원정 개요

This team and one led by Michael Roberts, both Adventure Consultants expeditions, shared a pool of 24 climbing Sherpas. These Sherpas carried loads of gear up to C1 and C2, and three of them perished in the avalanche that struck on 18 April. Their activities are described here, but not repeated in the report on Robert's team's return.

On 14 or 15 April, all the members of this team trekked for acclimatization from Everest BC to the site for base camps for climbing the SE Face of Pumori and returned to their own BC. Meanwhile all 24 climbing Sherpas were busy ferrying loads from BC to C1 and C2 on the 14th to 16th.

On 18 April all the Sherpas once more set out from BC with loads from the camps, but they were hit by the fatal avalanche that came off the West Shoulder, down a couloir, and landed at the upper part of the so called football field that morning; three of them Chhiring Ongyal, Lhakpa Tenzing and Phurba Ongyal were killed.

On the 21st the team's surviving Sherpas decided they did not want to continue, and so the climb was cancelled. Most members left BC on the 23rd. The loads left at C1 were moved on the 26th to C2 by one Sherpa and stored with the C2 loads and other teams' gear for use next year. The leader left BC on 4 May.

Sherpas killed by avalanche:
Chhiring Ongyal, 20-25 years old from Khumjung, no 8000ers
Lakpa Tenjing, 22 years old, Khumjung, no 8000ers
Phurba Ongyal, 26/5/88, Pangboche, Everest 26/5/12 with Mike Hamill and
21/5/13 with Dean Staples