Everest | 1985 W Ridge-N Arete-N Face (to 7420m)

A New Zealand expedition to Everest in 1985 via W Ridge-N Arete-N Face (to 7420m), led by Austin Brookes. Summit reached on 23rd September 1985. 14 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 427
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER85301
Peak ID EVER
Year 1985
Season 3
Host Country 2
Route 1 W Ridge-N Arete-N Face (to 7420m)
Route 2 N Face (left of Great Couloir) (to 7315m)
Route 3 N Face-N Ridge (to 7315m)
Route 4 -
Nationality New Zealand
Leaders Austin Brookes
Sponsor New Zealand-Australian Everest - Autumn 1985
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, UK
Approach from Lhasa by road to BC
Basecamp Date 1985-08-05
Summit Date 1985-09-23
Summit Time -
Summit Days 49
Total Days 65
Termination Date 1985-10-09
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7315m due to strong winds
High Point (m) 7315
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 14
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
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(05-06/08,5250m),ABC(15-16/08,5821m),C1(20/08,6248m); W-Ridge.C2(03,05/09,6700m),C3(08/09,6900m)xxx(10/09,7240m); N-Face-xxx(23/09,7315m) (see route notes)
Route Notes BC closest to snout of glacier (Central Main Rongbuk) ABC at Central Rongbuk near small lake C1 opposite Lho La at northern cwm C2 right of arete C3 at snow slope above arete High point on North Face. Attemped 3 routes from the north. First tried to reach West Ridge via a north arete, then a line on North Face left of Great Couloir, and finally on North Face farther left again to North Ridge. Attempt on first route (W Ridge via N arete), abandoned because of severe avalanching, which swept gear away. 1st route: BC(05/08,5250m),ABC(15/08,5820m),C1(20/08,6250m),C1.8(6780m),C2(03/09,6700m), C3(08/09,6900m),xxx(10/09,7240m) Second route (N Face left of Great Couloir) also abandoned after avalanching, and most members by now had stopped climbing. 2nd route: BC(05/08,5250m),ABC(15/08,5820m),C1(20/08,6250m),C2(20/09,6850m), C3(22/09,7240m),xxx(23/09,7315m) On third route (N Face to N Ridge), very brief attempt abandoned with no net altitude gain achieved; climbers pinned down in C3 for three nights by strong winds, and they retreated via N Col route established by Japanese team. 3rd route: BC(05/08,5250m),ABC(15/08,5820m),C1(20/08,6250m),C2(20/09,6850m), C3(06/10,7315m),xxx(06/10,7315m) From C1 traversed by ski to base of arrete, dump made there and camp called C1.8 established on shelf by Rheinberger and Bruce at 22,250 ft with fixed rope to it - tent at C1.8, too dangerous for permanent camp. True C2 (slightly lower than C1.8) in a crevasse. Until now early Sept unsettled weather with frequent snowfall. Night that C2 was established severe avalanche down arrete went over C2 (taking a bit of equipment) and C1.8 completely taken away. Huge slab avalanche buried 2 members in snow cave of C3 but were dug out. This caused complete change of plans because of avalanche danger from constant avalanche activity. Abandoned route and went for N Face left of Great C Couloir. To 20 Sept made new C2 high in North Cwm at 22,500 ft and C3 at 23,750 ft on N Face occupied about 22 Sept by Farmer, Bruce, Andrews and Van Noorden. Weather again bad and Andrews developing edema, set off an avalanche in descent while Bruce infected liver. Andrews severe frostbite and evacuated to NZ. Had now lost 5 tents and 5 sleeping bags and 2 members at this time and Allen bad tooth. Doctor busy. 2 more decided to leave, Brooks bad stomach = 7 left, and then 2 more left, so by Oct 6 only 5 willing and able to have another go and yaks due Oct 12. On 6 Oct climbed face left of previous route to 24,000 ft where put 2 tents - bad weather meant 3 nights there in high winds. 9 Oct traversed left to N Ridge and down to N Col where met Japanese N Col route. Descended from Col into East Rongbuk Glacier to Japanese C3 where spent night of 9 Oct. On 10th on down to BC. Reinberger, Farmer, Norman, Anderson and Van Noorden were these remaining 5 climbers. Left BC 12 Oct and back to Lhasa and on eastward. Maximum altitudes: Route 1 - 23,750 ft crest of W Ridge above C3 on top of shoulder triggered huge slab avalanche on about 10 Sept Route 2 - 24,000 ft by members who had established C3 on about 23 Sept Route 3 - 24,000 ft- 6 Oct Had small supply of oxygen (7 cylinders) for possible summit bid that never got higher than C1. 14 members: Austin Brooks, leader; Bruce Farmers, deputy leader Michael Rheinberger and Peter Allen, Australians Dick Price, doctor Stephen Bruce, Hugh Van Noorden, Graeme Dingle, Mike Andrews, Michael Perry, Warwick Anderson, Rob Blackbourne, Ross Cullen and Shaun Norman Gabites (NZ Ama Dablam) - 12 Nov 85 W Ridge: got to top of shoulder and 3 camps avalanched. Mike Perry and Warick Anderson were digging snow cave and got buried - mid-to-late Sept. N Face to N Col and Australian route. Reached C3 about 23,000 ft. Mike Andrews got sick and avalanche conditions led them to give this up but went on up to Col and thence to N Ridge. Got to 24,000 ft, ran out of time and energy and bad snow conditions and abandoned entire climb 8 Oct. US visitor to NZ Everest BC - 3 Oct 85 NZ Everest were avalanched off W Shoulder sometime between 5 and 10 Sept. No one injured but 2 members had to be dug out. Then shifted route to N Face east of of Hornbein Couloir and planned summit bid for about 26 Sept. New Zealand Everest, Autumn 1985 Graeme Dingle Dick Price Shaun Norman Total 12 climbers and 1 BC mgr Left NZ late July By early Sept were at C2 on West Shoulder Route up Hornbein from West Shoulder Took oxygen with them to China and "masses of fixed rope" Shambu Tamang, Spanish-Nepal Everest North Col-North Face exped - 28 Sept 85 NZ Everest expedition was attempting West Shoulder from North while Tamang's team were climbing - were an autumn expedition.
Accidents Andrews altitude sickness and severely frostbitten fingers; Bruce liver infection; Allen infected tooth
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2448452
Year 1985
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) w ridge-n arete-n face (to 7420m)

