원정 개요

C1 at North Col
C3 occupied by Sherpas only and Lapkass
C4 never occupied (pitched by Sherpas)
High point at North Ridge North Face.

C3 slept in by Sherpas only - members never slept there and C4 at 8300m pitched but never occupied by anyone. Too much snow and at end also bad winds and avalanche danger. 3 summit attempts ended essentially at C2: on 31 May, 25 May and earlier by Kelly, Lapkass, Loredo-Vidal, Mackenzie and Warner and all 5 climbing Sherpas. Warner and Brice to 7900m fixing rope and both again to 7900m and Lapkass load carrying and rope fixing: all summit team (Kelly, Loredo-Vidal, Mackenzie and Surchat, who was in one summit team also) and 5 climbing Sherpas: Lobsang, Karsang, Phurba, Dawa and Gyalgen. Oxygen used by Kelly on 31 May (Kelly last one left) with all 5 Sherpas, Lapkass and Warner from C1 to C2 in this final summit bid which ended by avalanche conditions and wind blowing a lot of snow on to tents even - constant problem.

Clients by air to Lhasa, had to speed a night at Chengdu; those by road to BC had to build bridge at top of Zangmu.

Russians were fixing rope to North Col when Brice arrived, but totally off route so Brice team put in rope themselves and fixed to 7900m and carried all ropes for rest of mountain. Noguchi [Japanese] team and others fixed to 8300m, but no rope fixed between 1st and 2nd Steps although Japanese Sherpas took contributions and said they had. Lake formed above ABC quickly with suddenly warmer weather: Brice dug out of hill a path around it and later made raft to float supplies to BC 1 (lake 5-6m deep, so impossible by yaks).

Hoyland and Whetu had no success at all in search for Mallory/Irvine '24 camera. Too much snow on mountain for them to get high enough - wanted to search above 8000m in area off normal route around Mallory's body.