원정 개요

BC at normal site
C1 at top of Icefall
C2 in Western Cwm
Biv on SW Face
Biv below South Summit.

First made route on Lhotse Face with Koreans. Made C3 at 7250m and C4 just under chimmney leading to summit at 7900m where spent only couple of hours. Left at 10:00pm, climbed during night and on Lhotse summit 6:00 am 28th Sept. Just and Becik only to summit. Bozik and Jasko stayed at C4, saving Lhotse top for after Everest after descending to S Col. Lhotse used primarily for acclimatization. All 4 descended to C2 on 28th and down to BC 29th for rest. No camps or ropes put on Everest SW Face.

1st Everest summit bid on 7th Oct defeated by wind before got above C2. 12th left BC and 14th started on SW Face at 3:00 am: 4 climbers with inner lining of 1 tent, 2 sleeping bags (for the 2 intending to go to Lhotse afterwards), food for 3 days, cooking stove and gas, 240-m pieces of climbing ropes, 4 ice axes, 2 ice hammers, 3 small cameras and 1 light video camera. 14th Oct 1st bived at 7:00 pm, 15th arrived 2nd biv at 5:00 pm feeling fine and weather good. Had planned to climb couloir 1st day but more hard ice and more technically difficult than they had expected. 16th to 3rd biv at 7:00 pm but took 2-1/2 hrs to build platform there. Had taken long time crossing snowfield, which took whole day. Fiala now feared something wrong. One member now sick and exhausted (Becik) but they continued up because felt it impossible to descend couloir they had exited. 17th 9 am, 4 men started towards S Summit, which they should reach at 10:00 and main summit at 11:00 am. 13:40 radio contact Just said he was now on main summit alone, Becik not well day before decided not to try for it and was waiting below S Summit; other 2: he did not know whether they trying for top or descending to col. Just on top 15-20 min, said extremely cold and windy. 15:00 hrs next contact; Just said now to S Summit, Becik not there and other 2 not seen, probably on way to col; Just having problems with vision (probably retinal hemorrhage). 16:00 hrs Just said he met other 3, then 5 mins later said Becik missing; Bozik and Jasko, he said, had same problems with vision and feeling lost; Jasko also lethargic and had to be persuaded to go on. 17:30 hrs Just said Becik reached them from above and Becik in best condition (could see properly); they found orientation and were midway from S Summit to Col and all OK [at 8300m], could see the way; will give more info in 2 hrs when at S Col. This was last contact with these 4 men. Americans reached Col at 18:00-18:30 in good visibility and could see entire route to S Summit but no nobody, no headlamps in the dark til late at night; at 23:00 hrs wind got very strong (100 mph, Americans said); at C2 4 of 7 tents torn apart in shreds - probably were blown off ridge down E Face.

"One of the most serious attempts on Everest" says Fiala; hardest attempt to climb in Himalaya.

Team's four strong climbers acclimatized on Lhotse's West Face, and two, Just and Becik, climbed during the night of 27/28 September to Lhotse's summit. Then to the Bonington route on Everest's SW Face without fixed camps, fixed rope, Sherpa helpers or bottled oxygen which they began at 3:00 am on 14 Oct carrying minimal gear. On first day did not make expected progress: more hard ice and greather technical difficulties than anticipated. On third day moved very slowly, spent whole day crossing snowfield. Becik now sick and exhausted, but continued up because would be unable to descend the face and must descend via South Summit-South Col. Just managed to gain summit, but all disappeared on descent to Col, probably blown off by the winds.