Everest | 1984 W Cwm-W Ridge

A New Zealand expedition to Everest in 1984 via W Cwm-W Ridge, led by Peter Hillary. Summit reached on 9th October 1984. 6 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 498
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER84304
Peak ID EVER
Year 1984
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Cwm-W Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality New Zealand
Leaders Peter Hillary
Sponsor New Zealand Everest 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 Australia
Approach Khumbu Valley
Basecamp Date 1984-08-27
Summit Date 1984-10-09
Summit Time -
Summit Days 43
Total Days 49
Termination Date 1984-10-15
Termination Reason 6
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8200m due to fatal accidents
High Point (m) 8200
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 6
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 2
Total Hired 1
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 False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(27/08,5350m),C1(10/09,6000m),C2(14/09,6480m),C3(21/09,7400m),Biv(08/10,7900m),xxx(09/10,8200m)
Route Notes Attempted W Ridge from Western Cwm. Really going strong when all 6 left C3 on 8 Oct for top via C4 biv. On 9th Mackenzie did not join final push so it was 5 for summit. Then winds convinced Nottle and Muir to turn back at 8140m while From and Logan went onto 8200m and then turned back when saw object falling (in case they could help in rescue). Winds were so strong on ridge from top of couloir and lower on ridge as well don't think would have succeeded unless had gone down to BC after 9 Oct and waited a week. C3 was snow cave on Nepal side of ridge about half way between American '63 C3W and C4W. Reached ridge by more direct route than Americans (to American route's right). Not technically difficult route till very last bit and if Hillary had whole mountain to choose route on would go again to this one. Nottle fell about 7:30 am and From one hour later very near same spot. Nottle's body reached on N Face but From's body not seen. P Hillary - 22 Oct 84 We had a very happy trip up to 9th of Oct. Could not have been better acclimatization of all, compatability of members progress excellent. Reached 8200m by From and Logan on 9th. Were climbing solo: all except Mackenzie who stayed at 7900m C4 because not feeling right and weather made it unlikely that summit would be reached. After 2-1/2 hours Nottle, Muir and Hillary decided winds were too high and therefore bitterly cold, decided that chances of reaching top very small, in fact negligible. Winds higher and higher as morning went on. 3 turned back at 8100m shortly after 6:00 am (started 3:30 am) and were descending to C4 when at about 100 linear meters from C4 at about 7:30 am. Nottle fell - no one saw him fall. Muir was first, Hillary 2nd and Nottle came whistling past 1500 ft down N Face towards Rongbuk Glacier. Surmise he somehow tripped - moved in such a way he fell. Hillary went to body at 25,000 ft altitude. Once I found my friend was dead I came back up again. A dangerous slope that would avalanche in next 2-3 days and he would become part of the glacier. From and Logan at 8200m saw something moving down and something therefore wrong and descended. Within 20-30m of where Nottle fell, From fell. A sirdar[?] spot - Logan saw the fall: saw him trip and all saw him fall. Don't know where fell too but presume all way to glacier. Logan said it looked like he stood on hard compact snow disk 3 ft across and it slid out on top of rock and his feet came out from under him and he fell very very fast. Stopped their ascent because saw what appeared to be somebody falling. Was very very cold and sometimes windy. If had gone on up it was a gamble whether would have reached top. Hillary "I'll decide at same appropriate stage" regarding more climbing. "At present just thinking of going home." Excellent relations with all others on Everest. "I don't really like regulations regulating climbing." Regulating breeds more which breeds more problems. I come from a country where I can go to Mt. Cook and don't have to cook anyone. Hillary and Mackenzie's avalanche 29 Sept at about 100m distance from C3 at 7400m 30-40 ft slabs of hardened snow on ridge line heading for the Rongbuk. Had gone out to assess snow conditions and so returned to BC a week and started up on 5th Oct. Roddy had to jump off sideways but Hillary skating and scrabbling for hold. "Many parts of climbing Everest technical difficulty not that great." Slope when accident occured 35-40 degree which is not technically demanding. "A slight lapse in concentration which you cannot afford." "Have not considered guilty climbing." My outdoor activities will change but "I'm sure I'll always go to this mountain." "Brilliant effort": Australians success. Could see same people but not sure who they were, US or Australians. Saw some moving up NE Ridge on 8th. May have had problems with ridge that we were having. "I