Members

14 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Peter Stuart Allen M 1950 Australia Climber Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia Urban planner Details Other expeditions
Warwick Anderson M 1953 New Zealand Climber Greymouth, New Zealand Secondary school teacher Details Other expeditions
Michael (Mike) Andrews M 1946 New Zealand Climber - National park official Details Other expeditions
Rob Blackbourne M 1946 New Zealand Climber - Dentist Details Other expeditions
Austin Brookes M 1937 New Zealand/Australia Leader Invercargill, New Zealand School principal Details Other expeditions
Steve Alistair Bruce M 1959 New Zealand Climber Wellington, New Zealand Police officer Details Other expeditions
Ross Cullen M 1948 New Zealand Climber Dunedin, New Zealand Economist Details Other expeditions
Graeme Dingle M 1945 New Zealand Climber - Writer & businessman Details Other expeditions
Bruce Douglas Farmer M 1947 New Zealand/Australia Deputy Leader Invercargill, New Zealand Metallurgist Details Other expeditions
Shaun Michael Norman M 1943 UK Climber Twizel, Canterbury, New Zealand Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Michael (Mike) Perry M 1956 New Zealand Climber Christchurch, New Zealand Alpine guide & commercial photographer Details Other expeditions
Richard Desmond (Dick) Price M 1947 New Zealand Exp Doctor Timaru, New Zealand Physician Details Other expeditions
Michael Anthony Rheinberger M 1940 Australia Climber Parkville, Victoria, Australia Electrical engineer Details Other expeditions
Hugh Van Noorden M 1959 New Zealand Climber - Primary school teacher Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER85301 AAJ Brookes, Austin - - 60:298 (1986) -
EVER85301 - Dingle, Graeme & Perry, Mike Chomolungma, New Zealanders on the North Face of Everest Hodder & Stoughton, Auckland, NZ - D249
EVER85301 MM - - - 110:9 (Jul 1986) -
EVER85301 NZAJ Perry, Mike Qomolungma 1985 - 39:49-56 (1986) -
EVER85301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198629801/Asia-China-Everest-Attempt - - -