Ama Dablam | 1988 SW Ridge

A S Korea expedition to Ama Dablam in 1988 via SW Ridge, led by Kim Young-Ju. Summit reached on 16th December 1988. 3 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 96
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID AMAD88401
Peak ID AMAD
Year 1988
Season 4
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality S Korea
Leaders Kim Young-Ju
Sponsor Korean Bong Am Alpine Club Ama Dablam Expedition Winter 1988-89
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 65th,66th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1988-11-27
Summit Date 1988-12-16
Summit Time 1250
Summit Days 19
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 6814
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 3
Summit Members 3
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 1
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(27/11,4500m),C1(09/12,5820m),C2(12/12,6170m),Biv(16/12,6300m),Smt(16-17/12)
Route Notes SE Face had much rock fall so made no attempt to climb it. Team was only on normal route, following exactly route French had just climbed. After making BC, had altitude problem (first time in Himalayas for all 3 members - had many headaches). So went down to Pangboche twice, then got down to climbing mountain. 1st summit attack 14th Dec by Cha and Kim from C2 and reached crevasse at 6500m and returned to C2 that evening. 15th Dec they rested in C2 (Bong in C1). 16th Dec Cha and Kim to summit and Bong from C1 to C2 and on to a bivouac at 6300m. 17th Dec Bong bivouac to summit and down only to C2 in cloudy and windy weather, which pinned him in bivouac all of 18th. Clouds made Bong's difficult because bad visibility; used others rope. Sanak In - Spring 1989 All members are first overseas climbing. They arrived at BC on Nov 27. They rested few days because they suffered from the symptoms of high altitude and after they established C1 and C2 until Dec 13th. Upper the C2 blocked by mixed snow and rock face. Yellow tower was very difficult technic climb route which vertical and crack rock step 500m long. They started for the purpose of attacking the summit but they could not reach the top because there appeared to have one night but they have no bivouac equipments. After all they retreat to C2. Food was knocked down by a huge birds on C2, so the foods also become to short. They attempted 2nd attack on Dec 16 at 04:40 and reached the steep ice and passed the Second Step at 11:00. After they followed the summit ridge finally they got to the top at 12:50. Hirsh, French, etc - 15 Dec 88 Korean Ama Dablam Were trying eastern of 2 South Ridges but making little progress. LO left then to let them climb where they liked after that so may go onto SW Ridge where French had left their fixed ropes. French left BC 10 Dec and Koreans were then giving up to their own C1. They didn't seem to be properly equipped or know what they were doing.
Accidents Bong slight frostbite his toes
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route True
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2452335
Year 1988
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) sw ridge

Members

3 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Sun-Ki Bong M 1961 S Korea Climber Seoul, S Korea Fiction writer Details Other expeditions
Dong-Han Cha M 1964 S Korea Climber Seoul, S Korea Clothing salesman Details Other expeditions
Young-Ju Kim M 1959 S Korea Leader Seoul, S Korea Manager of private elementary school Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
AMAD88401 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 63:198 (1989) -
AMAD88401 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198919801/Asia-Nepal-Ama-Dablam - - -