A UK expedition to Cho Oyu in 1951 via Nangpa La (recon), led by Eric Shipton.
6 members recorded.
Expedition Details
Field
Value
ID
2674
Imported
2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID
CHOY51301
Peak ID
CHOY
Year
1951
Season
3
Host Country
1
Route 1
Nangpa La (recon)
Route 2
-
Route 3
-
Route 4
-
Nationality
UK
Leaders
Eric Shipton
Sponsor
British Reconnaissance to Mt. Everest
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
New Zealand
Approach
Thami->Nangpa La
Basecamp Date
-
Summit Date
-
Summit Time
-
Summit Days
0
Total Days
0
Termination Date
-
Termination Reason
12
Termination Notes
-
High Point (m)
5800
Traverse
False
Ski
False
Paraglide
False
Camps
0
Fixed Rope (m)
0
Total Members
6
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
Recon Everest (EVER-513-01) and Pumori (PUMO-513-01)
Campsites
xxx(Nov,5800m)
Route Notes
Hillary - 7 March 79
In 1951 (and 1952) crossed Nangpa La and looked at north side (Gyabrag Glacier)
Shipton and Hillary crossed into Hongu from Imja via Amphu Laptsa to West Col.
Riddleford and Hillary made first foreign crossing of Tashi Laptsa.
Ward and Shipton made 1st crossing of Menlung La into Menlung Glacier.
Hillary, Shipton, Bourdillon, Riddleford and Pasang Dawa Lama climbed to top of Khumbu Icefall and saw Cwm was feasible route to Everest.
Shipton and Hillary climbed ESE Ridge of Pumori and first looked into Cwm (the ESE Ridge was attempted by Hammish MacInnes in '53).
Accidents
-
Achievement
-
Agency
-
Commercial Route
False
Standard Route
-
Primary Route
False
Primary Member
False
Primary Reference
True
Primary ID
EVER51301
Checksum
5596
Year
1951
Summit Success
False
O2 Summary
None
Route (lowercase)
nangpa la (recon)
Members
Eric Earle Shipton
Field
Value
ID
21957
Imported
2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID
CHOY51301
Member ID
01
Peak ID
CHOY
Year
1951
Season
3
First Name
Eric Earle
Last Name
Shipton
Sex
M
Age
0
Birth Date
-
Year of Birth
1907
Calculated Age
44
Citizenship
UK
Status
Leader
Residence
London, England
Occupation
-
Leader
True
Deputy
False
Basecamp Only
True
Not to BC
False
Support
False
Disabled
False
Hired
False
Sherpa
False
Tibetan
False
Summit Success
False
Claimed
False
Disputed
False
Solo
False
Traverse
False
Ski
False
Paraglide
False
Speed
-
High Point (m)
False
Personal High Point (m)
0
Summit Date 1
-
Summit Date 2
-
Summit Date 3
-
Summit Time 1
-
Summit Time 2
-
Summit Time 3
-
Route 1
0
Route 2
0
Route 3
0
Ascent 1
0
Ascent 2
0
Ascent 3
0
O2 Used
False
O2 None
True
O2 Climb
False
O2 Descent
False
O2 Sleep
False
O2 Medical
False
O2 Notes
-
Death
False
Death Date
-
Death Time
-
Death Type
0
Death Height (m)
0
Death Class
0
AMS
False
Weather
False
Injury
False
Injury Date
-
Injury Time
-
Injury Type
0
Injury Height (m)
0
Death Notes
-
Member Notes
-
Necrology
(1907-1977) Died 28 March 1977 (Obit AJ 83:271-273 1978)
Summit Bid
1
Summit Term
17
HCN
0
Checksum
2415880
Summit Note 1
-
Summit Note 2
-
Summit Note 3
-
Death Route
-
Name (lowercase)
eric earle shipton
Year of Birth
1907
Year
1951
Age at Expedition
44
Role
Leader
Thomas Duncan (Tom) Bourdillon
Field
Value
ID
26020
Imported
2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID
CHOY51301
Member ID
02
Peak ID
CHOY
Year
1951
Season
3
First Name
Thomas Duncan (Tom)
