Manaslu 2001 News and Expeditions.

Picture copyright©Jeff Justman

Summits Summary Spring: Update 5/31/2001: Three members of Ukraine Himalaya 2001 Expedition has been successful to climb (8163 meters) Manaslu on 22nd May 2001, at 11 a.m. via the very challenging South East side.

1) Mr. Serguiy Kovalov, (1966), Climber from Kirivsk, Donetskaja Str, Ukraine.
2) Mr. Vadim Leontiev, (1951), Engineer, from Odessa, Furmanova-Str, Ukraine.
3) Mr. Vladislav Terzyul (1963),Engineer, from Odessa, Yuzhnyl, Ukraine.

All three summited without oxygen.

This twelve member expedition team was permitted to climb 8,163 m high Mt. Manaslu from South East Ridge under the leadership of Prof. Valentyn Symonen (1943), Chairman of the Supreme Counting Chamber, from Klev Ukraine, during this Spring season of 2001.

Summits Summary Autumn: The following 3 members & Sherpa of the Japan Workers Alpine Federation has successfully climbed the 8163 meter high Mt. Manaslu from the North East face on 9th October 2001.

(1) Mr. Hidetoshi Kurahashi (1960), Car Mechanic, from Kikai-Cho, Shidotoi, Japan. (2) Mr. Akira Saito (1961), Insurance Agents from Arai, Nishiharayama, Japan. (3) Ms. Yumiko Okubo  (1968), Retailer Marketing from Zawa-Shi, Sagamigaoka, Japan. (woman) (4) Mr. Rahar Bdr Tamang (34), Sirdar from Deusa-6, Solukhumbu, Nepal. (5) Mr. Phinjo Sherpa aka Phinzo (30), HAS, from Phorche-9, Solukhumbu, Nepal. [only member to summit with oxygen] (6) Mr. Palden Namgual Sherpa (28), HAS from Phaplu-9, Solukhumbu, Nepal. 

Mr. Kuribara Isao, (1959), Electrical Engineer, from Japan, died on 13th Oct, 2001 at an altitude of 6500m while he was descending down from the altitude of 7500m.  On the same day Mr. Kuribara Isao was on attempt to summit Mt. Manaslu with Mr. Kendo Kazuyoshi, the leader of the Expedition team. It is also reported that Mr. Kendo Kazuyoshi & Mr. Ueno Yukito one of the team member of the Expedition was rescued from the altitude of 6500m high on 16th Oct 2001 by helicopter. 

The 6 member Expedition team was permitted to climb Mt. Manaslu from North East Ridge during the autumn season of 2001 under the leadership of Mr. Kazuyoshi Kendo (1941), Mountaineering Instructor from Tokyo, Japan. Compiled by Himalaya Center Kathmandu

Autumn 2001

Update 10/17/2001: The following 3 members & Sherpa of the Japan Workers Alpine Federation has successfully climbed the 8163 meter high Mt. Manaslu from the North East face on 9th October 2001.

(1) Mr. Kurahashi Hidetoshi (1960), Car Mechanic, from Kikai-Cho, Shidotoi, Japan. (2) Mr. Saito Akira (1961), Insurance Agents from Arai, Nishiharayama, Japan. (3) Ms. Okubo Yumiko (1968), Retailer Marketing from Zawa-Shi, Sagamigaoka, Japan. (4) Mr. Rahar Bdr Tamang (34), Sirdar from Deusa-6, Solukhumbu, Nepal. (5) Mr. Phinjo Sherpa (30), HAS, from Phorche-9, Solukhumbu, Nepal. (6) Mr. Palten Namgual Sherpa (28), HAS from Phaplu-9, Solukhumbu, Nepal. 

Mr. Kuribara Isao, (1959), Electrical Engineer, from Japan, died on 13th Oct, 2001 at an altitude of 6500m while he was descending down from the altitude of 7500m.  On the same day Mr. Kuribara Isao was on attempt to summit Mt. Manaslu with Mr. Kendo Kazuyoshi, the leader of the Expedition team. It is also reported that Mr. Kendo Kazuyoshi & Mr. Ueno Yukito one of the team member of the Expedition was rescued from the altitude of 6500m high on 16th Oct 2001 by helicopter. 

