American Alpinist Mike Gardner Dies After Fall on Jannu East in Himalayas

Mike Gardner, an experienced mountain climber from Idaho, died after falling on Jannu East, a dangerous mountain in the Himalayas. Gardner was known for his many climbs, including over 150 in the Grand Tetons and several on Denali, one of the highest mountains in North America.

Gardner was climbing with his friend Sam Hennessey. Hennessey had received a special award to help fund their climb of Jannu East, a mountain that is extremely difficult to climb. Sadly, things took a tragic turn during their climb.

Reports from Alpine Mag said that Hennessey made it safely down the mountain with the help of a French climbing team. The team, made up of Benjamin Vedrines, Leo Billon, and Nicolas Jean, had also been climbing Jannu East but had turned back earlier because one of their team members wasn’t feeling well.

Hennessey and Gardner were on a similar route to the French team. When the French climbers were coming down the mountain, they saw Hennessey waving for help. Hennessey then told them that Gardner had fallen from the mountain and did not survive.

After hearing the news, the French team helped Hennessey descend the mountain. Together, they rappelled down about 2,300 feet to the base of the north side of the mountain. Along the way, they found some of Gardner’s clothing, but they did not find his body.

In a past interview on the Alpinist podcast, Gardner talked about how climbing made him feel both joy and sadness. He said he didn’t fully understand why he continued to climb, even though he knew how dangerous it was. "There’s so much hurt and tragedy there for me, yet there’s so much joy, and the answer lies somewhere in the middle of these paradoxes," Gardner said.

French Climbing Team Turns Back on Jannu East

The French climbing team, which included Vedrines, Billon, and Jean, was trying to reach the top of Jannu East when one of their climbers became ill. Jannu East, which stands at 24,501 feet, is one of the hardest mountains to climb in the world. 

It is located in the Kanchenjunga region of eastern Nepal, close to the border of Nepal and Sikkim.

Even though Jannu East is lower than its sister peak, Jannu, at 25,294 feet, it is a more difficult climb. The mountain is covered with steep ice slopes, rock walls, and sharp ridges, making it very dangerous. When Billon got sick, the French team decided to turn back before reaching the top.

During their descent, they came across Sam Hennessey, who was signaling to them for help after his climbing partner, Mike Gardner, had fallen. The French team quickly realized something was wrong when Hennessey told them what had happened.

Vedrines, one of the French climbers, shared what it was like when they met Hennessey on the mountain. He said, "I couldn’t see his partner, but I took off my hood and listened to what Sam was trying to tell me." That’s when they learned the sad news about Gardner’s fall.

About Jannu East

Jannu East is part of the larger Jannu mountain range, located just west of Mount Kanchenjunga, the third-highest mountain in the world. Though Jannu East is shorter than many of the highest peaks, it is considered one of the most difficult to climb. The mountain has massive rock walls, hanging glaciers, and steep ice slopes that make it very challenging for climbers.

The first successful climb of Jannu East happened in 1962 when a French team led by Lionel Terray reached the top. They climbed via the southeast ridge, a route that remains the most popular path to the summit. However, the climb is still extremely dangerous, which is why so few climbers attempt it.