원정 개요

Never attempted Great Couloir because snow conditions too dangerous with avalanches, avalanching to west of C2. First camps put in fairly rapid order - made cache at 7400m on way to making C4; winds from west stopped advance that day so dumped loads and retreated to C2 (Smith, Lhakpa and Tshering Sherpa made cache). About a week later summit push from ABC by Bishop, Smith, Lhakpa and Tshering to C2 and on to C3 (Chuntz had left expedition as summit party started up due to intestinal problems). Left C3; at 7200m Bishop and Lhakpa (because Bishop too slow and had bad cough) turned back; left oxygen at cache and went up to 7600m, where found abandoned Italian (W Ridge) tent partly ruined and zippers didn't work. Spent sleepless night and next morning decided didn't have enough strength to go on. Now too late to make another bid before yaks arrived. Also Sherpas had been promised only one summit push by them and Bishop's health not very good.