Last Name
Bourdillon
Sex
M
Age
0
Birth Date
-
Year of Birth
1924
Calculated Age
27
Citizenship
UK
Status
Climber
Residence
Aylesbury, Buckingham, England
Occupation
-
Leader
False
Deputy
False
Basecamp Only
False
Not to BC
False
Support
False
Disabled
False
Hired
False
Sherpa
False
Tibetan
False
Summit Success
False
Claimed
False
Disputed
False
Solo
False
Traverse
False
Ski
False
Paraglide
False
Speed
-
High Point (m)
True
Personal High Point (m)
5800
Summit Date 1
-
Summit Date 2
-
Summit Date 3
-
Summit Time 1
-
Summit Time 2
-
Summit Time 3
-
Route 1
1
Route 2
0
Route 3
0
Ascent 1
0
Ascent 2
0
Ascent 3
0
O2 Used
False
O2 None
True
O2 Climb
False
O2 Descent
False
O2 Sleep
False
O2 Medical
False
O2 Notes
-
Death
False
Death Date
-
Death Time
-
Death Type
0
Death Height (m)
0
Death Class
0
AMS
False
Weather
False
Injury
False
Injury Date
-
Injury Time
-
Injury Type
0
Injury Height (m)
0
Death Notes
-
Member Notes
-
Necrology
(1924-1956) Killed on 29 July 1956 in the Alps in alpine accident (Obit AJ 61:357-361 Nov 1956)
Summit Bid
1
Summit Term
17
HCN
0
Checksum
2421935
Summit Note 1
-
Summit Note 2
-
Summit Note 3
-
Death Route
-
Name (lowercase)
thomas duncan (tom) bourdillon
Year of Birth
1924
Year
1951
Age at Expedition
27
Role
Member
Edmund Percival Hillary
Field
Value
ID
26021
Imported
2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID
CHOY51301
Member ID
03
Peak ID
CHOY
Year
1951
Season
3
First Name
Edmund Percival
Last Name
Hillary
Sex
M
Age
0
Birth Date
-
Year of Birth
1919
Calculated Age
32
Citizenship
New Zealand
Status
Climber
Residence
Auckland, New Zealand
Occupation
Apiarist & alpinist
Leader
False
Deputy
False
Basecamp Only
True
Not to BC
False
Support
False
Disabled
False
Hired
False
Sherpa
False
Tibetan
False
Summit Success
False
Claimed
False
Disputed
False
Solo
False
Traverse
False
Ski
False
Paraglide
False
Speed
-
High Point (m)
False
Personal High Point (m)
0
Summit Date 1
-
Summit Date 2
-
Summit Date 3
-
Summit Time 1
-
Summit Time 2
-
Summit Time 3
-
Route 1
0
Route 2
0
Route 3
0
Ascent 1
0
Ascent 2
0
Ascent 3
0
O2 Used
False
O2 None
True
O2 Climb
False
O2 Descent
False
O2 Sleep
False
O2 Medical
False
O2 Notes
-
Death
False
Death Date
-
Death Time
-
Death Type
0
Death Height (m)
0
Death Class
0
AMS
False
Weather
False
Injury
False
Injury Date
-
Injury Time
-
Injury Type
0
Injury Height (m)
0
Death Notes
-
Member Notes
-
Necrology
(1919-2008) Died 11 Jan 2008 in Auckland, New Zealand
Summit Bid
1
Summit Term
17
HCN
0
Checksum
2420239
Summit Note 1
-
Summit Note 2
-
Summit Note 3
-
Death Route
-
Name (lowercase)
edmund percival hillary
Year of Birth
1919
Year
1951
Age at Expedition
32
Role
BC Only
William Hutchison (Bill) Murray
Field
Value
ID
26022
Imported
2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID
CHOY51301
Member ID
04
Peak ID
CHOY
Year
1951
Season
3
First Name
William Hutchison (Bill)
Last Name
Murray
Sex
M
Age
0
Birth Date
-
Year of Birth
1913
Calculated Age
38
Citizenship
UK
Status
Climber
Residence
-
Occupation
-
Leader
False
Deputy
False
Basecamp Only
False
Not to BC
False
Support
False
Disabled
False
Hired
False
Sherpa
False
Tibetan
False
Summit Success
False
Claimed
False
Disputed
False
Solo
False
Traverse
False
Ski
False
Paraglide
False
Speed
-
High Point (m)
True
Personal High Point (m)
