원정 개요

BC at 5300m, last moraine field (lake east of foot of East Ridge)
ABC at Kangchung Glacier moraine
High point at 5800m, 200m below top of ramp to East Ridge.

Slowed badly by lack of manpower with only 1 Sherpa and 2 members. From BC saw massive avalanching of hanging seracs and changed idea of where to climb because only possible to climb in fast alpine-style non-stop climb. Decided only safe option was to try East Ridge. ABC was 4 km straight line from BC at bottom of South Face of start of ridge 40m walk from bottom of climb up snow ramp. Both sections of powder snow knee-deep on top of hard ice and could not manage with gear at disposal to fix routes and as temperature warmed up, crevasses widened needing ladders as in icefall. Winds half destroyed BC 3 May and had to go back down to recover.

Ian and Gyalzen went back to route. Ang Gyalzen fell into crevasse but got out; later Woodall collapsed with acute respiratory problem at 5700m; Ang Gyalzen had to support Woodall to BC and out of oxygen through night of 11 May. Loss of altitude helped so no question of resuming climb.

Had reached high point on 3 May (O'Dowd and Ang Gyalzen while Woodall was behind carrying gear); stopped at 5800m because becoming very steep and needed to fix route and this unable to do). O'Dowd having back problems carrying loads so did not join return to climb of 11 May. Then Woodall collapsed and too risky for him to return to climb.

Yaks booked for 29 May and jeep for 1 June, so stayed in BC watching snowfall and did clear route during this time. BC far from mountain because yaks could go no further in deep snow.

They will not go back to Everest again.