원정 개요

BC at normal site
C1 at top of Icefall (left there only couple nights)
C2 in Western Cwm
C3 on Lhotse face
C4 at South Col
High point on SE Ridge.

Winter winds had taken all snow away and nothing but ice, very hard ice like granite on Lhotse Face, taking lot of energy. Took 19 days to put route through icefall: put in by Hall, Ball, Jamieson, Berg and Fischer plus Sherpas did almost all this job. Started on Pillar and went to 7000m, then decided rock fall danger, especially when Hall and Phinzo Norbu Sherpa were almost hit by batch of rocks coming down from left of Geneva Spur (much safer in Autumn). Reached high point on pillar route on 22nd and 23rd April; retreated to C2, applied by radio for permission to change route and permission granted by radio.

Made C3 on Lhotse Face on 24th and put gear at Col on 25th but tent not erected. Occupied C4: Ball and Apa (Hall had throat infection, Phinzo blood clot) at same time as snowbirds Ang Zangbu, Peter Hillary and MacKenzie. When Phu Dorje Sherpa died on 16th, Apa and Ang Zangbu no longer willing to climb, so at 11:00 pm 16th the three foreigners [Ball, Hillary and MacKenzie] set out for summit (only Ball without oxygen); reached 8200m. Now Ball too cold, Hillary had throat infection and both turned back (MacKenzie alone 200m more in altitude). Ball put on oxygen at Col 3:00-4:00 am and later on 17th to C2 where became very ill (pulmonary edema) and again on oxygen and 18th to BC and this team's climb finished.

Apa and Phinzo Norbu with New Zealanders were equal members of team.