원정 개요

C1 at North Col
C2 slightly to right of ridge
C3 on North face.

2 May Souviga, Frolov, Molotov, Ovsharenko left C3 at 7:45 am (Chinese time) and all 4 reached summit at 6:00-6:30 pm in fog sometimes but no wind - in fog could could not find C3 and spent night at 8000-8100m in fog and dark without any biv gears: stopped descent 11:00 pm and tried to move snow to rest in (Frolov serious frostbite and Ovsharenko not serious). 3 May to C2 and 4 May to ABC (Frolov to KTM with Toumailis whose 3 Russian compatriots had died on 7 May).

7 May the group of 4 Russian members left C3 for top at 9:30 (except Toumailis who not feeling well enough for summit and went down to C1) - other 3 went up; Torochin at 2:00 pm turned back from about 8600m and fell about 300m from 8500m on ridge and body seen by Sherpas and later by Kazakhs; other 2 Russians reached summit at 6:00 pm, they reported by walkie-talkie and then disappeared; at about 8700m (10m apart) both bodies seen later (Chevtchenko in only T-shirt; Plotnikov lying on back on rucksack with hand on his face).

20 May from C3 up for attempt to go to top; 6 Kazakh members Grekov, Lavrov, Mouravev, Sobolev, Savina; at 3:25 pm other 4 and slept in C3 and all Ok.

On 22 May Evans up from C3 to top with Pepevnik of Croatian team.

Evans: technical climbing above last camp very difficult especially after have slept as high as 8300m. Summited at 10:30 am NST after having left C3 at 4:15 am, on top in fine weather and with both he and Pepe down to C1 that night.

Expedition climbed in groups of 4 (with 4 Russians in same group) or 3 in case of Canada-US-Australian but was one expedition under single leadership using some tents, food, etc.