원정 개요

BC at normal site
C1 at top of Icefall
C2 in Western Cwm
C3 on Lhotse Face
C4 at South Col.

Problem with team: had to wait till 7th Oct to start summit push from BC until TV program ready (satellite booked until Olympic games ended on 2nd Oct). Had been to altitude to acclimatize already. On 6th Oct it snowed but started on 7th Oct from BC planning to go to C2 that day, to C4 on S Col on 8th and 9th to top, but very windy weather (C1 one of 2 tents blown away and at C2 2 tents broken). 6 members and 10 Sherpas in C2 on 7-11 Oct (during very windy days). 11th evening winds lessened and 12th all to S Col (4 Sherpas went ahead by 3 hrs to place more tents and descended because said not possible to pitch tents). 1 member descended early that day and others did not reach S Col. Koenig and same Sherpas first on Col and actually 3 members and 5 Sherpas slept at Col in US tent (4 men from Spanish team also). 13th too windy and cold to start up till 7:30 am. Koenig and Lhakpa Sonam went up (using oxygen to ensure TV from top) carrying cameras and antenna; 1 hr later Galy and Pasang Temba also started up from Col. Koenig and Lhakpa on top at 1:15 pm (made direct radio from S Summit but on summit a cable was broken so no picture possible but radio OK). Left camera at top for next day's summiters. Very dangerous snow slab conditions above S Summit. Both descended after 10 min and met Pasang below S Summit (Galy had descended from 8500m). Told Pasang too late for him to go to top but he wanted to get to summit as his brother Lhakpa had just done. Both Koenig and Lhakpa carried on down. At 8500m Lhakpa stopped, Koenig assumes waiting for Pasang. Koening at Col 4:30 pm. Pasang not seen beyond S Summit but think he got to top because so late to descend (Koenig looking all afternoon-evening for Sherpas to be seen descending but not seen until night fall) though maybe got into US tent during night.

2:00 am on 14th 4 Spanish, 2 Spanish Sherpas, 1 NZ woman (without oxygen), Ducroz and 1 TV Sherpa started up from S Col. At 3:30 am TV Sherpa came back saying 2 dead Sherpas (but sounded like bad Sherpas) and 4 am Ducroz reported were 2 dead men. He turned back unwilling to take pictures on mountain with 2 dead people on it, but others continued up. Koenig and Ducroz up later that morning and brought bodies to Col and later to C2, early put into crevasse in sleeping bags. Lhakpa and Pasang had fallen (but were not roped together); Lhakpa had broken skull and Pasang many broken bones and clothes ripped off.

No more summit attempts because TV programme finished on 15th and had to wait through period of good weather.

Koenig parapented from Lho La to BC; had wanted to fly from S Col or above but camera came first, then 2 dead.

Spanish Sherpas refused to let French TV Sherpas on W Ridge; could not follow alpine-style climbers on SW Face when burdened with camera and sound equipment.

This expedition was restricted by a contract for live telecast of the climb which could not be aired until satellite space was available after end of Olympic Games, which meant angry climbers had to wait until 7 October for their summit push and wasted days of good climbing weather. When satellite was available, winds had become fierce, tents were blown away or broken, and climbers spent four nights in C2 awaiting break in winds. In the end only leader and Lhakpa Sonam Sherpa gained the summit on the 13th (perhaps another Sherpa, Pasang Temba, did also alone) and both Sherpas had fatal falls in descent. No more summit bids: two bodies had to be retrieved, terrible winds resumed, and the TV program ended on the 15th.