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BC at foot of Icefall
C1 at top of Icefall
C2 in Cwm
C3 on Lhotse Face 200 ft below Yellow Band
C4 at South Col.

No technical problems on SW Face and confident that chimney & rest of route had no problems; team abandoned face to concentrate on S Col route following disaster there on 7th Oct. SW Face climbers suffered "touch of cold injuries" only snow & wind. Team had permission for difficult SW Face and the normal S Col-SE Ridge route. Team was split in half.

S Col team suffered major disaster between 7th-11th Oct when five members perished in stormy weather on S Col. Two summit parties (14 climbers) arrived on S Col on 6-7th Oct. One group attempted summit on 7th making 8725m before weather deteriorated. Kumar fell to death during attempt. Group returned to S Col. On 8th Oct, all descended from S Col except six who wished to wait out impending storm. Two more descended on 9th. Other four tried to descend on 9th and 10th but could not find fixed ropes for descent. Rescue team from below returned on 11th - all four were dead.


Yamada & Saito, (Japanese Everest expedition) - 17 Nov 85

Indians failed on Everest because
1) Had army mentality - if members killed, send in more from Delhi.
2) Leadership did not understand how to climb Himalaya. Logistics bad.
Members and Sherpas became very tired, leader did not understand this.
Did not get into position to take advantage of good weather brief periods.


Prem Chand - 12 Nov 85

1 members and 1 Nepal Sherpa left Col for summit to return back to Col. Left 4:30 am (5 members and 1 Sherpa) plus K. I. Kumar and Bakshi.

7th Oct summit party turned back about 2:30 because visability deteriorating so badly almost whiteout (12:30 weather turned bad) and deep snow making slow progress.

K. I. Kumar at 2:00 pm radioed had lost goggles and oxygen bladder punctured. Told to come back. 3:30 Bakshi says Kumar has slipped 1500 ft and plus send rescue doctor, was told to stay where he was to wait for ND Sherpa's party. Bakshi saw him slip out of sight - body ended at Cwm seen sliding by kitchen boy.

All others of summit party returned to South Col that afternoon, now 14 people in C4.


Oct 8 - ND Sherpa, Rinzing and Lalit and others started down but 2 returned to Col. ND Sherpa and 7 actually came down leaving 6 in Col camp.

Oct 9 - 2 more came down: Rinzing and Lalit came while others started, returned to Col probably because Bakshi's condition. Bahuguna that afternoon indicated rescue needed and told would be sent on 10th

Oct 10 - rescue party started up Lhotse face but high winds, snowstorms.

Oct 11 - at 4:30 pm 1 member, 2 Sherpas reached Col. Bakshi and Dr Negi died, Bahuguna couldn't speak and soon collapsed. Roa asked for water. Sherpas left because late, feared for their lives. I.B. Gurung brought Rao to slabs short of Col, slipped, put body down (now not talking), and ordered to anchored body and descend - his body probably came down in avalanche. Later one body stuck in crevasse, others also not recovered.

Oct 12 - all in BC.

Oct 14 - started up, got to C1 and C2 and then again bad snowstorm.
Oct 20 - again started up


Summit attempt:

Oct 2 - Sherpas only dumped loads at Geneva Spur, nowhere moved loads to Col and descended.

Oct 8 - Never left Col

Oct 27 - left Col, got to 27,000 ft and dumped stores there - strong
prevented push to top.
Oct 28 - another party including Busa left Col, approached dump.
Angchuk lost his balance, slipped, pulled Bissa with him -
stopped at snowfall above Col, Bissa injured knee. Retreated
to Col and below. No one returned to Col on this expedition.
Had planned to send men to Col to retrieve bodies but Japanese
did this: pushed bodies down on 29th.
Oct 28 - Prem Chand knew his team could make no more summit bids and
told Japanese then could go up. Formal decision to call off
climb had to come from Delhi and chief was away, so 5 Nov this
decision taken in Delhi.

