Ama Dablam | 1989 SW Ridge

A USA expedition to Ama Dablam in 1989 via SW Ridge, led by Gary Ruggera. Summit reached on 26th October 1989. 5 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 360
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID AMAD89303
Peak ID AMAD
Year 1989
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Gary Ruggera
Sponsor American Ama Dablam 1989
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 69th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1989-10-20
Summit Date 1989-10-26
Summit Time -
Summit Days 6
Total Days 8
Termination Date 1989-10-28
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 6814
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 1
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 5
Summit Members 4
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(20/10,5000m),C1(23/10,5950m),Smt(26/10)
Route Notes BC above Mingbo (normal site) C1 at normal C2. Waited for Germans to evacuate their C2 before Americans finished establishing camp because not enough room for everybody. 23rd and 24th spent making camp and ferrying loads. 25th rested at the camp and 26th all 4 men went to summit in perfect weather: no clouds at all but some wind (gusts up to 60 kph). Took 2 men 6 hrs and others 7 hrs. Climbed most of distance unroped; used German's fixed ropes left for French to use in rapelling down. Nowack and McCormick returned from summit in 3-1/2 hours and others got caught in dark and much slower descent (had headlamps) and reached camp at 8:00 pm (Nowak and McCormick at 4:00 pm in camp). 27th cleaned up camp and down to BC in afternoon and left BC 28th with French expedition's arriving yaks.
Accidents None
Achievement -
Agency Above the Clouds
Commercial Route True
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2452695
Year 1989
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) sw ridge

Members

5 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Kate MacRae F 1951 USA BC Manager Vail, Colorado Ski-lift operation staff member Details Other expeditions
Gilbert (Gil) McCormick M 1963 USA Climber Lakewood, Colorado Mechanical engineer Details Other expeditions
James (Jim) Nowak M 1953 USA Deputy Leader Vail, Colorado Tile setter Details Other expeditions
Gary Charles Ruggera M 1947 USA Leader, Exp Doctor Durango, Colorado Physician Details Other expeditions
John Bernard Woodland M 1956 USA Climber Boulder, Colorado Emergency physician Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
AMAD89303 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 64:223 (1990) -
AMAD89303 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199022303/Asia-Nepal-Ama-Dablam-Post-Monsoon-Ascents-and-Attempt - - -