9 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 586
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID PUMO91302
Peak ID PUMO
Year 1991
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 SE Face-E Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality UK
Leaders Malcolm Duff
Sponsor Ascent Pumori Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 68th,70th w/Ger
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Iceland
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1991-09-28
Summit Date 1991-10-07
Summit Time -
Summit Days 9
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 7138
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 9
Summit Members 4
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(28/09,5200m),C1(30/09,5400m),C2(03/10,6100m),Smt(07,09/10)
Route Notes BC near lake C1 at small rib at start of climb C2 at top of rib. Dangerous above C2 to col (serac falling) but easy if one goes very fast. On descent from col, German Breuer was coming behind Gunnarsson, but no one saw Gunnarsson start his fall: could have been hit by ice block, could have misstepped. Fell from 6700 to 5300m altitude & found body in 5 pieces at bottom, where much avalanche debris collects and will be covered by more debris soon. A third summit party was a day behind Gunnarsson but gave up final attempt after his fall. Joe Simpson in "This Game of Ghosts" states (pp 309-310) that Gunnarsson was struck on the head by a falling ice block 100 ft above C2 and fell hundreds of feet down. Accident was witnessed by German climber.
Accidents None except fatal fall
Achievement 1st confirmed Icelander to summit
Agency Rover Treks
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2451968
Year 1991
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) se face-e ridge

Members

9 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Elizabeth (Liz) Duff F 1947 UK Climber Culross, Fife, Scotland Insurance consultant Details Other expeditions
Malcolm (Mal) Duff M 1953 UK Leader Culross, Fife, Scotland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Ari Gunnarsson M 1960 Iceland Climber Akureyri, Iceland Seaman Details Other expeditions
Paul Hodson M 1957 UK Climber Coventry, W Midlands, England Fitter and welder Details Other expeditions
Christopher Price M 1955 UK Climber Birmingham, England Police officer Details Other expeditions
Thomas Alexander (Tom) Richardson M 1955 UK Climber Sheffield, S Yorkshire, England Teacher Details Other expeditions
Bruce Joseph (Joe) Simpson M 1960 UK Climber Sheffield, S Yorkshire, England Author Details Other expeditions
Alan Whatley M 1954 UK Climber Aldridge, W Midlands, England Police officer Details Other expeditions
Mark Francis Warham M 1962 UK Climber Cheapside, London, England Banker Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
PUMO91302 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 66:207 (1992) -
PUMO91302 - Simpson, Joe This Game of Ghosts Mountaineers, Seattle - -
PUMO91302 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199220702/Asia-Nepal-Pumori-Post-Monsoon-Ascents-Tragedies-and-Attempts-via-the-Southeast-Face-to-the-East-Ridge - - -