원정 개요

C1 at top of Icefall
C2 in Western Cwm
C3 on Lhotse West Face
C4 at South Col.

3rd summit attempt by Todd and Mellor, Ang Tshering (for 2nd ascent this month), Nima and Pemba Nuru (all from Pangboche); were at C4 17 May but never above Col on 18th because of wind and new snowfall and not strong enough by this time.

2nd bid by Trueman and Pasang Dawa; left Col together night of 12th-13th and on top about 9:30 am (Trueman asked that no one talk about his climb); Lapkass spoke only when told about Tourism Ministry's press release.

Medina said on 30 May: She stepped "just one foot too far" to right and fell through cornice over East Face; fell 5-10m unroped to snow ledge - was between S Summit and Hillary Step - just one scratch.

Summit Sherpas:
Ang Tshering (aka Pasang Tshering), 23, Pangboche, Everest 26/5/98
Pasang Dawa, 23, Pangboche, Everest X1 before

Ratcliffe went through Icefall only twice and was first to go to BC, C2, C3 and C4. At C4 on 30th night, 1 May to C2, 2 May to C3 with Avila, Broom, Medina; Lapkass arrived 3rd straight from C2 to C4 with Sherpas. 3rd night windy and soon 4th other team members down from Col but this party plus Athans and Kropp parties stayed at Col on 4/5 May and at 8:00 pm wind died and went to top instead. Left C4 10:00-10:30 pm on 4th and found fresh snow from 8200m to S Summit got to S Summit at 10:00 am and found others tending to Medina who had slipped between S Summit and Hillary Step which was not fully roped and she descended from there, shaken by her narrow escape from long fall down SW Face. Ratcliffe down to Col at 3:30-4:00 pm with Medina from Balcony; he ran out of oxygen at S Summit in descent and received party used bottle from a Sherpa and reached his own extra bottle at the Balcony; were first back to Col from Todd's teams. Same Sherpas up to find out why Lapkass was late; he came back very tired. Medina and Ang Tshering had taken off dark glasses/goggle and developed snowblindness. Ratcliffe frostbitten fingers and toes but he hopes they will heal. Mellor dental abcess which required him to go down from C2 to Namche Dental Clinic for extraction of 4 teeth; went back to mountain.

Elsa Avila climbed with Laurie Medina much of the time. On summit day left South Col together but Elsa "really motivated" and on oxygen it's really different" (started using oxygen at col) and moved fast and from Balcony to S Summit was behind only Athans and Crouse. On top Athans, 2-3 Sherpas, Ratcliffe, Avila, Crouse and Brown and then doesn't know order. Best part of climb was the real climb (not walking) up Hillary Step, which she had not reached in 1989 spring attempt.