원정 개요

"Desperately" deep snow (knee deep) with crust from C6 to SSE Ridge (which reached at 26,500 ft) left C6 at 4:00 am, reached ridge about 10:30 am; snow on ridge much better but still easy to make a mistep. "Take my hat off" to Hillary on difficult and exposed ground and you feel a long long way from home." Reached top at 2:45 pm together. On 9th George to top at 10:30 am from 4:00 am departure and other 2 about 2:30 pm from 4:30 am departure.

Most difficult part: rock and ice ridge and series of couloirs up the face but lower overhanging rock the worst. Winch essentially didn't work; took 3 rockets to fire out rope and 2 rockets didn't work.

But [Pemba Temba] Sherpa with Japanese Everest team slipped just behind Reichardt and fell to his death and Lowe found slip marks and ice marks and camera of Japanese who fell.


American Everest East Face

Japanese met 3 Americans at 8500m at 9:00 am. They going up and reached summit at 3:00 pm: Endo saw footsteps.

Endo was first of Japanese to reach summit and Americans were ahead of him. At Hillary Step he met Americans and they coming down and they said had been on top; were using oxygen because they said much snow. Endo and Americans shook hands. Americans looked strong because using oxygen. Americans reached SE Ridge at 8500m from high camp at 8300m on East Face.

On 9 Oct, next day Endo met 3 more Americans at 8600m when they were going up; doesn't know whether they had success.


Ed Hillary - 20 Oct 1983

East Face definitely a very challenging route and if upper slopes in bad snow conditions then I'd say a very dangerous route. If they got up that route, I'd be full of admiration for them.