Ama Dablam | 2014 SW Ridge

A Australia expedition to Ama Dablam in 2014 via SW Ridge, led by Rolfe Oostra. Summit reached on 7th November 2014. 4 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 8758
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID AMAD14355
Peak ID AMAD
Year 2014
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Australia
Leaders Rolfe Oostra
Sponsor Roelof Oostra Ama Dablam Expedition 2014
Success 1 False
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries UK
Approach -
Basecamp Date -
Summit Date 2014-11-07
Summit Time -
Summit Days 0
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 5
Termination Notes Abandoned at 6000m due to dangerous avalanche conditions
High Point (m) 6000
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 3
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 2
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used False
O2 None True
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC,C1,C2(07/11,6000m),xxx
Route Notes From 360 Expeditions Facebook entry: 360 Expeditions added 7 new photos — with Rolfe Oostra and 4 others. November 5, 2014 · Edited · AMA update: (Nepal) After a few days at basecamp mulling over the situation and taking stock of the recent accident while watching and assessing the route the team have decided that they are going to go higher and start the climbing phase. At this stage this doesn’t mean they are heading for the summit but they do have it in their sights. Yesterday they had a very powerful Puja ceremony - An essential part of any technical or high expedition in the Himalayas and now they are bedding down ready to move at first light tomorrow. The plan has been etched out and will be a little like this. Tomorrow (I will call Day 1) Day 1 Thursday: climb to camp 1 where they will sleep. Day 2 Friday: Climb up to camp 2 – checking out the route and then head back to C1 to sleep Day 3 Satu rday: Climb back up to camp 2. Matt and Jo will rest here while Rolfe and Phurba will then head higher to check out the route and re asses. The team will sleep at C2. Day 4 Sunday: IF Rolfe and Phurba feel it is do-able they will now attempt the summit direct from C2. They will have an additional tent with them for C2.7 which will be used IF they are too beat to come all the way back to C2. (will be a sung night) If the route is deemed too unstable the team will make a plan B which will inevitably mean heading back to BC and having a think!) Rolfe seemed happy and well – and said Jo and Matt are doing great. Henry a good friend came to camp today and created much fun banter so it’s been a really good positive day and they are all ready for the next phase. Mountaineering is always a worry for us back home and never easy but I have been assured the right calls are being made and I fully trust their decision. Rolfe will be trying to call daily and as I have news I will update. 360 Expeditions added 4 new photos. November 9, 2014 · Edited · Ama final up date. Matt and Phurba had an amazingly cold and noisy night high on Ama Dablam at C2 with the serac and surrounding glaciers booming and creaking. It’s an impressive and intimidating place to be as you will see in the photos below. Rolfe and Jo were almost just as cold back at base camp as unfortunately Jo had picked up a bug at C1/C2 – not really surprising as so many teams who come here for the purity of climbing feel it’s okay to use these camps as dumping grounds for all waste. I guess they aren’t so pure after all and no doubt just ego chasing the technical high peaks. Needless to say we take all rubbish off the hill when we climb. Grr… After rest and more rest Jo has picked up and feeling much better. It was a hell of a tough few days for the team with so many concerns that even had our guru 360 leader Rolfe on a raw edge of decision making that literally can kill if the wrong call is made. He has spent three nervous nights on the hill just listening to the conditions and then days climbing difficult routes while beadily watching - After many talks and hours of thinking our team on Ama Dablam are heading home as currently the conditions are unjustifiable and the serac is deemed too dangerous creating a Russian roulette situation. Imagine a 3 - 4 story building hanging above you – within it large cracks ready to break as well as this the serac is constantly dropping pieces the size of pianos that then "boom" down the hill – These huge blocks have already shredded and taken out most of the fixed lines (as well as having killed three this season) – To reach the summit of Ama Dablam you have to climb under this for quite some time (twice!) and with the added risk that you might have to camp nr by on your descent its a big call to make. With the conditions as they are we feel the risk is too great for our team – and esp our Sherpas, who with Rolfe were preparing to re fix the lines so our team could climb. Rolfe’s team have had a blast – its taken them well out of their comfort zones with very long technical climbing days – they have learnt a lot and have met some fantastic characters along the way. Its been a great expedition which has them all coming home – They are battered shattered bruised but happy with the call they have collectively made. Well done – takes a great leader and team to make these calls and walk away but in this case they had little choice - proud of you all.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Himalayan Guides
Commercial Route True
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2461773
Year 2014
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) sw ridge

Members

4 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Roelof Hedzer (Rolfe) Oostra M 1970 Australia Leader London, England Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Joanna Jane Bradshaw F 1971 UK Climber Salisbury, Wiltshire, England Expedition outdoor instructor Details Other expeditions
Matthew Thomas Crane M 1987 UK Climber Leicester, England - Details Other expeditions
Ang Phurba Sherpa M 1985 Nepal H-A Worker Khembalung, Yaphu-9, Makalu-Barun - Details Other expeditions

References

1 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
AMAD14355 - - https://www.facebook.com/360Expeditions/posts/10154866790170002 - - -