Everest | 2003 S Col-SE Ridge

A USA expedition to Everest in 2003 via S Col-SE Ridge, led by Gary Guller. Summit reached on 23rd May 2003. 9 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field	Value
ID	4272
Imported	2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID	EVER03124
Peak ID	EVER
Year	2003
Season	1
Host Country	1
Route 1	S Col-SE Ridge
Route 2	-
Route 3	-
Route 4	-
Nationality	USA
Leaders	Gary Guller
Sponsor	Team Everest 2003
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	Australia, Canada
Approach	-
Basecamp Date	2003-04-08
Summit Date	2003-05-23
Summit Time	1215
Summit Days	45
Total Days	47
Termination Date	2003-05-25
Termination Reason	1
Termination Notes	-
High Point (m)	8849
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Camps	4
Fixed Rope (m)	0
Total Members	4
Summit Members	1
Member Deaths	0
Total Hired	5
Summit Hired	4
Hired Deaths	1
No Hired	False
O2 Used	True
O2 None	False
O2 Climb	True
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	True
O2 Medical	False
O2 Taken	False
O2 Unknown	False
Other Summits	-
Campsites	BC(08/04),C1(17/04,6100m),C2(20/04,6400m),C3(08/05,7300m),C4(15/05,7900m),Smt(23/05)
Route Notes	C1 at top of Icefall C2 at West Cwm C3 at Lhotse face C4 at South Col. Guller, Scott and 4 Sherpas left C4 for top 8:00 pm 22 May. Scott at midnight turned back at 8200m without oxygen because was too cold to continue. Guller and Sherpas summited at 12:15 pm together without Scott. No one else was on top at this time; thus were going down at that time. "Fullfillmment of a dream" and especially nice that top was not crowded and he was with people that he knew. Slept in C4 (arrived at Col 20 May and slept there 4 nights) and got snowblind for few minutes till medicine cleared his sight. Had taken off googles at top of Hillary Step to keep balance since no left arm to help. Returned to C4 at 7:30 pm on 23rd. 25th to C2, having spent extra night at Col for complete recovery from blindness. As difficult or more difficult and tiring for me "coming down; pushed my right arm and right side hard." Oxygen: Guller slept over in C3 and up from C3 to top to C4 Sherpas in C4 to top and in C4 Scott also in C4 Ability to climb dependent on balance and confidence - never used his wall: ice axe; just followed fixed lines (but no jummaring). Watkin's edema - had gone a little way into Icefall - left expedition 1 May. Bousselaire developed pulmonary edema and left expedition 10 May. Karma Gyalzen got pulmonary edema, collapsed and died quickly while descending just before top of Icefall. Sherpa summiters: Nima Dawa, Gudel village, Everest X1, Dhaulagiri I Pemba Tenzi, Sotang VDC, Cho Oyu X3 Da Nima, 31, Bhakanje, 1st 8000er Namgyal, 32, Lelep-8 VDC, Taplejung, 1st 8000er
Accidents	1 Sherpa fell and broke ankle (Pemba Tenzi); Watkins cerebral edema (had gone a little way into icefall); Bousselaire developed pulmonary edema; Guller brief snowblindness; 1 Sherpa died of AMS
Achievement	-
Agency	Arun Treks
Commercial Route	True
Standard Route	True
Primary Route	False
Primary Member	False
Primary Reference	False
Primary ID	-
Checksum	2458881
Year	2003
Summit Success	True
O2 Summary	Used
Route (lowercase)	s col-se ridge

Members

Field	Value
ID	33312
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	EVER03124
Member ID	02
Peak ID	EVER
Year	2003
Season	1
First Name	Vincent (Vince)
Last Name	Bousselaire
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1953
Calculated Age	49
Citizenship	USA
Status	Climber
Residence	Denver, Colorado
Occupation	Church pastor
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	0
Summit Date 1	-
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	0
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	True
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	1
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	Developed pulmonary edema and left May 10
Member Notes	-
Necrology	(1953-2008) Died 8 Aug 2008 in Switzerland on the Matterhorn from falling
Summit Bid	1
Summit Term	6
HCN	0
Checksum	2432539
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	vincent (vince) bousselaire
Year of Birth	1953
Year	2003
Age at Expedition	50
Role	Member

