Ama Dablam | 1981 N Ridge

A Australia expedition to Ama Dablam in 1981 via N Ridge, led by Ken McMahon. Summit reached on 15th May 1981. 9 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1812
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID AMAD81102
Peak ID AMAD
Year 1981
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 N Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Australia
Leaders Ken McMahon
Sponsor Australian Himalayan Expedition 1981
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 16th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Canada, USA
Approach Karantichap->Khumbu Valley
Basecamp Date 1981-04-11
Summit Date 1981-05-15
Summit Time 1200
Summit Days 34
Total Days 40
Termination Date 1981-05-21
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 6814
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 9
Summit Members 3
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
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(11/04,5100m),C1(20/04,5500m),C2(24/04,5800m),C3(03/05,6100m),C4(13/05,6500m),Biv(14/05,6700m),Smt(15/05)
Route Notes 5 members including 3 summiters - 26 May 81 BC - 11 April - 16,800 feet C1 - 20 April - 18,000 feet C2 - 24 April - 19,000 feet C3 - 3 May - 20,000 feet C4 - 13 May - 21,200 feet 14 May bivouac in snowhole at 22,000 by summit trio. 15 May to summit midday and back to C4; arrived C4 at 10:00 pm without fixed ropes climbing on flat section in bad snow conditions. North Ridge - first 2 successes took right-hand spur and Aussies took an eastern spur. Route originally attempted by 1959 British (found old ropes and rusty pitons) for 1/3 of climb. More difficult than expected due to snow conditions; much would have been different and perhaps easier in post-monsoon when would have been deeper snow. Only one summit attempt: 1 not acclimatized 1 chest infection (McMahon) 3 left for summit attempt No avalanche danger, no glacier Approach to this route = safe route but bad weather and difficult climb No accident, no frostbite Pluth - 26 May 81 Summiters were Hall, Henderson and Macartney-Snape on 15 May Only they are summit party; all in very good condition 5 arrived today; rest later today or tomorrow McMahon - 26 March 81 Karen Robins has dysentery so she and McMahan fly to Lukla 30th and wait there for rest of expedition, who left this am for Kirantichap and start walking to Khumbu tomorrow. Whole team - 22 March 81 Route = North Ridge (same as New Zealand and French) Leave 26 March; walking from Kirantichap Arrive BC 10 April east of Col (5365m on Schneider map) 2 or 3 camps above BC with highest at 22,000 feet Summit early May but one month on not depending on weather. No Sherpas above BC. No oxygen at all. Australian Himalayan Expedition 1981
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2449556
Year 1981
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n ridge

Members

9 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Hooman Nmi Aprin M 1946 USA Climber Tucson, Arizona Surveyor Details Other expeditions
Leo Ertsler M 1944 Canada Support Vancouver, British Colombia Carpenter Details Other expeditions
Lincoln Ross Hall M 1955 Australia Climber Canberra, ACT, Australia Tour guide Details Other expeditions
Andrew Henderson M 1955 Australia Climber Mosman, NSW, Australia Electronics engineer Details Other expeditions
Damien Jones M 1956 Australia Support Garran, ACT, Australia Physicist Details Other expeditions
Timothy John Macartney-Snape M 1956 Australia Climber Greta South, Victoria, Australia Biologist & alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Kenneth (Ken) McMahon M 1959 Australia Leader Sydney, NSW, Australia Chemical engineer Details Other expeditions
David Pluth M 1946 USA Climber Calgary, Alberta Environmental engineer Details Other expeditions
Karen Robins F 1959 Australia Support Sylvania, NSW, Australia Microbiologist Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
AMAD81102 AAJ McMahon, Kenneth - - 56:210-211 (1982) -
AMAD81102 MM - - - 80:13 (Jul 1981) -
AMAD81102 NZAJ McMahon, Ken Captain Crunch: The Australian Ama Dablam Expedition, 1981 - 34:63-66 (1981) -
AMAD81102 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198221003/Asia-Nepal-Ama-Dablam - - -