Everest | 1966 N Col (training, recon)

A China expedition to Everest in 1966 via N Col (training, recon), led by Xu Jing. 3 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2757
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER66101
Peak ID EVER
Year 1966
Season 1
Host Country 2
Route 1 N Col (training, recon)
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality China
Leaders Xu Jing
Sponsor -
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 -
Basecamp Date -
Summit Date -
Summit Time -
Summit Days 0
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 6
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8100 due to fatal fall
High Point (m) 8100
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 5
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 20
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 60
Summit Hired 0
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(5120m),C1(5000m),C2(5500m),C3(5900m),C4(6500m),C5(7030m),xxx(8100m)
Route Notes Ad Carter - Aug 3, 1993 The leader of the 1964 and 1966 Chinse Everest teams was Xu Jin. Samdrup, Wang Jia & letter from TMA - March 1993 Ma Gao-Shu, a soldier in the Tibet Military Command, in May 1966 reached a campsite at 7790m, and in his descent lost his footing when was at 7450m and fell to his death. He was buried in the Xigazi (Shigatse) Cemetary of Revolutionary Martyrs. Following the West's doubts about the success of the Chinese ascent of Everest in 1960, there would be another expedition in 1967. They would climb to the summit and would also carry out other assignments including determining the exact height of Everest. In preparation for this, teams would go to Everest in 1964 and 1966. The climbing in all three years would in general be the same as that followed in 1960 and by their British predecessors: to the North Col and from there to the North Ridge. The spring 1964 party was composed of about 20 climbers who were led by either Shi Zhang-Chun, the leader in 1960, or Xu Jin. Their tasks were to determine the exact climbing route, carry up supplies of oxygen for the final ascent, and demonstrate their climbing abilities to the selectors of the 1967 team. Six or seven in this party reached a high point of 8100m. The group who went to Everest in 1966 were an entirely different sort. Instead of being mountaineers as in 1964, these were mostly soldiers with no climbing experience who were now ordered to go to the mountain by the leaders of the Cultural Revolution, which was in its early phase. There were 60 altogether, 20 of whom were to do serious climbing while the rest were to conduct scientific research up to about 6500m. They got to a high point of a campsite at 7790m but were not capable of going any higher. Then the Cultural Revolution took a different line and all further mountaineering was suspended.
Accidents 1 confirmed dead in fall; rumored many others dead (24?) because of insufficient equipment and reliance on Mao thoughts
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2056
Year 1966
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) n col (training, recon)

Members

3 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Gao-Shu Ma M - China Climber - Soldier in Tibet Military Command Details Other expeditions
Jing Xu M 1927 China Leader - - Details Other expeditions
Rinchen Phuntsok (Rinchen Phinzo) M 1943 China Climber Lhunze Dzong, Tibet, China - Details Other expeditions

References

7 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER66101 AAJ Guha, Kamal K. - - 42:211 (1968) -
EVER66101 AJ - - - 73:248-249 (Nov 1968) -
EVER66101 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 68:275 (1994) -
EVER66101 - China A Photographic Record of the Mount Jolmo Lungma Scientific Expedition Science Press, Peking - 1977
EVER66101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199427500/Asia-Tibet-Everest-More-on-Earlier-Chinese-Expeditions - - -
EVER66101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12196821101/Asia-Tibet-Mount-Everest - - -
EVER66101 - - https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1968_files/AJ%201968%20245-254%20Expeditions.pdf - - -