원정 개요

BC at road
C at North Col
C at bottom of Great Couloir under rocks and well protected
C in Couloir (not actually occupied)
C on North Ridge.

Acclimatized for 3 weeks in BC area, which was good for psychology but not physiologically, especially for Sherpas who were no longer interested in high climbing after months at the mountain. Had two camps between BC & ABC, one of which was only temporory. Camp "2" at 20,000 ft was kept through the climb. 1st went to Great Couloir via traverse across couple of deeper gullies, taking 4-1/2 hours to cross, very tiring. In gullies protected from winds but were avalanches. C6 not occupied: Bilodeau & Lhakpa Sonam went to C5A on 13th May enroute to occupy C6A & started fixing yellow band above it. But heavy snowfall started on 14th & wind loading more snow in gullies on traverse. Ventured out of C5A to tent snow conditions on 15th & found they were setting off slab avalanches. Finally on 17th started down when avalanching struck them, in one Bilodeau entirely covered & by time they got down they were "totally freaked out" and Lhakpa never returned to the climb.

Route immediately changed route with Simonson's segment & used up a lot of energy carrying up Simonson's oxygen to classical route. Now very strong winds hammered C5B which is terrible place to be. Hobson, Clarke & McIsaac occupied 5B on 19th & got stuck there 3 nights by winds. Hobson & Clarke kept McIsaac well fed & on 23rd May then two went down leaving McIsaac to try summit with Brown, who reached 5B on 25th; 24th McIsaac & Brown made C6B & on 25th went for top 45 mins after Swenson. They left 6B at 3:45 am & never caught up with Swenson. Brown reached top of 1st step at c8500m while McIsaac reached 8685m, third step now he reached he was losing control, could hardly stand up & getting tunnel vision. He soon lost a crampon & fingers freezing while coped with crampon. Clarke told him to use emergency oxygen in his pack (2.75 kg small bottle) & this brought him around. Brown in his descent left his small oxygen at bottom of 1st step for McIsaac & used other bottle in C6B to warm himself there while waiting for McIsaac. McIsaac didn't find bottle & suddenly unable to move well but crossed yellow band but very slowly with long rests. Finally joined Brown in 6B just before sunset. 40 mins later his lungs filled with fluid, wind howling & very cold so not evacuated till next morning when Brice's Sherpas arrived from C4 in 4 hrs. He had been using oxygen given to him by Rheinberger before he left for top, leaving McIsaac again very sick & was expected to die in few minutes. Decided to move him down immediately in Gamov bag & stream of climbers with headlamps moved up to help carry him down. Got him to ABC at 2 am on 27th found him really more dead than alive but IV fluid, oxygen, & antibiotics & strepcils & lower altitude brought him back to life. Took 3 days before he could sit up.