1905 Expedition: Avalanche Kills Alexis Pache and Three Porters
| Event date | 1 September 1905 |
|---|---|
| Location | Southwest (Yalung) side, between Camps V and III |
| Type | Avalanche; major historical event |
| Deaths | 4 (Alexis Pache and three porters) |
| Verification | Verified |
| Status | Historical / closed |
The first serious attempt on Kanchenjunga, organised by Swiss doctor Jules Jacot-Guillarmod with the British occultist Aleister Crowley as climbing leader, set out at the end of July 1905 with about 230 local porters. The expedition fell apart high on the mountain after the other members turned against Crowley’s leadership.
On 1 September, Jacot-Guillarmod, Alcesti de Righi and the Swiss climber Alexis Pache started down from Camp V with porters late in the day. On a steep slope one of the party slipped and set off an avalanche that buried Pache and three porters, who died. Crowley, who had warned them against descending, stayed in his tent and did not come down to help, which made the expedition one of the most notorious episodes in early Himalayan climbing.
Sources
Last reviewed 29 September 2026. Written in Merolog’s own words from the sources listed; where sources disagree, each figure is attributed rather than merged. Spotted an error or a newer figure? Leave a comment on this entry.