(this was only decision made in Delhi and was actually only a formality).


Ind. Everest press conf - 11 Nov 85

Prem Chand :

Left KTM 7 and 9 Aug to Jiri. Made new trail and arrived 24 Aug BC
C1 established and route then
C2 09 Sept
C3 14 Sept 24,000
S. Col reached 2 Oct 200 ft below South Summit

C3 SW 21 Sept
C4 SW at 23,700
C5 Sw 4 Oct at 25,500
Reached 26,600 ft at base of chimney.

After accident on 7th face team came down and decided to concentrate on South Col route bad weather condition took heavy toll of strength and their disaster of 7th. Again attempted summit but 5-6 ft snow in Cwm.

20th Oct again up to finish what dead friends sacrificed for. Whole route buried in snow and had to be reopened. C3 restablished (had been totally destroyed). Made route to Col very quickly and 26th C4 reoccupied. 27th attempted for summit but wind so fierce could not go for top but put camp at 27,600 ft and went down. Another party up from Col 28th and when reached summit camp one slipped and pulled other towards South Col field and saved. Now resources exhausted.

Death at South Col: Oxygen supply plentiful, nations still there and fuel and burners also still there. Could not find fixed rope and once blizzard started couldn't move. Kumar slipped in blizzard when could not find the way.

Rescue attempted: requested by Bahuguna 9th evening and sent 10th but wind pushed them back and faces covered with layer of ice which peeled off. 11th party reached Col, 2 dead, Bahuguna died soon, Rao alive at 4:30 pm when one member and 2 Sherpas reached him. Tried to carry him down: brought him to slabs of South Col, slipped and was ordered to anchor him and descend. He was not speaking: don't know whether he was alive or dead.

6 Oct 7 members and 1 Sherpa
7 Oct 6 members and 1 Sherpa arrived to join then (but one dead now).

Japanese succeeded by striking period of lull in winds: very lucky - used Indian ropes. Indians opened route 3 times.

Cause of death - exposure and in one case exhaustion (Bakshi). Don't know why they died because camp well stocked, but weather bad. Don't know whether they were in condition to look after themselves at South Col 7-11 Oct.

No major decisions made in Delhi. I was leader (head of Army Adventure says none during either leadership)

5 Nov called off the climb.

Prem Chand resumed leadership as soon as he was found fit. Had broken arm bone in bus accident. Progress on SW Face extremely good. "Only when weather collapsed" they gave up face.


Yagihara (Japanese Everest)

Indians gave up 28 Oct and Prem Chand to KTM by helicopter. 2 Oct only 4 members left in BC with Sherpas.

6 summit attempts. 7 Oct was 1st one. After this disastrous one, no more attempts to climb face.

7 Oct Kumar fell; others stayed at C4 in Col. 28 Oct last summit bid tried to make C5 and reached 8500-8600m. Sherpas dumped supplies 27 Oct but next day the 2 members who went up couldn't find cache and Prem Chand at C2 decided no more climbing attempts.

29 Oct 3 bodies through down Lhotse face (other body couldn't find) by Yagihara's party.

Indian team could not make decisions. All decisions made in Delhi by a General (neither Jagit Singh nor Prem Chand could decide).


Tourism - 29 Oct 85

Yesterday all camps very high wind till late night. Most tents damaged. Today weather fair and mild wind at BC.

Ang Chuk of 2nd summit party blown off in high wind at 14:30 hours yesterday in process of occuping South Summit camp at 27,600 ft. Along with him Bissa also slipped as both roped together. Bissa tried to arrest his slip with ice axe but both continued rolling and fell 700 ft down slope. Luckily they stopped in snow at South Col. Ang Chuk unharmed but Bissa minor injuries. Both escorted to lower camps by other members.

