원정 개요

BC at 5350m at usual site
C1 at 6050m at top of Icefall
C2 at 6400m in Cwm a little below usual site because other expeditions there
C3 at 7300m on SW Face
C4 at 8050m on right side of Pillar
C5 at 8300m on right side of Pillar on snow and rock (1 tent).

Decided at BC to change route: too late for trying SW Face and had only 12 bottles of oxygen (had expected to use 34 bottles left by Soviets on face but bottles not there), so time and oxygen not enough for difficult face climb. No technical problems with Pillar route. In descent used normal route and saw a tent on Col from South Summit in descent (and also on way up), but when reached Col could not find it. Descended together to about 100m below South Summit where Psotka told Demjan to go to Col and prepare tent while Psotka and Ang Rita move slowly (this account continued in attached notes of 31 Oct 84).

Orolin had blood clot in groin while in C3 late Sept; stayed at BC rest of climb. Psotka died in fall on 15/16 Oct.

Bass party helped get Orolin down mountain. Jozef Psotka might be alive if Nepalese-Bass camps in place on Col and Lhotse Face.


Kele - 31 Oct 1984

Last walkie-talkie radio contact at 4:30 am at 100m below South Summit. Demjan left other 2 at 5 pm and arrived South Col 6:00 pm in very good mental condition, found no tent and went to C3 but again could not find tent in dark (had given head lamp to Ang Rita). Arrive C2 1:00 am next day.

Psotka and Ang Rita arrived at Col 11:00 pm midnight. Psotka so tired they dug snow cave. AR then to C3 (which he found) to prepare drink but no cooker and no sleeping bag. After 1-2 hours there felt bad and could not go back up to help Psotka so went down: 8:00 am reached C2.

16 Oct 3 Sherpas including Ang Dorje from police C2 to C3 and wanted to go above but not strong enough go much above C3 and 2 Czechs from BC to C2. One Czech just in C5 pillar 15th night and on 17th Oct went over to normal route and traced Psotka footprints to Col but no trace of Psotka and cave (did find tent at Col). Just met 3 police Sherpas at C3 on 17th and on down. Found body in Cwm at 1:00 pm at bottom of Lhotse face. Psotka must have fallen 1200m down from traverse on face to C3.

Then no more attempts for top. Used strongest men in 2nd summit party for search.

Fiala finished leadership when route changed from SW Face whichhe was prepared for and became regular member. No climbing leader after that. Reached site of C5 and made fixed rope to there.


Kele - 3 Nov 1984

Czech expedition's summiters found on top oxygen blue US bottle sticking out of snow; small figure of bear on top also.

Czechs saw footprints from N Face to top and from South Col to South Summit but not to main summit. No fixed ropes above Col. Vos said used 2 ropes at Hillary Step.


Kele - 3 Nov 1984

Czechs had good relations with all the other Everest expeditions this autumn but could not really understand why Dutch felt so strongly about not having others on their route.

Dutch even raised question about how close Czech route would be to Dutch. Dutch had helped Czechs get permit by agreeing to let them use Icefall but their stand against police-Bass team meant that there were no proper camps on South Col route, even Czech summiters came down that way. Perhaps Psotka would be alive if police-American camps had been there at Col and on Lhotse face.

Americans had provided important equipment for Icefall route to Czechs, Hillary team and Dutch so many ladders, for example. Americans helped Czechs get Orolin down when he was struck by blood clot - very important help.


Shrestha, Tourism - 5 Oct 1984

3 members and 2 Sherpas established C4 at 7780m on 2 Oct and saved day the 2 Sherpas went to C2 leaving 3 Czechs at C4 intend to establish C5 by 13 Oct.


Shrestha, Tourism - 2 Oct 1984

Big team of 20 men of rescuers brought injured member Michal Orolin, born 43, aircraft engineer, Velky Slavkov, suffering from thrombosis in groin and respiratory problems. Rescue operation with 5 Sherpas from Czech and police team. Brought to BC from C3: arrived BC yesterday.