Yalung Kang | 1985 N Face-E Ridge

A Yugoslavia expedition to Yalung Kang in 1985 via N Face-E Ridge, led by Tone Skarja. Summit reached on 22nd April 1985. 16 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 178
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID YALU85101
Peak ID YALU
Year 1985
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 N Face-E Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Yugoslavia
Leaders Tone Skarja
Sponsor Slovene Yalungkang Expedition 1985
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 12th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach Ghunsa->Pangpema
Basecamp Date 1985-03-25
Summit Date 1985-04-22
Summit Time 1630
Summit Days 28
Total Days 31
Termination Date 1985-04-25
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8505
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 15
Summit Members 2
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 7
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb True
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(25/03,5050m),C1(01/04,5720m),C2(09/04,6520m),C3(15/04,7350m),C4(20/04,8100m),Smt(22/04)
Route Notes BC at Pangpema (last party arrived by April) C1 at bottom of North Face on ice plateau C2 on North Face C3 on North Face C4 on North Face. Snow avalanches, plus rock barrier at high altitude, and strong wind above 7500m where Wedge Peak no longer provides shelter. Planned to climb pillar but did not climb on it all because of dangerous ice and seracs, so made route to its left (but no so far left as Americans, who were on Scott route). Above C4 reached ridge connecting Kangchenjunga and Yalungkang Bergant fell to his death and there upon Cesen walked up and down all night into metre path he made for himself (had left his oxygen at top). Expedition stopped climb as usual after a death. Had hoped to send 10 members to top. All had gone very quickly and smoothly. Route easier than 1979 West Ridge Everest climb but as difficult as South Face Makalu. Connecting ridge very long bad rock. Bergant fell at 9:00 pm on 22nd because very tired without oxygen was at about 8300m just below connecting ridge. Short outline of the first ascent of Yalung Kang (8505m) Expedition from from the north by the leader Tone Skarja The place for first camp was reached. On this day we decided to continue Warth's route (1983) in North Face of Kangchenjunga to snow couloir between Kangchenjunga and Yalung Kang and across snow slopes and ridge to the summit of Yalung Kang (8505m). Later a party of four climbers should try to climb North Buttress to the summit in alpine style and descend across new normal route. We decided to establish only 4 camps. On April 1st we established Camp 1 (5820m, 4 tents). From April 2nd to 8th: a steep ice step between 6000m and 6200m was climbed and equipped with fixed ropes and ladder. On April 9th Camp 2 was pitched. From April 10th to 14th: The steepest part of the face was equipped with fixed ropes (6700-7350m). On April 15th Camp was pitched. On April 16th Bence and Podgornik climbed the hardest part of the face (7500m) and reached snow slopes which are leading to rocky summit pyramid of Yalung Kang. On April 19th Kozjek the member of next climbing party reached the place for camp 4. Karo passed the night in tent, but he returned to T1 next morning. On April 21st Bergant, Cesen and Pemba Nuru Sherpa brought oxygen equipment and bottles to T4. Later Pemba Nuru returned to T3. On April 22nd at 6:30 Bergant and Cesen left T4. Bergant decided to climb without additional oxygen. From couloir between Kangchenjunga and Yalung Kang they reached East Ridge of Yalung Kang. They climbed it on south side (bad rock). At 14:30 after radio contact with BC they found a good passage around rocky edge and at 15:00 they reached very steep snow field which led them to the summit. They reached the summit at 16:30. This was the first ascent of Yalung Kang from the north side. On the summit they found bamboo stick of Korean Expedition and they left Cesen's oxygen bottle. They took some photos with Slovene-Nepali flags and at 17:00 they left summit. At 17:00 they had last radio contact with BC. During their ascent and descent the weather was fine. In the last difficult place in snow couloir Bergant slipped without any objective reason and disappeared in depth at 21,000 during their preparation for abseiling. Due to crevasses above T4 Cesen stopped his descent and made a narrow terrace in ice slope where we talked all the night not to fall asleep and get frostbite. With Bergant also Walkie-Talkie was lost. On April 23rd at 7:00 Cesen descended to T4. From BC we saw two persons descending but later we made sure that was only our imagination. During his descent Cesen looked over crevasses but he didn't find any trace of his friend. He had a short rest in T4 and later continued his descent. At 10:30 he met Bende and Podgornik and via their walkie-talkie sent report about accident to BC. They all together with Jeglic descended to T1 and next day to BC. Cesen didn't get any serious injuries he suffered only on dehydration and doctor helped him with infusion next day. We decided to stop our expedition. On April 24th we were looking for traces of Bergant in the face under T4 in the height of T2 (6500m). During last night a new snow fell and avalanches were so often that it was impossible to find anything. From April 24th to 27th the weather was getting worse during evacuation from the mountain. We evacuated all the camps except T4. On April 29th we had commemoration near base camp on Pangpema. On big rock we cut Bergant's name. On April 29th we prepared the last equipment for departure (all together 110 loads). From April 30th to May 12th our return march Pangpema to Hile. We stayed one day in Ghunsa. From May 13th to 14th truck and bus transport Hile to Kathmandu. From May 15th to 22nd we had to stay in KTM because off problems with airway tickets and to clear all formalities. From May 22nd to 27th flight KTM to Ljubljana.
Accidents Bergant fell at 9:00 pm on Apr 22 because very tired without oxygen (at 8300m just below connecting ridge); no serious frostbite or illnesses
Achievement 1st ascent of N Face
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2449873
Year 1985
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) n face-e ridge