9 Sherpas ferried to C1.


Tourism Ministry - 18 Oct 85

5 members and 4 Sherpas of C2 and 7 members and 17 Sherpas of C1 could not came down yesterday because of bad weather with heavy snowfall and poor visibility. All the members and Sherpas of both camps are moving down to BC today. C1 and C2 are fully stocked. Because of heavy snowfall all the routes are covered by snow. In the BC there is about 4 ft deep snow. Some members and Sherpas are going up to open the route between BC and C1.


Tourism Ministry - 16 Oct 85

3 members and 4 Sherpas reoccupied C1 on 15 Oct and held up there today by bad weather. Today 4 members and 10 Sherpas moved to C1 from BC to stock and restore while 2 other members and 6 Sherpas moved to C2 from C1 to stock and restore. If weather permits C3 will also be restored.


Tousism Ministry - 8 Oct 85

KI Kumar died 15:30 hrs yesterday. He and other 7 occupied South Col camp on Oct 6 for attempt on summit. At 4:00 am 7 Oct party got up to get ready, wind was strong and waited for it to subside. After 6:00 am wind dropped all 8 except Kumar and Bakshi started up at 6 am while Kumar and Bakshi set out 6:40 am and before left confirmed all in good health.

10:45 am ND Sherpa radioed to expedition but two later men did not come on radio. ND Sherpa was just short of South Summit; snow conditions Ok but wind speed increasing. ND Sherpa and his 5 companions were fit and confident of reaching top in 3-4 hours. ND Sherpa could not see Kumar and Bakshi - mist between the two parties.

Kumar on radio at 14:00 hours reported had reached South Summit, weather deterioration fast, snow was soft and wind speed increasing. Should they go on BC said no since could not reach Col again safely before dark.

15:00 hours KI Kumar came on radio and said his oxygen mask leaking from puncture, snow googles fallen off weather cloudy and strong wind but still insisted in going on up and would make South Summit in 1-1/2 hours. BC said go down, but wait for ND's party to descend to him.

15:30 hours Bakshi on radio: Kumar slipped at least 1500 ft between South Summit at South Col towards South Col side. At same time kitchen boy in C2 told Lt Col Puskar Chand he saw red object coming Lhotse slope just below Geneva Spur next to bergschrund. Chand rushed to site with all available help.

17:00 hours Chand told Brig. leader that Kumar was dead: fallen more than 4000 ft down Lhotse Face leading to multiple injuries to head and body.

SW face progress stopped today South col people down to C2 today.


Prem Chand - 12 Nov 85

7 members and 1 Nepali Sherpa left Col for summit to return back to Col; left 4:30 am (5 members and 1 Sherpa) plus Kumra and Bakshi 45 minutes later.
Next summit up from C3 to Col - arrived at about 2:00-3:00 pm
7th Oct summit party turned back about 2:30 because visibility deteriorating so badly almost white out (12:30 weather turnd bad) and deep snow making slow progress.

K I Kumar at 2:00 pm radioed had last goggles and oxygen bladder punctured, told to come back 3:30 Bakshi says Kumar has slipped 1500 ft and please send rescue doctor, was told to stay where he was to wait for ND Sherpas party. Bakshi saw him slip out of sight; body ended at Cwm seen sliding by kitchen boy.

All others of summit party returned to South Col that afternoon, now 14 people in C4.


Yagihara (Japanese Everest) - 5th Nov 1985

Indians gave up 28th Oct and Prem Chand to KTM by helicopter. 2nd Oct only 4 members left in BC with Sherpas.

6 summit attempts, 7th Oct was 1st one. After this disastrous one no more attempt to climb face.

7th Kumar fell; others stayed at C4 in Col. 28th Oct last summit bid tried to make C5 and reached 8500-8600m. Sherpas dumped supplies 27 Oct but next day the 2 members who went up couldn't find cache and Prem Chand at C2 decided no more climbing attempts.

29 Oct 3 bodies thrown down from C4 Lhotse Face (other body couldn't find) by Yagihara's party.

Indian team could not make decisions; all decisions made in Delhi by a general.