Everest | 1986 N Face (Japanese & Hornbein Couloirs)

A Switzerland expedition to Everest in 1986 via N Face (Japanese & Hornbein Couloirs), led by Erhard Loretan. Summit reached on 30th August 1986. 6 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 439
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER86202
Peak ID EVER
Year 1986
Season 2
Host Country 2
Route 1 N Face (Japanese & Hornbein Couloirs)
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Switzerland
Leaders Erhard Loretan
Sponsor Everest 1986 The Third Pole and Qomolongma Expedition (combi)
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 74th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries France
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1986-08-01
Summit Date 1986-08-30
Summit Time 1400
Summit Days 29
Total Days 35
Termination Date 1986-09-05
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8849
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 6
Summit Members 2
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 LowBC(5200m),BC(5500m),ABC(earlyAug,5850m),Biv1(29/08,7800m),Biv2(30/08,8200m),Smt(30/08)
Route Notes Low BC at high point ABC just below Changtse Ridge on Main Rongbuk Glacier Biv in snow cave below Hornbein Couloir [at 7800m in ascent] Biv in snow cave [at 8200m in descent]. Troillet had wanted to do solo ascent of Hornbein Couloir and Loretan and Beghin wanted to climb Great Couloir, but heavy snowfall in Aug made them decide to climb together to make track. Climbed nearly same route as Japanese 1980. Beghin set out for summit with Loretan and Troillet but was defeated in two attempts by sleepiness and got no higher than 8300m. Ascent from ABC 5800m 11 pm 28 Aug to 2:00 pm 30 Aug - 39 hours. Beghin - 17 Sept 86 Troillet wanted 1st solo Hornbein and Beghin and Loretan wanted to go up Great Couloir but Aug bad weather (heavy snowfall) and all 3 decided to go on same route to make track. 3 climbing members only went to Hornbein direct nearly same as Japanese 1980 route. 3 went together from ABC to 7800m, where made snow cave and in couloir Beghin too sleepy and return to cave while they other 2 went to top. Met again at cave. Same day as they returned, Beghin started in evening alone but at 8300m at 11 pm in Hornbein again sleepy and returned to cave (which was empty) and slept there and next morning to ABC at 5800m just below Changtse ridge on Main Rangbuk Glacier. BC at 5500m where Jeeps stop. No Sherpas, oxygen, no ropes at all, no sleeping bags on summit push. No accidents. No idea why Beghin so sleepy except were climbing at night to avoid avalanching. Hornbein not difficult but lower part of face very dangerous from avalanches says Beghin. 28 Aug 3 started from ABC 5800m at 11:00 pm 29 Aug reached cave 7800m at 11:00 am left cave 8:00 pm 30 Aug 2 arrive summit 2:30 pm 2 arrive cave [at 8200m] 7:00 pm 2 arrive ABC 7:00 pm and slept there Beghin took 2 hours from cave to ABC following day as rapid descents possible when much loose snow. ABC (1 tent) established early August but most acclimatization and waiting for good weather at BC. Left BC 5 Sept. Loretan - 25 Sept 86 Everest Aug 1986 took no tent and sleeping bag. Took shovel for snow caving and climbed during cold hours, rested in warm hours by climbing at night. BC to BC 41 hours but risk is greater. If altitude illness or broken leg, finished with only 2 people with only 2 people in this technique. This very light alpine-style makes possible more difficult routes and longer traverses can be done on 8000ers. Graf - 30 July 86 Loretan, his girl friend Nicole, Troillet and Beghin at BC 2 weeks now already. N Face to Lho La to SW Face arriving bottom of Khumbu Icefall in Sept/early Oct if HMG agreed, but apparently did not, since some gear they would have sent for Nepal side has not turned up. Erhard Loretan (interview: 24 Sept 86) Exactly 41 hours from BC to the summit of Everest and back to BC. 28 Aug 11 pm: "we climb all the night until 11 am 29 Aug at 7000m and at this place we make a small snow cave and we spend the afternoon drinking a lot and eating, no sleep and at a 9 pm, we start again and go to 8200m; it was very cold and we made another snow cave and we rested for three hours (from 2 am to 5 am). We stay one hour, 20 minutes, at the top and then we go down in three hours." "From the first snow cave at 7800m to the second snow cave at 8200m, I was very tired. After that, I felt fine." For me it would have been better to go almost non-stop. Spend an hour two in the snow cave for drinking, and then go non-stop.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2448794
Year 1986
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n face (japanese & hornbein couloirs)

Members

6 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Annie Beghin F 1948 France Climber Le Sappey-en-Chartreuse, Isere, France Housewife Details Other expeditions
Pierre Beghin M 1951 France Climber Le Sappey-en-Chartreuse, Isere, France Engineer Details Other expeditions
Erhard Loretan M 1959 Switzerland Leader Fribourg, Switzerland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Nicole Catherine Isabelle Niquille F 1956 Switzerland Member Fribourg, Switzerland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Jean Fernand Troillet M 1948 Switzerland Climber Orsieres, Valais, Switzerland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Sandro Godio M - Switzerland Climber - - Details Other expeditions

References

6 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER86202 AAJ Beghin, Pierre - - 61:302-304 (1987) -
EVER86202 - Beghin, Pierre Passion d'Himalayas Editions Glenat, Grenoble - B234
EVER86202 MM - - - 111:11 (Sep 1986) -
EVER86202 MM - - - 112:10 (Nov 1986) -
EVER86202 CAJ Troillet, Jean Everest...The Fast Way - 70:16-18 (1987) -
EVER86202 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198730200/Asia-China-Everest-The-Hornbein-Couloir-Direct-from-Tibet - - -