A large number of mountaineering deaths have occurred on Gongga Shan, which has deservedly earned a reputation as a difficult and dangerous mountain. While the first ascent route up the northwest ridge appears technically straight-forward, it is plagued by severe avalanche dangers, increased by the mountain's highly unpredictable weather. During the 1957 Chinese ascent of the peak, four of nine climbers died. In 1980 an American climber died in an avalanche on the northwest ridge route. In an unsuccessful 1981 attempt on the peak, eight Japanese climbers died in a fall. As of 1999, more climbers had died trying to climb the mountain than had reached the summit.