The 6 member Expedition team was permitted to climb Mt. Manaslu from North East Ridge during the autumn season of 2001 under the leadership of Mr. Kazuyoshi Kendo (1941), Mountaineering Instructor from Tokyo, Japan. Compiled by Himalaya Center Kathmandu

Update 10/16/2001: Kazuyoshi Kondo and Yukito Ueno has been rescued from about 6500 meters on Manaslu by a helicopter rescue. Both have frostbite after they bivouacked on the way down from their unsuccessful summit attempt. Isao Kuribara, a 42 year old Japanese climber died after they bivouacked. See the below update for more... Himalaya Center Kathmandu

Update 10/15/2001: J.W.A.F Mt. Manaslu Expedition (Japanese Expedition), Mr. Kazuyoshi Kondo Leader, 6 Members, N.E. Face: Isao Kuribara, a 42 year old Japanese climber according to sources in Nepal from the JWAP (Japanese Workers Alpine Federation) has died. Isao was attempting the mountain as part of a 6 member Japanese Expedition with Sherpa support. We believe this Japanese expedition is the only expedition on Manaslu this Autumn 2001. Kazuyoshi Kondo and Yukito Ueno were with Isao Kuribara.

The leader of the expedition, Kazuyoshi Kondo, is also said to have severe frostbite and is very weak while still high on the mountain on Sunday. Their summit attempt was on Friday with a high point of around 7500 meters and they bivouacked on the way down and go into trouble.

The other 3 members of the expedition is said to have reached the summit last Tuesday and were in base camp at the last report. These members along with helicopter rescue were attempted to get the other two members down on Sunday. The current status is not known. Himalaya Center Kathmandu

Spring 2001

Gdansk Himalaya Expedition Manaslu. Poland
a. Mr. Krzysztof Tarasewicz
b. Mr. Bartoze Duda
c. Mr. Jan Szule
d. Mr. Jan Turowiecki
e. Mr. Wojciech Boguslawski
f. Mr. Jerzy Kawiak
g. Piotr Henschke

Italian members:
a. Mr. Diego Stafani
b. Mr. Gianluca Bellin

Update 5/29/2001: Hello, sorry for not writing before now, unfortunately Diego and Gianluca had to come back without reaching the Summit of the peak. Weather conditions on the mountain were very bad, they tried several times to prepare Camp 3 at 7500 meters, but there was a lot of unsettled snow. The snow kept falling all the time and the snow on the upper slopes wasn't so good. Every day it was snowing, for these reasons they have decided not to try again even if they have been feeling very good all the time and they really wanted to climb up: it was really dangerous for their lives. Thank you very much for everything, hoping to be in touch n the future, Silvia

Update 5/22/2001: News that Ukrainians have summited Manaslu from a very challenging route on the SE face of Manaslu along with making a first ascent of 6251m P2 peak for which is newly opened for climbing a few days ago by the government of Nepal along with 18 other peaks. The Ukrainians are arriving Kathmandu on the 24th from base camp I hope to send you more reports on their climbing. Ang Karma Sherpa.

Update 5/18/2001: Gianluca Bellin and Diego Stefani, the two Italian components of the Polish Manaslu expedition are still trying to reach the Summit despite the bad weather conditions, best wishes Silvia 

Update 5/16/2001: Polish Manaslu Expedition. 

Intensive snowfalls and avalanche threat causes the resignation of the expedition.

They reached a height of 7100 meters. Very Hard snow fields... However, continuation of expedition was impossible. At first, three of seven members of expeditions has resigned from attempt of summit. The other four attempted to attack the summit but they resigned too.  Unfavorable weather conditions have caused it exclusively. They must resign from attempt of Manaslu. best regards Piotr Trybalski 

Update 5/6/2001: Gdansk Himalaya Expedition Manaslu. Poland expedition A reliable sources reports: Hello, I have received a mail from the polish expedition in the Manaslu, they are well and they have reached camp1 at 5800 m., in these days they are trying to reach the peak even if there is too much snow. This expedition is supported by Asian-Trekking.

Other Manaslu Expeditions

Featured Expedition: American Manaslu 2002 lead by Tom Fitzsimmons with 6-7 members.

German Manaslu 2002

Manaslu 2002 Andrew Lock Summits!

Norwegian Manaslu 2002 Summits!

Australian Manaslu 2002 led by Greg Mortimer

Also a Japanese climber with 3 Sherpa climbers...

Italian Giampaolo Corona attempting Manaslu right now. He is sharing a permit along with Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, Austrian alpinist who summited Makalu last year.