Everest | 1986 N Face (Great Couloir)

A USA expedition to Everest in 1986 via N Face (Great Couloir), led by Joe Murphy. Summit reached on 29th April 1986. 11 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 432
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER86101
Peak ID EVER
Year 1986
Season 1
Host Country 2
Route 1 N Face (Great Couloir)
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Joe Murphy
Sponsor 1986 US Everest N 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 -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1986-03-19
Summit Date 1986-04-29
Summit Time -
Summit Days 41
Total Days 67
Termination Date 1986-05-25
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7775m due to bad weather, avalanche danger and expiration of permit
High Point (m) 7775
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 5
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 11
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
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(19/03),C1(Mar,5670m),C2(Mar,6100m),C3(Mar,6250m),C4(19/04,7160m),C5(29/04,7775m),xxx(May,7775m)
Route Notes BC at road at foot of Rongbuk Glacier C3 at main Rongbuk Glacier north of North Face C4 on North Face High point at C5. Major route problems: bergschrund at foot of face and 600m of blue ice. 1986 US Everest North Face Expedition (received Aug 1986 from Al Read who received this from leader) The 1986 US Everest North Face expedition reached 25,500 ft in its attempt to make the second ascent of the Great Couloir of the North Face of Mt Everest. Bad weather, avalanche danger and exhaustion delayed and then ended the team's attempt to place the last camp (C6) and a try for the summit after its time expired. The eleven member team reached Lhasa by air on March 9 and BC at the foot of the Rongbuk Glacier by jeep and truck on March 19. C1 was established a week later and C2 (20,000) and C3 (20,500) on the main Rongbuk Glacier north of the North Face by late March. The route from the foot of the face to C4 (23,500 ft) was obstructed by a bergschrund at the start and made more difficult by 2000 ft of blue ice. Spring conditions differed considerably from the Styrofoam-like snow in the fall of 1984 when the Australian team made the first direct ascent of the couloir. The team spent a month placing 18 fixed ropes before occupying C4 on April 19 and another three weeks putting up C5. After 5 attempts to establish the last camp, the time expired and the team turned back, reaching BC on May 24 and Lhasa two days later. Apart from one climber who suffered frostbitten fingers and had to return, a case of snowblindness, and much respiratory sickness early in March and early April, the members of the expedition were generally healthy. The expedition members were Todd Bibler, Carlos Buhler, Dana Coffield, Mark Jenkins, Doug Kelley, Andy Lapkass, Michael Lehner, Joe Murphy, Sandy Stewart, Ann Whitehouse and Brinton Young.
Accidents 1 frostbite, 1 snowblindness
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2448671
Year 1986
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n face (great couloir)

Members

11 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Todd Douglas Bibler M 1952 USA Climber Boulder, Colorado Tent designer Details Other expeditions
Carlos Paltenghe Rockhold Buhler M 1954 USA Climber Bellingham, Washington Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Dana Quentin Coffield M 1958 USA Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Mark David Jenkins M 1958 USA Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Douglas A. Kelley M - USA Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Andrew Atis (Andy) Lapkass M 1958 USA Climber Ukiah, California Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Michael C. Lehner M - USA Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Joseph E. Murphy M - USA Leader Minneapolis, Minnesota Retired banker Details Other expeditions
Alexander (Sandy) Stewart M 1952 USA Climber Boulder, Colorado Photographer Details Other expeditions
Ann (Annie) Whitehouse F 1956 USA Climber Boulder, Colorado Nurse Details Other expeditions
Brinton Young M - USA Climber - - Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER86101 AAJ Murphy, Joseph E. - - 61:299 (1987) -
EVER86101 MM - - - 111:11 (Sep 1986) -
EVER86101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198729901/Asia-China-Everest-North-Face-Attempt - - -