Field	Value
ID	33313
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	EVER03124
Member ID	01
Peak ID	EVER
Year	2003
Season	1
First Name	Gary John
Last Name	Guller
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1966
Calculated Age	36
Citizenship	USA/UK
Status	Leader
Residence	Austin, Texas
Occupation	Travel agency director
Leader	True
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	True
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	True
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	8849
Summit Date 1	2003-05-23
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	1215
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	True
O2 None	False
O2 Climb	True
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	True
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	Sleep C3, up from C3 to top to C4
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	Missing one arm
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	5
Summit Term	1
HCN	0
Checksum	2437348
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	gary john guller
Year of Birth	1966
Year	2003
Age at Expedition	37
Role	Leader

Field	Value
ID	33314
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	EVER03124
Member ID	03
Peak ID	EVER
Year	2003
Season	1
First Name	Gary
Last Name	Scott
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1958
Calculated Age	45
Citizenship	Australia
Status	Deputy Leader
Residence	Colorado Springs, Colorado
Occupation	Alpine guide
Leader	False
Deputy	True
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	8200
Summit Date 1	2003-05-23
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	4
Summit Term	8
HCN	0
Checksum	2434256
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	gary scott
Year of Birth	1958
Year	2003
Age at Expedition	45
Role	Deputy

Field	Value
ID	33315
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	EVER03124
Member ID	04
Peak ID	EVER
Year	2003
Season	1
First Name	Christopher
Last Name	Watkins
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1959
Calculated Age	43
Citizenship	Canada
Status	Climber
Residence	Thunder Bay, Ontario
Occupation	Barrister
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	0
Summit Date 1	-
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	0
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	True
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	1
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	Developed cerebral edema and left May 1
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	1
Summit Term	6
HCN	0
Checksum	2434872
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	christopher watkins
Year of Birth	1959
Year	2003
Age at Expedition	44
Role	Member

Field	Value
ID	33316
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	EVER03124
Member ID	08
Peak ID	EVER
Year	2003
Season	1
First Name	Nima Dawa
Last Name	Sherpa
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	-
Calculated Age	38
Citizenship	Nepal
Status	H-A Worker
Residence	Gudel, Solukhumbu
Occupation	-
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	True
Sherpa	True
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	True
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	8849
Summit Date 1	2003-05-23
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	1215
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	True
O2 None	False
O2 Climb	True
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	True
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	In C4 to top & in C4
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	2nd ascent of Everest
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	5
Summit Term	1
HCN	0
Checksum	-62
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	nima dawa sherpa
Year of Birth	-
Year	2003
Age at Expedition	-
Role	Hired

Field	Value
ID	33317
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	EVER03124
Member ID	09
Peak ID	EVER
Year	2003
Season	1
First Name	Pem Tenji (Pemba Tenzi)
Last Name	Sherpa
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1963
Calculated Age	39
Citizenship	Nepal
Status	H-A Worker
Residence	Sotang, Solukhumbu
Occupation	-
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	True
Sherpa	True
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	True
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	8849
Summit Date 1	2003-05-23
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	1215
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	True
O2 None	False
O2 Climb	True
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	True
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	In C4, to top and in C4
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	5
Summit Term	1
HCN	0
Checksum	2436272
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	pem tenji (pemba tenzi) sherpa
Year of Birth	1963
Year	2003
Age at Expedition	40
Role	Hired

Field	Value
ID	33318
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	EVER03124
Member ID	05
Peak ID	EVER
Year	2003
Season	1
First Name	Da Nima
Last Name	Sherpa
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1972
Calculated Age	30
Citizenship	Nepal
Status	H-A Worker
Residence	Bhakanje, Solukhumbu
Occupation	-
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	True
Sherpa	True
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	True
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	8849
Summit Date 1	2003-05-23
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	1215
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	True
O2 None	False
O2 Climb	True
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	True
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	In C4, to top and in C4
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	1st 8000er
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	5
Summit Term	1
HCN	0
Checksum	2439453
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	da nima sherpa
Year of Birth	1972
Year	2003
Age at Expedition	31
Role	Hired

