Cho Oyu | 1988 W Ridge-W Face from N

A USA expedition to Cho Oyu in 1988 via W Ridge-W Face from N, led by Keith Brown. Summit reached on 8th May 1988. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field	Value
ID	77
Imported	2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID	CHOY88105
Peak ID	CHOY
Year	1988
Season	1
Host Country	2
Route 1	W Ridge-W Face from N
Route 2	-
Route 3	-
Route 4	-
Nationality	USA
Leaders	Keith Brown
Sponsor	American-Australian Cho Oyu Swiss Spring 1988
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	Australia
Approach	-
Basecamp Date	1988-04-27
Summit Date	1988-05-08
Summit Time	-
Summit Days	11
Total Days	18
Termination Date	1988-05-15
Termination Reason	4
Termination Notes	Abandoned at 7600m due to bad weather
High Point (m)	7600
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Camps	6
Fixed Rope (m)	0
Total Members	2
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(27/04,5700m),C1(01/05,6200m),C2(02/05,6700m),C3(05/05,7000m),C4(06/05,7200m),C5(07/05,7450m),C6(08/05,7600m),xxx(08/05,7600m)
Route Notes	8th May Harkin & Brown turned back when Harkin's crampon broke. 12 May Brown attempted solo ascent, but got no higher than C2 because of bad weather. Viktor Groselj, Yugoslav Cho Oyu - 29 Nov 88 Keith Brown and 1 other American made unsuccessful attempt on Cho Oyu, reached somewhere below 7000m (below C3). Were on mountain when Woerner (Swiss-German expedition) died and abandoned climb. Schmatz, German-Cho Oyu - 23 May 88 US-Australian Cho Oyu C1 was 6700m. Brown tried solo ascent from BC on 12 May but got no higher than C2. No accidents, etc No Sherpas or oxygen Team was on Cho Oyu at same time as Germans and C2's in same place. Were ahead of Germans but moving slowly. 3rd member never reached BC had made at least C3 at 7000m
Accidents	None
Achievement	-
Agency	-
Commercial Route	True
Standard Route	True
Primary Route	False
Primary Member	False
Primary Reference	-
Primary ID	-
Checksum	2452968
Year	1988
Summit Success	False
O2 Summary	None
Route (lowercase)	w ridge-w face from n

Members

Field	Value
ID	4426
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	CHOY88105
Member ID	01
Peak ID	CHOY
Year	1988
Season	1
First Name	Keith
Last Name	Brown
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1958
Calculated Age	29
Citizenship	USA
Status	Leader
Residence	Charlottesville, Virginia
Occupation	Asia-based manufacturing representative
Leader	True
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)	7600
Summit Date 1	1988-05-08
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	-
Summit Bid	3
Summit Term	14
HCN	0
Checksum	2434400
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	keith brown
Year of Birth	1958
Year	1988
Age at Expedition	30
Role	Leader

Field	Value
ID	4427
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	CHOY88105
Member ID	02
Peak ID	CHOY
Year	1988
Season	1
First Name	William Leo (Bill)
Last Name	Harkin
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1953
Calculated Age	34
Citizenship	Australia
Status	Deputy Leader
Residence	Victoria, Australia
Occupation	Veterinarian
Leader	False
Deputy	True
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)	7600
Summit Date 1	1988-05-08
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	-
Summit Bid	3
Summit Term	10
HCN	0
Checksum	2432598
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	william leo (bill) harkin
Year of Birth	1953
Year	1988
Age at Expedition	35
Role	Deputy

2 recorded members.

Name	Sex	Year of Birth	Citizenship	Status	Residence	Occupation
Keith Brown	M	1958	USA	Leader	Charlottesville, Virginia	Asia-based manufacturing representative	Details Other expeditions
William Leo (Bill) Harkin	M	1953	Australia	Deputy Leader	Victoria, Australia	Veterinarian	Details Other expeditions

References

Field	Value
ID	504
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:36.307770
Expedition ID	CHOY88105
Reference ID	01
Year	1988
Type	2
Journal	AAJ
Author	Brown, Keith
Title	-
Publisher	-
Publication Date	1989
Language	-
Citation	63:282 (1989)
Yak 94	-
Notes	-

Field	Value
ID	12146
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:36.307770
Expedition ID	CHOY88105
Reference ID	02
Year	1988
Type	5
Journal	-
Author	-
Title	http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198928201/Asia-Tibet-Cho-Oyu-Attempt
Publisher	-
Publication Date	-
Language	-
Citation	-
Yak 94	-
Notes	-

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID	Journal	Author	Title	Publisher	Citation	Yak 94
CHOY88105	AAJ	Brown, Keith	-	-	63:282 (1989)	-
CHOY88105	-	-	http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198928201/Asia-Tibet-Cho-Oyu-Attempt	-	-	-