Everest | 2003 N Col-NE Ridge
A UK expedition to Everest in 2003 via N Col-NE Ridge, led by Nick Arding. Summit reached on 22nd May 2003. 14 members recorded.
Expedition Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| ID | 4285 |
| Imported | 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634 |
| Expedition ID | EVER03137 |
| Peak ID | EVER |
| Year | 2003 |
| Season | 1 |
| Host Country | 2 |
| Route 1 | N Col-NE Ridge |
| Route 2 | - |
| Route 3 | - |
| Route 4 | - |
| Nationality | UK |
| Leaders | Nick Arding |
| Sponsor | Royal Navy & Royal Marines Everest North Ridge 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 | - |
| Approach | Standard |
| Basecamp Date | 2003-04-12 |
| Summit Date | 2003-05-22 |
| Summit Time | 0930 |
| Summit Days | 40 |
| Total Days | 45 |
| Termination Date | 2003-05-27 |
| Termination Reason | 1 |
| Termination Notes | - |
| High Point (m) | 8849 |
| Traverse | False |
| Ski | False |
| Paraglide | False |
| Camps | 3 |
| Fixed Rope (m) | 0 |
| Total Members | 13 |
| Summit Members | 1 |
| Member Deaths | 0 |
| Total Hired | 4 |
| Summit Hired | 1 |
| 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(12/04,5200m),ABC(17/04,6400m),C1(27/04,7050m),C2(05/05,7600m),C3(18/05,8300m),Smt(22/05) |
| Route Notes | BC at 5200m CBC (Intermediate on 15th at 5800m) C1 at 7050m (N Col) Cantrill, Pearce, Chirring Dorje and Nawang Pasang Sherpa left C3 at 23:00 hours (NST) on May 21, summit at 09:30 hours on 22nd by Pearce and Chirring Dorje, stayed about 20 minutes, returned to C3 about 15:30 hours. Cantrill and Nawang returned from Second Step because of frostbite on left hand (ring finger) and tips on right hand and went down to ABC. It was windy about 40 km/h, snowfall, cloudy, poor visibility. Summiters on that day were French and other people. A team of seven people of this expedition helped in rescuing Conan Harrod (British) who broke leg from North Ridge to BC. Provided Sherpa support, oxygen and medical assistance. The expedition had second summit team of three members and a Sherpa for 23rd but had to call off as they had to rescue Conan. 1. Arding - up to 7200m on 23rd as support member 2. Billingsley up to 7800m on 23rd 3. Brown/Dr - up to North Col 4. Cantrill - up to Second Step on 22nd 5. Cummings - up to 7600m on 22nd as support member 6. Francis - up to 7800m on 23rd 7. Mullins - ABC 8. Patterson - 7150m on 23rd as support member 9. Pearce - summit 10 Rearden - 6500m on 23rd 11 Shepherd - 6400m 12 Swift - 7600m on 23rd 13 Wilkinson - 7400m on 23rd as support member The expedition used oxygen with new delivery system developed by "Summit Oxygen Ltd" UK - called demand system (not constant flow). Working from a canister. The consumption of oxygen for summiters was low, 4 liters (2 bottles of 2 liters) from 7600m to summit and back to 7600m. The expedition returned to KTM on May 28 and to leave Nepal on June 02. Sherpa summiters: Tshering/Chhiring Dorje, Beding, 25/10/74, Everest X3, Cho Oyu X3, Manaslu X1 |
| Accidents | Minor frostbite |
| Achievement | 1st ascent of Royal Navy |
| Agency | Himalaya Expeditions |
| 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) | n col-ne ridge |
Members
14 recorded members.
| Name | Sex | Year of Birth | Citizenship | Status | Residence | Occupation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas (Nick) Arding | M | 1961 | UK | Leader | Totnes, Devon, England | Lieutenant colonel in Royal Marines | Details Other expeditions |
| Ian (Bill) Billingsley | M | 1965 | UK | Climber | Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England | Royal Marines mountain leader (sergeant) | Details Other expeditions |
| Andrew (Andy) Brown | M | 1973 | UK | Exp Doctor | Tavistock, Devon, England | Royal Navy surgeon-lieutenant | Details Other expeditions |
| Richard Cantrill | M | 1974 | UK | Climber | Buckfastleigh, Devon, England | Royal Marines captain | Details Other expeditions |
| David Cummings | M | 1970 | UK | Climber | St. Helens, Isle of Wight | Royal Navy weapons & ordinance engineer (lieutenant commander) | Details Other expeditions |
| Gary (Frankie) Francis | M | 1969 | UK | Climber | Taunton, Somerset, England | Royal Marines mountain leader (sergeant) | Details Other expeditions |
| Steve Mullins | M | 1977 | UK | Climber | Exeter, Devon, England | Signaller in Royal Marines (lance corporal) | Details Other expeditions |
| Mark Patterson | M | 1972 | UK | Climber | Plymouth, Devon, England | Royal Marines commando (corporal) | Details Other expeditions |
| David (Dave) Pearce | M | 1964 | UK | Climbing Leader | Budleigh Salterton, Devon, England | Royal Marines warrant officer | Details Other expeditions |
| Richard Rearden | M | 1961 | UK | BC Manager | Barnstaple, Devon, England | Royal Marines landing craft officer (major) | Details Other expeditions |
| Fiona Shepherd | F | 1974 | UK | PR & media manager | Southampton, Hampshire, England | Royal Navy logistics officer (lieutenant) | Details Other expeditions |
| Darren Michael Swift | M | 1973 | UK | Climber | Plymouth, Devon, England | Member of Royal Marines | Details Other expeditions |
| Jake Wilkinson | M | 1966 | UK | Climber | Horton, Somerset, England | Aviation officer | Details Other expeditions |
| Chhiring Dorje Sherpa | M | 1974 | Nepal | H-A Worker | Beding, Dolakha | - | Details Other expeditions |
References
0 recorded references.