Field	Value
ID	33319
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	EVER03124
Member ID	07
Peak ID	EVER
Year	2003
Season	1
First Name	Namgya/Namgyal
Last Name	Sherpa
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1971
Calculated Age	31
Citizenship	Nepal
Status	H-A Worker
Residence	Gyabla, Lelep-8, Taplejung
Occupation	-
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	True
Sherpa	True
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	True
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	8849
Summit Date 1	2003-05-23
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	1215
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	True
O2 None	False
O2 Climb	True
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	True
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	In C4, to top and in C4
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	1st 8000er
Necrology	(1971-2022) Died 16 Dec 2022
Summit Bid	5
Summit Term	1
HCN	0
Checksum	2439142
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	namgya/namgyal sherpa
Year of Birth	1971
Year	2003
Age at Expedition	32
Role	Hired

Field	Value
ID	33952
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	EVER03124
Member ID	06
Peak ID	EVER
Year	2003
Season	1
First Name	Karma Gyalzen
Last Name	Sherpa
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	-
Calculated Age	28
Citizenship	Nepal
Status	H-A Worker
Residence	Kurima, Sotang, Solukhumbu
Occupation	-
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	True
Sherpa	True
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	0
Summit Date 1	-
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	0
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	True
Death Date	2003-05-24
Death Time	1930
Death Type	1
Death Height (m)	6000
Death Class	6
AMS	True
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	Died of pulmonary edema near top of Icefall
Member Notes	-
Necrology	(....-2003) Died 24 May 2003 on Everest from pulmonary edema
Summit Bid	1
Summit Term	15
HCN	0
Checksum	-62
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	1
Name (lowercase)	karma gyalzen sherpa
Year of Birth	-
Year	2003
Age at Expedition	-
Role	Hired

9 recorded members.

Name	Sex	Year of Birth	Citizenship	Status	Residence	Occupation
Vincent (Vince) Bousselaire	M	1953	USA	Climber	Denver, Colorado	Church pastor	Details Other expeditions
Gary John Guller	M	1966	USA/UK	Leader	Austin, Texas	Travel agency director	Details Other expeditions
Gary Scott	M	1958	Australia	Deputy Leader	Colorado Springs, Colorado	Alpine guide	Details Other expeditions
Christopher Watkins	M	1959	Canada	Climber	Thunder Bay, Ontario	Barrister	Details Other expeditions
Nima Dawa Sherpa	M	-	Nepal	H-A Worker	Gudel, Solukhumbu	-	Details Other expeditions
Pem Tenji (Pemba Tenzi) Sherpa	M	1963	Nepal	H-A Worker	Sotang, Solukhumbu	-	Details Other expeditions
Da Nima Sherpa	M	1972	Nepal	H-A Worker	Bhakanje, Solukhumbu	-	Details Other expeditions
Namgya/Namgyal Sherpa	M	1971	Nepal	H-A Worker	Gyabla, Lelep-8, Taplejung	-	Details Other expeditions
Karma Gyalzen Sherpa	M	-	Nepal	H-A Worker	Kurima, Sotang, Solukhumbu	-	Details Other expeditions

References

Field	Value
ID	6247
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:36.307770
Expedition ID	EVER03124
Reference ID	01
Year	2003
Type	2
Journal	AAJ
Author	Hawley, Elizabeth
Title	-
Publisher	-
Publication Date	2004
Language	-
Citation	78:403-406 (2004)
Yak 94	-
Notes	-

Field	Value
ID	7644
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:36.307770
Expedition ID	EVER03124
Reference ID	02
Year	2003
Type	5
Journal	-
Author	-
Title	http://www.teameverest03.org
Publisher	-
Publication Date	-
Language	-
Citation	-
Yak 94	-
Notes	-

Field	Value
ID	12004
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:36.307770
Expedition ID	EVER03124
Reference ID	03
Year	2003
Type	5
Journal	-
Author	-
Title	http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12200440300/Asia-Nepal-Malahangur-Asia-Nepal-Khumbu-Mt-Everest-Jubilee-An-Overview-of-Events-on-Everest-50-Years-After-Its-First-Ascent
Publisher	-
Publication Date	-
Language	-
Citation	-
Yak 94	-
Notes	-

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID	Journal	Author	Title	Publisher	Citation	Yak 94
EVER03124	AAJ	Hawley, Elizabeth	-	-	78:403-406 (2004)	-
EVER03124	-	-	http://www.teameverest03.org	-	-	-
EVER03124	-	-	http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12200440300/Asia-Nepal-Malahangur-Asia-Nepal-Khumbu-Mt-Everest-Jubilee-An-Overview-of-Events-on-Everest-50-Years-After-Its-First-Ascent	-	-	-