Cho Oyu | 1991 W Ridge-W Face from N

A USA expedition to Cho Oyu in 1991 via W Ridge-W Face from N, led by Jerome Edward Kennedy. Summit reached on 29th September 1991. 8 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 577
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID CHOY91302
Peak ID CHOY
Year 1991
Season 3
Host Country 2
Route 1 W Ridge-W Face from N
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Jerome Edward Kennedy
Sponsor Americans on Cho Oyu
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 93rd
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach KTM->Tingri->BC
Basecamp Date 1991-08-31
Summit Date 1991-09-29
Summit Time -
Summit Days 29
Total Days 40
Termination Date 1991-10-10
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8188
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 8
Summit Members 4
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(31/08),ABC(07/09,5670m),C1(09/09,5975m),C2(12/09,6400m),C3(20/09,7070m),C4(28/09,7400m),Smt(29/09)
Route Notes ABC occupied after a week because of altitude sickness of 5 members. 1st summit bid on 29th by all but 1 member who went no higher than C3. Up from C4 on 29th and got to summit plateau at just over 8000m. Kennedy turned back (knew something wrong but did not realize what and then unaware feet freezing). Dietz and Clark not much higher and back tired. Had started 8:15 am Nepali Time; other 4 to top. 1 Oct Kennedy got high altitude sickness in C4 and others tied him to a line and told him to go down to C3 which he managed to do; had gotten dehydrated and therefore frostbite and HAPE. Kennedy and all down to C1 and Kennedy to ABC. Clark on 4th tried solo attempt from C1 to C3; 5th tried for top from C3, reached plateau again and down because of cold and wind. No more climbing: had called for yaks to be at ABC on 6th and left ABC 6th including Clark. Left Chinese BC at about 9:00 am Nepalese time and arrived KTM midnight 10th. Cynthia T. Kennedy, Jerry's wife - 10 Nov 2005 (letter to Miss Hawley) Fourteen years later, Jerry still has open wounds on his feet that require daily tending.
Accidents Kennedy serious HAPE and frostbite on Oct 1; Clark serious frostbite
Achievement 1st women on top
Agency Wilderness Experience
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2454210
Year 1991
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w ridge-w face from n

Members

8 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Cleve Erling Armstrong M 1942 USA Climber Denver, Colorado Optometrist Details Other expeditions
Douglas Clark M 1952 USA Climber Denver, Colorado Real estate appraiser Details Other expeditions
Richard Dietz M 1937 USA Climber Greeley, Colorado Professor Details Other expeditions
Kent Leland Groninger M 1941 USA Deputy Leader Boulder, Colorado US government administrator Details Other expeditions
Edward Jerome (Jerry) Kennedy M 1948 USA Leader Boulder, Colorado Computer scientist Details Other expeditions
Alannah McTighe F 1951 USA Climber Longmont, Colorado Technical writer Details Other expeditions
Cathleen Richards F 1949 USA Climber Vail, Colorado Accountant Details Other expeditions
Karon (Ann) Young F 1947 USA Climber Denver, Colorado Health care coordinator Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
CHOY91302 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 66:265-266 (1992) -
CHOY91302 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199226503/Asia-Tibet-Cho-Oyu-West-Side-from-the-North-Ascents-and-Attempts-Post-Monsoon - - -