5800
Summit Date 1
-
Summit Date 2
-
Summit Date 3
-
Summit Time 1
-
Summit Time 2
-
Summit Time 3
-
Route 1
1
Route 2
0
Route 3
0
Ascent 1
0
Ascent 2
0
Ascent 3
0
O2 Used
False
O2 None
True
O2 Climb
False
O2 Descent
False
O2 Sleep
False
O2 Medical
False
O2 Notes
-
Death
False
Death Date
-
Death Time
-
Death Type
0
Death Height (m)
0
Death Class
0
AMS
False
Weather
False
Injury
False
Injury Date
-
Injury Time
-
Injury Type
0
Injury Height (m)
0
Death Notes
-
Member Notes
-
Necrology
(1913-1996) Died 19 March 1996
Summit Bid
1
Summit Term
17
HCN
0
Checksum
2417930
Summit Note 1
-
Summit Note 2
-
Summit Note 3
-
Death Route
-
Name (lowercase)
william hutchison (bill) murray
Year of Birth
1913
Year
1951
Age at Expedition
38
Role
Member
Harold Earle Riddiford
Field
Value
ID
26023
Imported
2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID
CHOY51301
Member ID
05
Peak ID
CHOY
Year
1951
Season
3
First Name
Harold Earle
Last Name
Riddiford
Sex
M
Age
0
Birth Date
-
Year of Birth
1921
Calculated Age
29
Citizenship
New Zealand
Status
Climber
Residence
-
Occupation
-
Leader
False
Deputy
False
Basecamp Only
True
Not to BC
False
Support
False
Disabled
False
Hired
False
Sherpa
False
Tibetan
False
Summit Success
False
Claimed
False
Disputed
False
Solo
False
Traverse
False
Ski
False
Paraglide
False
Speed
-
High Point (m)
False
Personal High Point (m)
0
Summit Date 1
-
Summit Date 2
-
Summit Date 3
-
Summit Time 1
-
Summit Time 2
-
Summit Time 3
-
Route 1
0
Route 2
0
Route 3
0
Ascent 1
0
Ascent 2
0
Ascent 3
0
O2 Used
False
O2 None
True
O2 Climb
False
O2 Descent
False
O2 Sleep
False
O2 Medical
False
O2 Notes
-
Death
False
Death Date
-
Death Time
-
Death Type
0
Death Height (m)
0
Death Class
0
AMS
False
Weather
False
Injury
False
Injury Date
-
Injury Time
-
Injury Type
0
Injury Height (m)
0
Death Notes
-
Member Notes
-
Necrology
(1921-1989) Died 26 June 1989 in Wellington, New Zealand
Summit Bid
1
Summit Term
17
HCN
0
Checksum
-1923
Summit Note 1
-
Summit Note 2
-
Summit Note 3
-
Death Route
-
Name (lowercase)
harold earle riddiford
Year of Birth
1921
Year
1951
Age at Expedition
30
Role
BC Only
Michael Phelps Ward
Field
Value
ID
26024
Imported
2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID
CHOY51301
Member ID
06
Peak ID
CHOY
Year
1951
Season
3
First Name
Michael Phelps
Last Name
Ward
Sex
M
Age
0
Birth Date
-
Year of Birth
1925
Calculated Age
26
Citizenship
UK
Status
Climber
Residence
Petworth, W Sussex, England
Occupation
Surgeon
Leader
False
Deputy
False
Basecamp Only
True
Not to BC
False
Support
False
Disabled
False
Hired
False
Sherpa
False
Tibetan
False
Summit Success
False
Claimed
False
Disputed
False
Solo
False
Traverse
False
Ski
False
Paraglide
False
Speed
-
High Point (m)
False
Personal High Point (m)
0
Summit Date 1
-
Summit Date 2
-
Summit Date 3
-
Summit Time 1
-
Summit Time 2
-
Summit Time 3
-
Route 1
0
Route 2
0
Route 3
0
Ascent 1
0
Ascent 2
0
Ascent 3
0
O2 Used
False
O2 None
True
O2 Climb
False
O2 Descent
False
O2 Sleep
False
O2 Medical
False
O2 Notes
-
Death
False
Death Date
-
Death Time
-
Death Type
0
Death Height (m)
0
Death Class
0
AMS
False
Weather
False
Injury
False
Injury Date
-
Injury Time
-
Injury Type
0
Injury Height (m)
0
Death Notes
-
Member Notes
-
Necrology
(1925-2005) Died 7 Oct 2005 from aneurysm in England