Saipal | 1985 W Ridge

A Spain expedition to Saipal in 1985 via W Ridge, led by Joaquim Prunes. Summit reached on 22nd October 1985. 13 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 196
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID SAIP85301
Peak ID SAIP
Year 1985
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Ridge
Route 2 SW Face up; W Ridge down
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Spain
Leaders Joaquim Prunes
Sponsor Expedicio Himalaya-85 to Saipal
Success 1 True
Success 2 True
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 2nd,4th
Ascent 2 3rd
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries France
Approach Kando->Ghat Khola
Basecamp Date 1985-09-26
Summit Date 1985-10-22
Summit Time 1300
Summit Days 26
Total Days 29
Termination Date 1985-10-25
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 7030
Traverse True
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 1600
Total Members 13
Summit Members 9
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(26/09,4150m),C1(29/09,4950m),C2(05/10,5800m),C3(21/10,6500m),Smt(22,24-25/10)
Route Notes BC at 4150m on east moraine of Saipal Glacier; 150m above Austrian, Japanese BCs and because from here can see mountain C1 at 4950m at top of a pyramid C2 at 5800m just above West Col on West Ridge C3 at 6500m at West Ridge shoulder. 5th to 16th Oct heavy snow. 5 Oct C2 pitched but no one slept there. All in BC during this period with heavys snow breaking tents. Up again 18th Oct and actually slept in C2 for first time on 20th Oct. 1st summit success on 22nd Oct at 1:00 via West Ridge. C1 to 2 greatest difficulties: 1st 300m rock wall then up to 55-degree snow and ice couloir. Fixed 1600m rope from C1 to C2. Along W Ridge 400m of 45 degrees and then 200m of knife-edge to C3. Immediately above C3 easy until last 200m step of 45 degrees below summit. 22nd Oct team returned to C3 that night in good but windy weather. 23rd to BC. 21st Bros Busquet and Angeles Soler left C1 at 3 am, bivouacked at 6000m on SW Face, 22nd biv 6450m, 23rd bivouac in cave at 7000m at lesser summit. All 3 descended together to BC. Wall starts at 45 degrees and most is 55 degrees in deep snow requiring tiring step-making; at 6700m blue ice only about 50m.
Accidents None
Achievement 1st traverse; new routes; 1st Spanish and French ascents
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2449876
Year 1985
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w ridge

Members

13 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Josep Aced Masjoan M 1948 Spain Exp Doctor Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain Physician Details Other expeditions
Jorge Agullo Colomer M 1953 Spain Climber Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain Electrician Details Other expeditions
Jordi Angles Soler M 1956 Spain Climber Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain Ski instructor Details Other expeditions
Jordi Badiella Aguilera M 1959 Spain Climber Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain Textile worker Details Other expeditions
Serge Philippe Benet Mas M 1951 France Climber Andorra-la-Vella, Andorra Sports shopkeeper Details Other expeditions
Antonio (Toni) Bros Busquet M 1957 Spain Deputy Leader Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain Photographer Details Other expeditions
Francesc (Quico) Dalmases Cunill M 1957 Spain Climber Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain Ski patrol member Details Other expeditions
Adria Font Alcaniz M 1945 Spain Climber Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain Electronics technician Details Other expeditions
Miquel Llonch Massanes M 1963 Spain Climber Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain Ski patrol member Details Other expeditions
Frederic Parera Avellandea M 1957 Spain Climber Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain Metallurgist Details Other expeditions
Joaquim (Kim) Prunes Santamaria M 1953 Spain Leader Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain Presents film shows to children Details Other expeditions
Narcis Serrat Comerma M 1954 Spain Climber Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain Bookseller Details Other expeditions
Francesc Zapater Coma M 1952 Spain Climber Matadepera, Barcelona, Spain Electrical technician Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
SAIP85301 AAJ Cheney, Michael J. & Hawley, Elizabeth - - 60:252 (1986) -
SAIP85301 MM - - - 108:13 (Mar 1986) -
SAIP85301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198625202/Asia-IndiaGarhwal-Kamet-Probable-Ascent-and-Tragedy-1984 - - -