Members

16 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Filip Bence M 1950 Yugoslavia Climber Trzic, Slovenia, Yugoslavia Truck driver Details Other expeditions
Borut Bergant M 1954 Yugoslavia Climber Trzic, Slovenia, Yugoslavia Gymnastics teacher, primary school Details Other expeditions
Tomislav (Tomo) Cesen M 1959 Yugoslavia Climber Kranj, Slovenia, Yugoslavia Paints tall buildings Details Other expeditions
Janko Humar M 1959 Yugoslavia Climber Grahovo Obbaci, Slovenia, Yugoslavia University student Details Other expeditions
Tomaz Stanko Jamnik M 1938 Yugoslavia Climber Kranj, Slovenia, Yugoslavia Electrical engineer Details Other expeditions
Janez Jeglic M 1961 Yugoslavia Climber Domzale, Slovenia, Yugoslavia Electrician Details Other expeditions
Silvo Karo M 1960 Yugoslavia Climber Domzale, Slovenia, Yugoslavia Electrician Details Other expeditions
Francek Knez M 1955 Yugoslavia Climber Rimske Toplice, Slovenia, Yugoslavia Electricial mechanic on cars Details Other expeditions
Pavle Kozjek M 1959 Yugoslavia Climber Polhov Gradec, Slovenia, Yugoslavia University student Details Other expeditions
Marjan Kregar M 1956 Yugoslavia Climber Kamnik, Slovenia, Yugoslavia Toolmaker Details Other expeditions
Damjan Mesko M 1938 Yugoslavia Exp Doctor Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia Physician (surgeon) Details Other expeditions
Peter Podgornik M 1958 Yugoslavia Climber Dorenberg, Slovenia, Yugoslavia Worker, car factory Details Other expeditions
Anton (Tone) Skarja M 1937 Yugoslavia Leader Menges, Slovenia, Yugoslavia Electrical technician Details Other expeditions
Miroslav (Slavko) Sveticic M 1958 Yugoslavia Climber Idrija, Slovenia, Yugoslavia University student Details Other expeditions
Bojan (Braco) Zavrnik M 1947 Yugoslavia Journalist Maribor, Slovenia, Yugoslavia Journalist, economist Details Other expeditions
Pemba Nuru Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions

References

8 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
YALU85101 AAJ Skarja, Tone - - 60:213-214 (1986) -
YALU85101 HJ Skarja, Tone First Ascent of Yalung Kang from the North - 42:154-156 (1984-1985) -
YALU85101 - Skarja, Tone Jalung Kang Zalozba Borec, Ljubljana - S583
YALU85101 - Cesen, Tomo SAM Didakta, Radovlijca, Slovenia - C102
YALU85101 MM - - - 105:10 (Sep 1985) -
YALU85101 - Skarja, Tone Kangcendzenga Didakta, Radovlijca, Slovenia - -
YALU85101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198621300/Asia-Nepal-Yalung-Kang-from-the-North-and-Tragedy - - -
YALU85101 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/42/21/expeditions-and-notes-42/ - - -