원정 개요

BC at E Rongbuk where moraine ends
Biv1 at small glacier
Biv3 at 7000m at N Col
Biv4 at 8080m at Great Couloir
High point at Great Couloir rock.

2 men only with permit for NE Ridge with 2 other Canadians at BC and ABC (had planned to be 4 Canadian climbers but 3 dropped out and Twight joined) but really wanted to climb couloir from East Rangbuk Glacier leading to North Ridge. However Hasegawa Japanese team (who had been there last winter unsuccessfully) said this was their route, so Blanchard and Twight moved to left to a small couloir and made first attempt with no ropes and 1 sleeping bag. Left ABC 4th Oct 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm at 23,200 ft where Twight's feet very cold without overboots and back to ABC.

5th Oct 2nd attempt from ABC at 2 pm; 9 or 10 pm dug snow cave and stayed till 2:00 am on 6th Oct; kept on up to 24,500 ft when Blanchard developing pulmonary edema so down to ABC for 1 day and on to BC at 16,800 ft. rested till 11th Oct and up to ABC.

13th up from ABC in 3rd attempt: 10 pm left for ABC with small tent but no sleeping bags but with stove. 7 am 14th set up tent at 25,000 ft above small couloir and now on spur on easier terrain; no Japanese around so moved to left edge of their couloir. At 5 pm Banchard developing cerebral edema at 26,300 ft. Traversed Japanese Couloir to N Ridge at 25,000 ft, down to N Col where Wyoming expedition gave Blanchard a bottle of oxygen and on down to ABC at 10:30 pm of 14th. Blanchard slept on oxygen and in special bag. 15th to BC.

20th Blanchard started to ABC and took 2 days to get there. Twight same day catching up with Blanchard, passed out 5900m and returned to BC for 2 days. 22nd Blanchard at ABC and Twight arrived there that night. 23rd noon both left ABC and went to N Col and bived there; 24th on N Ridge to 25,000 ft and then traversed to Great Couloir where set up tent at 26,500 ft at 7:30 pm. 25th at 2 am up again, up Great Couloir to start of first rock band where falling asleep, Twight's feet and hands freezing. Twight turned back at 6:00 am at 8400m, Blanchard at 7 am at slightly higher 8450m. Down N Ridge and N Col back to ABC on 25th. Climb finished: no food, no sleep and altitude affected.