Cho Oyu | 1989 SE Face

A Belgium expedition to Cho Oyu in 1989 via SE Face, led by Alain Hubert. Summit reached on 16th December 1989. 5 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 401
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID CHOY89401
Peak ID CHOY
Year 1989
Season 4
Host Country 1
Route 1 SE Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Belgium
Leaders Alain Hubert
Sponsor Cho Oyu Nepalese Himalaya Belgium Expedition 1989
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 France
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1989-11-26
Summit Date 1989-12-16
Summit Time -
Summit Days 20
Total Days 22
Termination Date 1989-12-18
Termination Reason 5
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7200m due to dangerous serac avalanching
High Point (m) 7200
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 5
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 2
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(26/11,5250m),C1(06/12,6150m),C2(10/12,6800m),xxx(16/12,7200m)
Route Notes BC at Lungsampa Glacier at bottom of face C1 at Polish C1. Constant serac avalanching on face night and day. Same route as Poles to 6000m; impossible to climb direct line below 6000m where are very big crevases on a direct line. 4 km long route if follow Polish route above 6000m and expedition had tents only for 2 camps; tried to climb right ridge of face. Very difficult to decide to stop climb becasue ice in good condition and technically not excessively difficult. Summit bid started 15th Dec and reached C2. 16th 4:00 am started up again but snowing and clouds and no chance for success it seemed, and will power not strong enough. Turned back at 7200m and down to C1 same day. On 18th at BC decided serac avalanching too dangerous. At C2 during night -30 degrees but dry. Wind strong but not possible. Decision to abandon climb influenced greatly by presence of Korean expedition who had arrived at Belgium BC about 12th Dec to climb SE Face despite their permit was for SW Ridge. Koreans made no attempt to climb their permitted route. Koreans came to Belgian route, used Belgian fixed ropes without asking and made C1 same site. Sherpas did the climbing on Korean expedition. 17 Dec in BC. 18 Dec Hubert and Maincent to Korean's C1 to talk to Koreans to try again to arrange sharing route. Koreans refused to talk so Belgiums said would next day remove own rope and this day 18th cut on Korean rope at bottom of route (on 19th Korean's Sherpas replaced their rope and Belgians took down their own short section of rope. Koreans fixed entire route). On 19th evening (6:00 pm) 3 Koreans (including 2nd leader) and 7 Korean Sherpas came over to Belgium BC to fight: 2nd leader said to Hubert and Maincent, the only Belgian team members in BC, "I kill you" and 2 Koreans with sticks and 2 Sherpas with fists attacked Hubert and Maincent. Maincent, who argued and resisted, was more seriously attacked and bled from on temple from stick. Both Hubert and Maincent legs had to use ski poles to help them walk afterwards. When blood seen by Korean's Sherpas they were afraid and when Hubert returned to their camp; fight lasted 1 hour. Hubert and Maincent left BC at 9:30 pm leaving their 2 Sherpas at camp, fearing Koreans would return and again attack in their larger members; reached Gokyo early in morning and then continued on down. "I never imagined such a thing could happen." At time of fight, Belgian's party at BC were only Hubert and Maincent and 2 Sherpas; Lane and Nyssens had left on 17th as originally planned they would. Maincent was tied with a rope around his neck connected to his hands behind his back; he fell over and was able to free his hands from insecure knots. Team had hoped that big serac wall would not be very dangerous in winter time, which is why they chose to climb in winter season, but constant serac avalanching on SE Face night and day forced abandonment of climb. They made their attempt via a line to the right of the normal route.
Accidents Brent very serious altitude sickness
Achievement -
Agency Unknown
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453556
Year 1989
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) se face

Members

5 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Michel Brent M 1945 Belgium Climber Brussels, Belgium Journalist Details Other expeditions
Alain Hubert M 1953 Belgium Leader Harsin, Belgium Carpenter Details Other expeditions
Louis Lange M 1953 Belgium Exp Doctor Ambly, Belgium Physician Details Other expeditions
Regis Maincent M 1959 France Climber Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Yves Nyssens M 1953 Belgium Climber Brussels, Belgium Marketing manager Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
CHOY89401 AAJ Hubert, Alain - - 64:238-239 (1990) -
CHOY89401 MM - - - 132:11 (Mar 1990) -
CHOY89401 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 64:239 (1990) -
CHOY89401 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199023901/Asia-Nepal-Cho-Oyu-Attempt-Tragedy-and-Assault - - -
CHOY89401 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199023803/Asia-Nepal-Cho-Oyu-Southeast-Face-Attempt-and-Assault - - -