Everest | 2003 E Ridge

A UK expedition to Everest in 2003 via E Ridge, led by Ian Woodall. Summit reached on 3rd May 2003. 3 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 4293
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER03145
Peak ID EVER
Year 2003
Season 1
Host Country 2
Route 1 E Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality UK
Leaders Ian Woodall
Sponsor Everest NE Face 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 S Africa
Approach Tingri & Kharta by road and 6 days trek through snow to BC
Basecamp Date 2003-04-15
Summit Date 2003-05-03
Summit Time -
Summit Days 18
Total Days 43
Termination Date 2003-05-28
Termination Reason 10
Termination Notes Abandoned at 5800m due to lack of manpower
High Point (m) 5800
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 2
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 1
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical True
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(15/04,5300m),ABC(02/05,5550m),xxx(03/05,5800m)
Route Notes BC at 5300m, last moraine field (lake east of foot of East Ridge) ABC at Kangchung Glacier moraine High point at 5800m, 200m below top of ramp to East Ridge. Slowed badly by lack of manpower with only 1 Sherpa and 2 members. From BC saw massive avalanching of hanging seracs and changed idea of where to climb because only possible to climb in fast alpine-style non-stop climb. Decided only safe option was to try East Ridge. ABC was 4 km straight line from BC at bottom of South Face of start of ridge 40m walk from bottom of climb up snow ramp. Both sections of powder snow knee-deep on top of hard ice and could not manage with gear at disposal to fix routes and as temperature warmed up, crevasses widened needing ladders as in icefall. Winds half destroyed BC 3 May and had to go back down to recover. Ian and Gyalzen went back to route. Ang Gyalzen fell into crevasse but got out; later Woodall collapsed with acute respiratory problem at 5700m; Ang Gyalzen had to support Woodall to BC and out of oxygen through night of 11 May. Loss of altitude helped so no question of resuming climb. Had reached high point on 3 May (O'Dowd and Ang Gyalzen while Woodall was behind carrying gear); stopped at 5800m because becoming very steep and needed to fix route and this unable to do). O'Dowd having back problems carrying loads so did not join return to climb of 11 May. Then Woodall collapsed and too risky for him to return to climb. Yaks booked for 29 May and jeep for 1 June, so stayed in BC watching snowfall and did clear route during this time. BC far from mountain because yaks could go no further in deep snow. They will not go back to Everest again.
Accidents Woodall serious breathing problem
Achievement -
Agency Sherpa Cooperative Trekking (SCT)
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2458861
Year 2003
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) e ridge

Members

3 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Catherine (Cathy) O'Dowd M 1968 S Africa Climber La Massana, Andorra Professional speaker and writer Details Other expeditions
Ian Woodall M 1956 UK Leader La Massana, Andorra Professional speaker and writer Details Other expeditions
Ang Gyalzen (Ang Geljen, Rinji) Sherpa M 1973 Nepal H-A Worker Kharikhola, Solukhumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER03145 HIGH - - - 256:71 (Mar 2004) -
EVER03145 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 78:403-406 (2004) -
EVER03145 - - http://www.cathyodowd.com/ev2003.html - - -
EVER03145 - - 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 - - -