Everest | 2003 N Face (Japanese & Hornbein Couloirs)

A USA expedition to Everest in 2003 via N Face (Japanese & Hornbein Couloirs), led by Stephen Koch. Summit reached on 10th September 2003. 5 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 4365
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER03201
Peak ID EVER
Year 2003
Season 2
Host Country 2
Route 1 N Face (Japanese & Hornbein Couloirs)
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Stephen Koch
Sponsor 2003 American Comolangma 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 By road KTM to BC
Basecamp Date 2003-07-22
Summit Date 2003-09-10
Summit Time -
Summit Days 50
Total Days 54
Termination Date 2003-09-14
Termination Reason 5
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7000m due to bad snow conditions
High Point (m) 7000
Traverse False
Ski True
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 3
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 2
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used False
O2 None True
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken True
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits Climbed Changzheng (Aug 6 and 18)
Campsites BC(22/07),ABC(27/07,5600m),C1(31/07,5900m),C2(08/09,6200m),xxx(10/09,7000m)
Route Notes BC normal Chinese BC ABC Central Rongbuk 54 miles from foot of face C1 5900m 2 miles from base of face C2 8 Sept 6200m near base of face High point in Japanese Couloir (near the top). Tried to climb without C2 on 29 Aug. Before that acclimatized by climbing Changzheng (6970m) north of Changtse twice: Koch and Chin to top on 6 Aug and all 3 on 18 Aug (skied down both times and snowboarded down by Koch both times and Henderson skied down). On 29 Aug Koch, Chin and Lhakpa Dorje and Kami and got only to base of face at 6250m, where snow knee-deep, wind blast, and four falling seracs turned them around, so back to ABC 29 Aug and BC 30 Aug. Up again to C1 on 7 Sept to C2 on 8th (C2 at 6200m) by all 3 members and both Sherpas. 9th 11:00 pm Koch, Chin and 2 Sherpas left C2 and climbed all night in increasingly deep snow; intended to get to 7800m by 11:00 am on 10th, but snow increasingly deep and they knew would take too long to get to this place, where only biv site available, so at 7000m at 8:30 am turned down to C2: Koch snowboarded down to C2 while Chin and Sherpas climbed down and reached C2 at 11:00 am. Now climb finished - tired. Summit weather window had opened and they made their attempt, then window closed again with wind from north and decided weather not going to get better and snow deep. Koch would like to go again via same route and complete his 7 summits snowboard descents. Sherpas: Kami (Everest X2) Lhakpa Dorje (Everest 1996 spring with Breashears)
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Everest Parivar
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2458991
Year 2003
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n face (japanese & hornbein couloirs)

Members

5 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
James Kuo-Wei (Jimmy) Chin M 1973 USA Climber Jackson, Wyoming Photographer Details Other expeditions
Eric J. Henderson M 1973 USA BC Manager Victor, Idaho Skiing guide & chef Details Other expeditions
Stephen A. Koch M 1968 USA Leader Jackson, Wyoming Alpine guide & professional snowboard alpinist Details Other expeditions
Lhakpa Dorje Sherpa M 1965 Nepal H-A Worker Chitre, Sotang, Solukhumbu - Details Other expeditions
Kami Sherpa M 1978 Nepal H-A Worker Jantarkhani, Okhaldhunga - Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER03201 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 78:427 (2004) -
EVER03201 HIGH - - - 265:55 (Dec 2004) -
EVER03201 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12200442701/Asia-Tibet-Himalaya-Everest-Summer-Attempt-to-Ski-and-Snowboard-the-Mountain - - -