원정 개요

1st summit bid: 29th Sep by 3 members up from C2 & 30 Sep to top & returned to C3; started from C3 at midnight of 29/30th, reached summit at 12:00 hrs (before 2 Spaniards) after 2-3 hrs in waist-deep snow from 1st summit to true summit; back in C3 at 4 pm & slept there; after that not possible for more to tries to top because of fixed departure date, snow conditions extremely difficult & dangerous. Did not follow normal above C3 because of slab avalanche danger so went over to Pole's SW Ridge line at about 7000m.

1 member Gindre left early because very serious cerebral edema in C1, reached Kathmandu 30th Sep & recovered well in Kathmandu.

Lafille told Christensen that the summit trio got up at midnight, thought conditions too bad to go for top, but when some Japanese came along several hours later below headed for summit, 3 French decided to go up too & left C3 at about 4 am, Japanese turned back below top but French went on.

Some factional disputes amongst French groups & differing views from commercial clients & expert climbers in too big a party.

8 Oct - Lasa, leader and summiter of a Basque expedition from Nepal, said route was basically normal route although above C3 (which both French and Lasa's team pitched at 7500m, not 6900m) went towards right to ridge above C3.