Ama Dablam | 1985 S Ridge up; SW Ridge down

A USA expedition to Ama Dablam in 1985 via S Ridge up; SW Ridge down, led by Hooman Aprin. Summit reached on 7th November 1985. 5 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 188
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID AMAD85302
Peak ID AMAD
Year 1985
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Ridge up; SW Ridge down
Route 2 SW Ridge
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Hooman Aprin
Sponsor American Ama Dablam Expedition 1985
Success 1 True
Success 2 True
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 44th
Ascent 2 41st w/Italy
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Spain
Approach Pangboche->Nare Drangka
Basecamp Date 1985-10-21
Summit Date 1985-11-07
Summit Time -
Summit Days 17
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 6814
Traverse True
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 1
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 5
Summit Members 4
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(21/10,4600m),ABC(25/10,5300m),C1(27/10,5600m),Biv1(01/11,5800m),Biv2(04/11,6000m),Biv3(05/11,6300m),Biv4(06/11,6500m),Smt(07/11)
Route Notes BC at 4600m next to Italians (not intended site because of fresh deep snow where yaks couldn't go) ABC at 5300m south of point 5705m C1 at 5600m on S Ridge at start of steep section Biv 1 at 5800m on ridge Biv 2 at 6000m on ridge Biv 3 at 6300m on ridge Biv 4 at 6500m in icefall on South Face (now joined standard route). No tent sites above C1 because narrow ice ridge. To Biv1 spent 4 days fixing rope from C1 and 3 days fixing rope from Biv1 to Biv2. At Biv1 Kurtz was with 3 summiters but 2 Nov complained of shoulder pain and went down. technical difficulties same as on standard route but less rock and more exposed cornices, more snow. Pete Athans on 25 Oct joined Italian-French, etc group and went to their C1 that day under agreement where by if he joined fixing rope he could go to top with them. Aprin thinks he thought S Ridge might be too difficult a route to be sure to get to summit that way. No accidents except Kurtz's pulled shoulder muscle and some members illness from stream polluted by Italians carelessness. [Ridge running south from summit, east of standard route SW Ridge and of S Face, says Pete Athans 26 May 1994] Pete Athans - 20 Dec 85 Athans went to summit of Ama Dablam on 2 Nov. Had gone over to Italian/French party because they needed help to get fixed ropes in place for client climbers; had intended to rejoin Aprin and team, but time was running out (he had to join Roger Marshall's group for Cho Oyu in winter), so did not go back to American expedition.
Accidents None except Kurtz pulled shoulder muscle & some members' illness from stream polluted by Italian's carelessness
Achievement New route; 2nd traverse?
Agency Summit Nepal Trekking
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2451197
Year 1985
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) s ridge up; sw ridge down

Members

5 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Hooman Nmi Aprin M 1946 USA Leader Jackson, Wyoming Surveyor & alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Peter George (Pete) Athans M 1957 USA Climber Denver, Colorado Alpine guide & equipment designer Details Other expeditions
Randal R. (Randy) Harrington M 1958 USA Climber Danville, California High school science teacher & park ranger Details Other expeditions
John (Andy) Kurtz M 1954 USA Climber Golden, Colorado Geologist Details Other expeditions
Martin Zabaleta Larburu M 1949 Spain Climber Oakland, California Tour guide & carpenter Details Other expeditions

References

6 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
AMAD85302 AAJ Harrington, Randy Lagunak Ridge, Ama Dablam - 60:16-19 (1986) -
AMAD85302 AAJ Decamp, Erik - - 60:221 (1986) -
AMAD85302 MM - - - 108:13 (Mar 1986) -
AMAD85302 CLMB Harrington, Randy Ama Dablam - 97:52-57 (Aug 1986) -
AMAD85302 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198601600/Lagunak-Ridge-Ama-Dablam - - -
AMAD85302 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198622102/Asia-Nepal-Ama-Dablam-Southwest-Ridge - - -