Everest | 2003 S Col-SE Ridge

A France expedition to Everest in 2003 via S Col-SE Ridge, led by Jean-Michel Asselin. Summit reached on 22nd May 2003. 27 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 4264
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER03114
Peak ID EVER
Year 2003
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Col-SE Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality France
Leaders Jean-Michel Asselin
Sponsor Everest Cinquante
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Italy
Approach Standard
Basecamp Date 2003-04-07
Summit Date 2003-05-22
Summit Time -
Summit Days 45
Total Days 48
Termination Date 2003-05-25
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8849
Traverse False
Ski True
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 2000
Total Members 23
Summit Members 3
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 23
Summit Hired 4
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb True
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(07/04,5300m),C1(11/04,6100m),C2(15/04,6470m),C3(23/04,7150m),C4(20/05,7900m),Smt(22-23/05)
Route Notes Accidents: Arnaud Saulnier died at BC apparently due to heart failure. Gueorguievsky while snow boarding down from C3 to C2, fell into crevass about 6m deep hurt his ribs - probably liver. He was taken out of crevass by Sherpas. Loizeau got frostbite of four fingers on left hand and thumb of right hand; chances of recovery are good. He was evacuated to KTM on May 25 by helicopter from BC. Blanc fell down at 7300m Lhotse Face, broke left arm which is plastered. Two Sherpas: One got stomach infection, another fell in icefall and broke spinal bone; both evacuated at beginning of expedition around April 20. Summit bid: Berhault, Loizeau, Mugnier, Lhakpa Nuru, Nawang Karsang and Ang Pemba left C4 at the midnight of 22nd. Berhault summited at 06:30 hours, stayed 10 minutes, at C4 at 10:00 hours, then down to C2 and stayed there. Saw before him on summit maybe two Sherpas. Loizeau summited at 09:40 hours, stayed 5 minutes with two Sherpas Nawang and Ang Pemba, then descended to C4 at about 16:00 hrs and slept there. Mugnier summited at 11:40 hours, stayed 10 minutes with Lhakpa, then reached South Col at 16:00 hours and slept there. Next day all members and Sherpas to BC about 22:00 hours. Other climbers: Asselin left eye frostbite due to storm on the night of 20th South Col. Blanchi reached up to 8300m on 20th, then descended due to storm. Blanc-Vial up to 8100m on the night of 20th down to C4; snowboarding from C3 to C1 on 21st. Cuvelier up to yellow band on 20th, then went down due to weather. D'Abubarede up to 8300m on 20th, down to C4 due to storm. Docros BC only. Gabarrou up to 8400m without oxygen the night of 22, lost crampon, down to C4 and gave up. Gallet exhausted up to C3. Garrigues up to C3. Gueorguievsky (see accident report above). Joncquiert-Latarjet up to 8400m on 21st night, very cold, down to C4. Lemennicer up to C3, back to BC. Lequertier up to Hillary Step on 21st, oxygen ran out, down to C4; skied from South Col to C1 on 22nd. Lucazeau up to South Col, went down to lower camp on 20th due to high wind. Pollini up to C3. Thiney up to C2. Trimeri up to C3. Vallenchant pulmonary edema, evacuated by helicopter after 5/6 days later, down from C3 to C1 on 21st. Van Waes up to yellow band on 20th; skied down from C3 to C1 on 21st. Most of Expedition members returned to KTM on May 28th and will leave on 30th. Sherpa summiters: Pemba Dorje (Junje) Pemba, 17/4/2027, Kharikhola, 1st 8000er Lhakpa Nuru, 10/2/2035, Namche, 1st 8000er Nawang Karsang, 8/4/2026, Khumjung, 1st 8000er Pemba Nuru, 3/2/73, Pare, Thami, Lhotse 15/5/00 Ang Chhiring (Nepal journalist summiter) to Jeevan Shrestha - 4 July 2004 Pemba Nuru went to top on 22 May alone after French member he had been with turned back; he arrived on top 15-20 minutes, before Ang Chhiring and took pictures of him when got there; they descended mountain together.
Accidents Death of assistant TV cameraman Arnaud Saulnier in BC on night of 8th or 9th due to heart failure; Blanc-Vial broken arm; Gueorguievsky fell into crevasses hurt his ribs; Loizeau got frostbite of 4 fingers; Blanc-Vial fell & broke left arm
Achievement -
Agency Thamserku Trekking
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2458880
Year 2003
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) s col-se ridge

Members

27 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Jean-Michel Asselin M 1952 France Leader St. Bernard-du-Touvet, Isere, France Editor of alpine magazine Details Other expeditions
Patrick Berhault M 1957 France Climber La Trinite, Alpes-Maritimes, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Dominique Blanc-Vial M 1962 France Climber Grenoble, Isere, France Salesman of hi-fi stereo sets Details Other expeditions
Daniel Blanchi M 1960 France Climber La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime, France Business manager Details Other expeditions
Laetitia Cuvelier F 1976 France Climber Grenoble, Isere, France Geography student Details Other expeditions
Hugues Jean-Louis Marie D'Aubarede M 1947 France Climber Lyon, Rhone, France Insurance salesman Details Other expeditions
Martin Docros M 1969 France Climber Toulouse, Haute-Garonne, France Business manager Details Other expeditions
Patrick Gabarrou M 1951 France Climber St. Sigismond, Haute-Savoie, France Technical advisor on mountaineering equipment Details Other expeditions
Bruno Gallet M 1947 France Climber Avignon, Vaucluse, France Architect Details Other expeditions
Regis Garrigues M 1965 France Exp Doctor Lille, Nord, France Physician Details Other expeditions
Basile Gueorguievsky M 1979 France Climber Paris, France Student Details Other expeditions
Aude Joncquiert-Latarjet F 1972 France Climber Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France Physician Details Other expeditions
Marcel Lemennicier M 1954 France Climber Sallanches, Haute-Savoie, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Brice Lequertier M 1977 France Climber Annecy, Haute-Savoie, France Professional skier Details Other expeditions
Eric Loizeau M 1949 France Climber Lemonetier-les-Bains, Haute-Alpes, France Ocean navigator & alpinist Details Other expeditions
Guillaume Lucazeau M 1976 France Climber Grenoble, Isere, France Sports instructor Details Other expeditions
Nicolas Mugnier M 1970 France Climber Paris, France Banker Details Other expeditions
Gilles Pollini M 1954 France Climber L'Isle-en-Dodon, Haute-Garonne, France Farm manager Details Other expeditions
Maurice Thiney M 1942 France Climber Corcelles-les-Monts, Cote-d'Or, France Retired air force good manager Details Other expeditions
Gian Mario Trimeri M 1952 Italy Climber Castelfranco Emilia, Modena, Italy Merchant Details Other expeditions
Yannick Vallencant M 1969 France Climber Lyon, Rhone, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Jean-Christophe Van Waes M 1968 France Climber Lambersart, Nord, France Cameraman Details Other expeditions
Lhakpa Nuru Sherpa M 1978 Nepal H-A Worker Namche Bazar, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Ngawang Karsang Sherpa M 1970 Nepal H-A Worker Khumjung, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Pemba Dorje (Junje Pemba) Sherpa M 1970 Nepal H-A Worker Kharikhola, Solukhumbu - Details Other expeditions
Arnaud Saulnier M - France Assistant Cameraman Doubs, France - Details Other expeditions
Pemba Nuru (Kaila) Sherpa M 1973 Nepal H-A Worker Pare, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

1 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER03114 - Loizeau, Eric Du Cap Horn a L’Everest Editions Glenat, Grenoble - -