원정 개요

BC 17/04 5700m
ABC 25/04 6400m
C1 05/05 7000m
C2 21/05 7700m
C3 22/05 8300m
Smt 23/05 by 3 members James, Evans, Kruglov, and 2 Sherpas Lhakpa Wongchu Sherpa,
Phurlapkpa (Bibash) Sherpa at 6 am.


Notes from Sean James:

Summit team of 4 members left C3 at 8:30 pm on 22/05. Straightforward climb, no significant holdups. Spent about 20 minutes on summit. James and Kruglov descended to ABC with Bibash Sherpa and arrived there at 9 pm. Evans stayed at North Col with Lhakpa Wongchu Sherpa, arrived there at 8 pm. Evans descended to ABC on 24/05.

Kershaw left for summit and got to 8600m, bottom of 2nd Step, and his 2 Sherpas, Mingma Sherpa and Pemba Sherpa refused to go any further, so descended back to ABC together with his Sherpas.

Whole team left ABC on 25/05 and left BC on 26/05.

Oxygen: From North Col to summit and back to North Col (all members and Sherpas).


Notes from Yuri Kruglov:

Members:
Sean James (UK), SMT at 5:15-30 am Guide 1, Oxygen from C1 to smt to C3.
Yuri Kruglov (Russia), SMT at 4:30 am, Guide 2, Oxygen from C1 to smt to C3.
Kruglov went on the James permit as condition to help him with his clients
Julian Evans (UK), SMT at 5:15-30 am, Client, Had climbed Denali, S and N pole.
Oxygen from C1 to summit to C1.
Stewart Kershaw (UK), HP at 2nd Step, Client, Only crossing Atlantic but tough
guy. Oxygen from C1 to 2nd Step to C1.
Both clients had no altitude experience, but were fit.

3 hired:
Nima Sherpa. Climbing with Stewart he didn't want to continue at @nd step, so
Stewart had to come back down at that stage.
Lhakpa Wangchu Sherpa. SMT
Pri Lhakpa (Bibas) Sherpa. SMT

Summit day:

May 22: Bad weather forecast announced from 23rd midday, so they decided to climb up and back before that. Started at 9 pm from C3, had just stayed there for a few hours.

May 23: summit at 4:30 am for Kruglov. -29°C + wind on top. He spent more than 1h waiting for his teammates. At 5:30 am begun to make pictures, had some tea, called his wife...Felt like approached by 2 crowds on “his” empty summit. “Was like a flashmob then”!! On Nepali side, like an endless human file.

Pri Lhakpa “rescue”:

Pri was hit by a stone on descent from summit above 3rd Step, sent by some members from above. Kruglov just nearby him heard him screaming, then checked: he was bleeding but his skull all right. Since Kruglov was worried about a possible brain damage, insisted him to go back down as fast as possible. At first however Pri Lhakpa would discuss with some other Sherpas to ask for help, but it wouldn't work eventually. Kruglov then told him to leave his rucksack here, and get down as fast as possible.

At 3rd Step, as there was a traffic jam, Kruglov tried to warn people going up to leave the place free for him and Pri Lhakpa to go down as fast as possible, but people didn't accept! So they both down-climbed around the fixed ropes, in parallel. Otherwise would have been 1 hour waiting.

Pri is elder brother of Ang Phurba Sherpa (who was with Kruglov on Dhaulagiri in 2017). Strong man as despite bleeding, he made all the way to ABC on that day.

At 2nd Step, only 10 people were descending in front of them. Had to wait more than 1 hour, for these to pass down the obstacle. Kruglov noticing the guides weren't caring about their clients who were not on short ropes, some of them afraid by exposure and some of the 3 ladders not well fixed anymore. The duet reached C3 before noon, as there were still people going up.

Yuri and Pri Lakpa reached ABC at 7 pm. Once reaching the ABC, Pri worried that he had had to leave his rucksack up there, so Kruglov gave him money later.

Other members reached ABC on that same day, whereas Julian slept at C1/north col (with oxygen).

At night wind was supposed to be 20km/h, increasing to 35 in the morning, then 45 in the afternoon. That day wind struck at 2 pm (Kruglov at C2 at that time).

May 24: Next day Julian back to ABC.
May 25: All back to BC.
May 26: All left BC.