Cho Oyu | 1990 N Buttress (to 6800m)

A Australia expedition to Cho Oyu in 1990 via N Buttress (to 6800m), led by Rick White. Summit reached on 11th May 1990. 6 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 417
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID CHOY90102
Peak ID CHOY
Year 1990
Season 1
Host Country 2
Route 1 N Buttress (to 6800m)
Route 2 W Ridge-W Face
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Australia
Leaders Rick White
Sponsor Australian Cho Oyu Expedition
Success 1 False
Success 2 True
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 68th
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach KTM->Tingri->BC
Basecamp Date 1990-04-15
Summit Date 1990-05-11
Summit Time 0905
Summit Days 26
Total Days 30
Termination Date 1990-05-15
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8188
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 6
Summit Members 1
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(15/04,5700m),C1A(21/04,6400m),C1B(09/05,6400m),C2(10/05,7100m),Smt11/05)
Route Notes BC at same site as top and Chamoux teams 1st C1 at North Col for North Buttress attempt 2nd C1 at normal route C2 at normal route. Abandoned N Pillar route because of danger followed by storms; set off on alpine-style ascent of standard route on 9th May. Weight loss fatigue and sickness saw only Groom and Dignan arrive at 2nd bivouac at 7100m. On 11 May McDowell and Dignan set off at 3:00 am for summit. McDowell arrived at summit at 9:05 am - an amazing solo climb from situation of the biv. Dignan suffering fatigue refused to turn back until finally at around 4:00 pm he turned back at over 8100m just short of summit and made it back to biv at 7:00 pm in "dark" (fax report by Rick White). Groom: in the 2 weeks after BC arrived, had to look at W Buttress and Groom 22 April reached 6000m and decided rock fall too dangerous and back to BC where other 3 waiting. They went to have look for themselves but not above C1 because of heavy snowfall and strong winds (reached C1 on 1 May and down to BC 2 May). Decided on "alpine" ascent of normal route and waited for good weather. 9th May all 5 men to C1. 10th set out for C2 and Rick White and McDowell turned back at 6500m tired and uninterested and Ball turned back at 6840m with headache. Groom and Dignan reached 7100m, where pitched another 3:00 am on 11th and Groom and Dignan went for to carrying nothing and Groom in perfect weather and went past false summit. Dignan struggled with fatigue and altitude and gave up at 8100m. Groom got to C2 at noon, waited for Dignan who arrived and collapsed at 7:00 pm and both spent night. Dignan very tired during descent but altitude problem gave and both back in BC 12th. Everyone left BC 15 May.
Accidents Groom stomach ulcer just after Apr 22; Dignan altitude problem
Achievement -
Agency Nima
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453703
Year 1990
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n buttress (to 6800m)

Members

6 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Timothy (Tim) Ball M 1965 Australia Climber Clontare, QLD, Australia Shop assistant Details Other expeditions
Anthony (Tony) Dignan M 1958 Australia Climber Yangan, QLD, Australia Hotel manager Details Other expeditions
Michael Graeme Groom M 1959 Australia Climber Moorooka, QLD, Australia Plumber Details Other expeditions
Stephen James McDowell M 1956 Australia Climber Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Shopkeeper Details Other expeditions
Jane White F 1955 Australia Climber Daisy Hill, QLD, Australia Teacher Details Other expeditions
Richard (Rick) White M 1946 Australia Leader Daisy Hill, QLD, Australia Director of mountaineering-equipt mfg & sales company Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
CHOY90102 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 65:291 (1991) -
CHOY90102 MM - - - 134:9 (Jul 1990) -
CHOY90102 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199129102/Asia-Tibet-Cho-Oyu - - -