원정 개요

BC 11/04 5400m
C1
C2 25/04 6400m
C3 05/05 7200m
C4 09/05 7950m
Hpt 20/05 reached by Birn near South Summit 6 am; by Pariz at Balcony at 5 am;
by Braillard at 8500m.

On their summit push, Birn and Pariz left C4 at 9 pm on 19 May. Braillard left around midnight, because he was tired when he arrived at C4 earlier that day and needed some more rest before summit push.

They were promised by their agency new oxygen bottles at the Balcony, but when Pariz and Birn reached the Balcony, there was no oxygen. Birn and Pariz realized that they would not have enough oxygen to summit and descend safely and decided to turn around. Birn turned around near South Summit, Pariz at the Balcony.

They had problems with their Sherpas as well: communication was bad, the climbers felt cheated by their Sherpas and agency. Birn got back to C4 at 8:30 am, Pariz at 6:30 am. Birn's Sherpa had left him alone earlier and was waiting at C4 when he arrived. Birn had to descend alone and he was in bad condition, suffering from frostbite at extremities and having problems with his vision as he was only able to see on one eye.

Conditions were excellent, a perfect summit day, the team had felt in great mental and physical condition. Had they had the oxygen they were promised by their agency, Pariz and Birn are convinced they would have reached the summit. Birn and Pariz met at C4 and descended to C3, reaching it at 3 pm. Next day, they were rescued by helicopter from C2.

They only received news from Braillard on 22 May from the Benegas brothers, who told them that Braillard was on his way to C2. On summit push, Braillard had reached his high point at 8500m, he got separated from his Sherpa Lhakpa and descended alone. He reached C4 in the afternoon around 4 pm. Next day, Braillard went to C3, his Sherpa descended to C2. On 22 May, Braillard reached C2 from where he was evacuated by helicopter, suffering from frostbite. He is in hospital in Kathmandu undergoing treatment.

Oxygen: taken and used from C3 to high point and down to C3 by Sherpas and clients.

Sherpas:
Pasang Sherpa
Pasang Sherpa
Lhakpa [Tshering] Sherpa