Changtse | 1988 NE Ridge

A USA expedition to Changtse in 1988 via NE Ridge, led by Paul Pfau. Summit reached on 28th September 1988. 5 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2703
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID CTSE88302
Peak ID CTSE
Year 1988
Season 3
Host Country 2
Route 1 NE Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Paul Pfau
Sponsor American Changtse Expedition
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 -
Approach -
Basecamp Date -
Summit Date 1988-09-28
Summit Time -
Summit Days 0
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 5
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7240m due to deep snow, avalanching and wind
High Point (m) 7240
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 5
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 C1(13/09,5500m),C2(16/09,6100m),C3(19/09,6400m),C4(25/09,7000m),xxx(28/09,7240m)
Route Notes From American Alpine Journal 1988, page 279, by Paul Pfau: We arrived at Everest Base camp after a five day motorcade adventure from Lhasa. Intially blessed with good weather, we were able to establish C1 and Advance Base at 18,000 and 20,000 feet on September 13 and 16. Deteriorating weather delayed placing camp prevented establishment of C4 at 23,000 feet until September 25. We installed C3A at 22,000 feet on the 26th just below 600 ft of fixed line in the couloir leading to Changtse's upper plateau for logistical support above. While Mike Meyer, Ziggy Mulhauser and I ferried loads from C3A to C4 on September 28, Terry McNeil and David Tollakson made a summit bid from C4. Waist deep snow, hazardous winds and avalanche conditions on the long knife-edged northeast ridge forced them to retreat from 23,750 feet, a mile from and 1000 feet below the summit. Further deteriorating weather caused our withdrawal.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency None
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453246
Year 1988
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) ne ridge

Members

5 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Paul Raymond Pfau M 1949 USA Leader Shadow Hills, California Attorney Details Other expeditions
Michael S. (Mike) Meyer M - USA Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Siegfried Christopher (Ziggy) Muhlhauser M 1955 USA Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Terry McNeil M - USA Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Chester David Tollakson M 1936 USA Climber - - Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
CTSE88302 AAJ Pfau, Paul - - 63:279 (1989) -
CTSE88302 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198927901/Asia-Tibet-Changtse-Northeast-Ridge-Attempt - - -