Asia, Nepal, Lhotse Shar Tragedy

Publication Year: 1987.

Lhotse Shar Tragedy. The ten-man Spanish team’s attempt on the south face of Lhotse Shar ended abruptly when on October 30 Pedro Alonso fell 2400 meters to the bottom of the face from ten meters below the site for Camp IV at 7400 meters. He and the expedition’s doctor Javier Sánchez intended to occupy Camp IV and go for the summit from there with one more camp or bivouac at 8000 meters. On October 28 Manuel Aparicio and Ramón Rodríquez had reached the site for Camp IV and dumped loads there. After the fall, Dr. Sanchez descended to search for him and had to bivouac. He was severely frostbitten in nine fingers. Neither Sánchez nor the other members were able to find the body. The climb was abandoned after Alonso’s death.

Michael J. Cheney, Himalayan Club, and Elizabeth Hawley