personally don't give much credence to yeti but if there's a good story lets hear it." Have permit for Kangchenjunga in '86, but I'll decide in due course what to do about it. Shrestha, Tourism - 9 Oct 84 This morning at 2:30 am, 6 members started from 26,000 ft biv, which they reached yesterday - somewhere between biv and summit on W Ridge 2 members fell and were killed. At 7:30 am Nottle fell and From went to search for Nottle and he fell at 8:30 am. Other 4 coming to C2 today. Nottle's body can be seen, From's not seen. Not possible to bring Nottle's body down. Expedition finished. Leave BC within 5-6 days. Shrestha, Tourism - 8 Oct 84 All 6 members reached 26,000 ft today. Intending to make snow cave at 27,000 ft to sleep in tonight and tomorrow to start for top 2:30 am. Shrestha, Tourism - 5 Oct 84 Leader and members know left BC at 3:30 am today to go up. If weather permits will try for top within 5 days. Australian radio man says 5 Oct evening that all 6 members set out from BC today. Shrestha, Tourism - 2 Oct 84 NZ-Australia Everest waiting for Southerly winds to cease. All 3 camps fully stocked with food and fuel. Just waiting for weather changes for push to summit. Above C3 will have biv halfway to top. Shrestha, Tourism - 1 Oct 84 2 members Hillary and Mackenzie had narrow escape with avalanche which checking route above C3. Both climbers jumped to safety. W Ridge route is unsafe and they are waiting for wind change to clear slab from route. Report from Australians radio report today from BC - doesn't say when it happened. Letter from Yogendra - 21 Sept 84 Apart from 3 of us having respiratory illnesses all goes well here. Roddy has returned for C2 and Kim to return tomorrow. The other three propose to establish our C3 snow cave today at 7400m on the West Ridge. The weather has been reasonably good this season, so far. We have not had any trouble with the police and this have enjoyed use of the icefall route throughout the Duch icefall controversy. However Basecamp is hardly "one big happy family" despite the icefall situation being resolved. At present progress the Dutch should summit within the next 2 weeks, we could also but move likely over the next 3 weeks and the Slovaks are moving rapidly up the base of the South Pillar. They are a very experienced and mature team. The US groups have their C1 and C2 well established and have gone trekking until the Dutch have completed their climb. Letter from Yogendra - 17 Sept 1984 Its 2:30 am and I leave for my 3rd trip up the icefall shortly. We'll stay up on the mountain for the next 2 weeks while we established C1, C2 and C3 at an estimated height of 24,500 ft. Everyone is well. The politics at BC had been unprecedented in my knowledge. Double side by side, ladders in the icefall due to Dutch Police clash and Dick Bass incident is now openly summit oriented. The Slovaks don't agree amongst themselves what they want to climb - Russian route, Polish route or what so on. The Dutch have until the 5th Oct to climb the mountain before the Dick Bass team will begin its climb. Murray, Nicoll and I spent out a week in Khunde before moving or up valley to BC which we reached on the 27th August. Although I had planned to ascend the icefall today, due to the continuing tensions between the Police team and the Dutch we have decided to "side-line" for a while as we are not large enough to make easy work of the icefall alone. The Police/US team has established C1, yesterday I think it was and plan to put in C2 during the next few days. The Dutch are still emphatic that the Police must withdraw by the 15th Sept and now the Police are coming down with "we want to stay on and climb it."
Accidents Slab avalanche nearly caught Hillary and MacKenzie near C3; From and Nottle killed in separate falls from same point during summit attempt
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2448102
Year 1984
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w cwm-w ridge

Members

6 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
William Robert (Fred) From M 1956 Australia Climber St. Lucia, QLD, Australia Physicist Details Other expeditions
Peter Edmund Hillary M 1954 New Zealand Leader Auckland, New Zealand Alpinist & ski instructor Details Other expeditions
Kim Logan M 1952 New Zealand Climber Queenstown, New Zealand Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Roderick (Roddy) MacKenzie M 1962 Australia Climber Ararat, Victoria, Australia Farm worker Details Other expeditions
John Robert Muir M 1961 Australia Climber Figtreee, NSW, Australia Gardener Details Other expeditions
Craig Rupert Nottle M 1961 Australia Climber Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Student, medical Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER84304 AAJ Cheney, Michael J. & Hawley, Elizabeth - - 59:265 (1985) -
EVER84304 MM - - - 102:12 (Mar 1985) -
EVER84304 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198526501/Asia-Nepal-Everest-Attempt-and-Tragedy - - -