Ama Dablam | 1990 SW Ridge

A USA expedition to Ama Dablam in 1990 via SW Ridge, led by Russell Gordon. Summit reached on 3rd November 1990. 1 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 3619
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID AMAD90308
Peak ID AMAD
Year 1990
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Russell Gordon
Sponsor On Italian permit (Losso)
Success 1 False
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date -
Summit Date 1990-11-03
Summit Time -
Summit Days 0
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 7
Termination Notes Abandoned at 6400m due to AMS and coughing
High Point (m) 6400
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 1
Summit Members 0
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,Biv1(01/11),Biv(02/11),xxx(03/11,6400m)
Route Notes Russell Gordon's account in AAJ of his solo attempt in November 1990: "I originally intended to try the Lugunak (Southeast) Ridge, but since my companions had backed out in the United States, I switched to a solo effort on the standard southwest ridge. I was added to the permit of a South Tirolean team. After about with pneumonia, I went back to base camp after the departure of the South Tiroleans and started up alone on Nov 1, 1990. The route had been mostly fixed by two strong Italian and English teams, though by the time I arrived, quite a number of ropes were cut or worn through. I tried to free everything but stayed clipped in as much as possible. I went for the summit from a second bivouac, but at the end of the Mushroom Ridge at 21,000 feet, the violent cough and high fever came back, this time with pulmonary edema. I descended to C2 and stayed awake all night, drinking and taking Diamox and Decadron against cerebral impairment. I was very ill, and so at first light I started the tricky down-climbing, rappelling and traversing. I descended to Pangboche where French friends gave me antibiotics."
Accidents Gordon chest infection 1st night at BC & left (returned after Italians left BC)
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route True
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID AMAD90306
Checksum 2453069
Year 1990
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) sw ridge

Members

1 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Russell Gordon M - USA Leader - - Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
AMAD90308 AAJ Gordon, Russell - - 66:208 (1992) -
AMAD90308 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199220802/Asia-Nepal-Ama-Dablam-Attempt-1990 - - -