Ama Dablam | 1983 N Ridge

A Switzerland expedition to Ama Dablam in 1983 via N Ridge, led by Guido Bumann. Summit reached on 22nd October 1983. 18 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 137
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID AMAD83301
Peak ID AMAD
Year 1983
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 N Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Switzerland
Leaders Guido Bumann
Sponsor Swiss Ama Dablam Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 23rd-27th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach Khumbu Valley
Basecamp Date 1983-10-08
Summit Date 1983-10-22
Summit Time -
Summit Days 14
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 6814
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 17
Summit Members 13
Member Deaths 2
Total Hired 5
Summit Hired 1
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(08/10,5100m),C1(15/10,5950m),C2(19/10,6300m),Smt(22-23,25-27/10)
Route Notes BC at west side of Ama Dablam Glacier. Swiss route different from New Zealand from BC to C1 and then same as French 1978 autumn and Swiss same all the way. Difficult because of so much new snow: very difficult to find safe way. Shrestha, Tourism - 30 Oct 83 Summit 22 Oct Hans Berger Rudolf Julier Fritz Maurer Beat Supersaxo Summit 23 Oct Christoph Jezler from C2 to top and to BC same day Summit 25 Oct Jean-Pierre Wagnieres Stephan Welz Christoph Haueter Becker bivouacked at bit higher than C2 and got frostbite. Wettstein reached C2 at midnight. Had accident between C2 and summit when Senn fell on him and crampons wounded him. Summit 26 Oct Sirdar Ang Kami 25 reached summit alone from C2. Wettstein and Senn stayed this night at C2. Summit 27 Oct Joerg Kindschi On 27th Bumann, Wettstein and Ang Karma bringing Senn to BC. Bumann and Senn fell, other 2 were away and did not see in complete darkness who fell first. Few people had come up to pass from BC with tea and with their help Bumann and Senn found. Bumann unconscious and brought to BC, but Senn dead. 28th Senn body brought to BC. Bumann's body to be buried or cremated not yet instructed; Senn to be buried. Senn spent night of 25 Oct a little above C2. Max to C2 and informed others they needed help - reached C2 9:00-10 pm. No one knows which person slipped and fell. Accident [on 27 Oct] happened at easy part after bottom end of ridge. None except Senn fell short distance in couloir and her crampons wounded Wettstein's frostbite: very little loss of toes and more of finger. Khadga, Tourism - 28 Oct 83 Mrs Maya Senn and Max Wettstein are seriously injured and helicopter requested in report yesterday. Mrs Senn died according to report today. Helicopter this afternoon went for Wettstein, met expedition representative below BC when Wettstein was not there, pilot instructed them to bring to same spot tomorrow morning. Press Release Climbing a difficult route on the north ridge of their 6812m mountain, which is near Mount Everest, four members reached the summit on Oct 22. They included the expedition's climbing leader, Hans Berger, 35, from Davos-Frauenkirch, Switzerland. Wettstein managed to return to the team's highest camp at about 6200m at nearly 10 o'clock that night to tell others about their weak condition and need for help. But Miss Senn spent the night alone a little distance above the camp and its shelter. Both had frostbite and Wettstein slight head wounds from a minor accidents when Miss Senn fell on him and the steel spikes fitted to her boots cut him. It was during their descent on Oct 27, the day after they had attempted to go to the summit, when Miss Senn was being helped down the mountain side by Bumann, that these two, who were roped together, fell, killing Miss Senn outright and so injuring Bumann so that he died a day later at BC. Wettstein was not involved in this fall, but his condition required helicopter evacuation to KTM. Supersaxo came with him and said last night that Wettstein is not really seriously ill, although he is staying in hospital here for a few days. The other surviving members are expected to return here on Nov 2 after having buried their two teammates bodies near base camp.
Accidents Bumann and Senn fatal falls
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2450448
Year 1983
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n ridge

Members

18 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Ruth Sylvia Becker F 1936 Switzerland Climber Tann-Rueti, Zurich, Switzerland Laboratory technician Details Other expeditions
Hans Berger M 1948 Switzerland Climbing Leader Davos-Frauenkirch, Graubunden, Switzerland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Guido Bumann M 1952 Switzerland Leader Saas-Fee, Valais, Switzerland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Heidi Cadisch F 1960 Switzerland Climber Giubiasco, Ticino, Switzerland Nurse Details Other expeditions
Jean-Pierre Cuerel M 1954 Switzerland Climber Gland, Vaud, Switzerland Air traffic controller Details Other expeditions
Christoph Haueter M 1960 Switzerland Climber Langnau, Bern, Switzerland Computer programmer Details Other expeditions
Christoph Peter Jezler M 1940 Switzerland Climber Zurich, Switzerland Attorney Details Other expeditions
Rudolf Julier M 1955 Switzerland Climber Ernen, Valais, Switzerland Carpenter Details Other expeditions
Joerg Kindschi M 1954 Switzerland Climber Davos, Graubunden, Switzerland Civil engineer Details Other expeditions
Fritz Maurer M 1945 Switzerland Climber Buckten, Baselland, Switzerland Factory worker (blacksmith) Details Other expeditions
Hans-Peter Reiss M 1956 Switzerland Climber Davos, Graubunden, Switzerland Electrician Details Other expeditions
Liselotte (Lilo) Schmidt F 1938 Switzerland Climber Wallisellen, Zurich, Switzerland Teacher Details Other expeditions
Maya Senn F 1955 Switzerland Climber Stafa, Zurich, Switzerland Shop salesman Details Other expeditions
Beat Supersaxo M 1950 Switzerland Climber Saas-Fee, Valais, Switzerland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Jean-Pierre Wagnieres M 1954 Switzerland Climber Gland, Vaud, Switzerland Air traffic controller Details Other expeditions
Stephan Welz M 1959 Switzerland Climber Davos-Platz, Graubunden, Switzerland Farmer Details Other expeditions
Max Wettstein M 1948 Switzerland Climber Stafa, Zurich, Switzerland Factory manager Details Other expeditions
Ang Kami Sherpa M - Nepal Sirdar - - Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
AMAD83301 AAJ Berger, Hans - - 58:235-237 (1984) -
AMAD83301 MM - - - 96:12 (Mar 1984) -
AMAD83301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198423503/Asia-Nepal-Ama-Dablam-Ascent-and-Tragedy - - -