원정 개요

BC at road head
High point at junctions of NE & North Ridge.

Two members, Briton Henry Taylor and New Zealander Russell Brice, made the first successful climb past the pinnacles of the NE Ridge, first attempted by Bonington's 1982 team, but because of heavy snowfall & temporary white-out conditions were unable to go higher than the junction of this ridge with the classical route's north ridge at 8400m. The NE Ridge was extremely narrow, very dangerous, very exposed. Technically not Brice's hardest but the high altitude made it hard work. Team fixed rope from the start of the buttress at 6490m all the way up the buttress & then up the NE Ridge to 8230m at the first pinnacle.

Saw no signs of Boardman and Tasker, but much snow and could have walked over them. Slept on oxygen nights of 3rd and 4th Aug and at biv shared some briefly night of 5th. When got to bivvy one regulator not working so had to share (used "to keep our toes warm"). Bivvy 200-300m short of finishing all pinnacles which finished on 6th in white-out and 18" new snow which made for avalanche danger and therefore did not carry on to top. Spent 2 hours brewing up at top of ridge. By time weather finally cleared, too late to go for top and down to N Col and on to ABC on 6th. 3-1/2 hours finishing pinnacles, 2 hours rest and 6 hours descent to ABC. Alpine grade 3-4 in difficulty: certainly dangerous very narrow ridge, very exposed. Were on snow entire way (only 1 rock piton entire trip). Technically not Brice's hardest climb but the altitude made it hard. Moores and Barker slept on oxygen one night in C3 on their way up. Waited in C3 on 6th in case Brice and Taylor came down to C3. As soon as knew B and T down North Ridge/Col. After this a week of constant heavy snow and no further upward climbing after 5-6 Aug.

Long and Kellas, Moores and Barker would have made another bid for top. Fixed rope from bottom of buttress to 27,000 ft at First Pinnacle.