Everest | 1986 S Col-SE Ridge

A Switzerland expedition to Everest in 1986 via S Col-SE Ridge, led by Fredy Graf. Summit reached on 25th September 1986. 27 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 443
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER86302
Peak ID EVER
Year 1986
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Col-SE Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Switzerland
Leaders Fredy Graf
Sponsor Swiss Eiselin Sport Himalaya 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 Argentina, Denmark, France, Netherlands, UK, W Germany
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1986-08-22
Summit Date 1986-09-25
Summit Time -
Summit Days 34
Total Days 53
Termination Date 1986-10-14
Termination Reason 9
Termination Notes Abandoned due to prearrangement of yaks dismantle BC on preset date
High Point (m) 8763
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 25
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 16
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 1
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 Lhotse (permit, but not attempted) (LHOT-863-02)
Campsites BC(22/08,5400m),C1(28/08,6100m),C2(04/09,6400m),C3(09/09,7400m),C4(24/09,8000m),xxx(25/09,8763m)
Route Notes BC at usual site C1 at top of Icefall C2 on Western Cwm C3 on Lhotse Face C4 at South Col High point at South Summit. 25th Sept summit bid by Graf, Koenig, Naar, Chuldim Dorje from C4; Naar to 8300-8400m without oxygen, then turned back exhausted; other 3 using O2 reached S Summit, turned back in waist-deep powder snow at 4:30 pm and returned to C4 that evening. 26th to C4 Weber, Burkhardt, Monnart for summit bid accompanied by 2 [Sherpas] to Col only. 27th, 3 men tried for summit to 8650m; 28th Burkhardt killed by avalanche (while descending Lhotse Face) while other 3 down to C2. 4 Oct Graf, Naar, Burgess, Koenig, B. Muller and his wife from BC to C2, but snowstorm sent them back to BC 5 Oct. 13th Oct Graf, Naar and Burgess up from BC, Graf to C3, other 2 stopped at C2. Back to C2 on 14th Oct because of wind and new snowfall. BC evacuated at 17th Oct by prearrangement the yaks, so Graf must go to BC and others see no chance of Everest success. Naar - 19 Oct 1986 Naar to 8600m with Graf, Koenig and Sherpa on 25th Sept (other 3 to South Summit). 27th Sept to 8600m - 3 Swiss Weber, Burkhardt, Monerat; Escoffier behind them. 6 Oct to C2 only 13 " Graf and Naar to about 7500m, back because wind 14 " Escoffier and Beghin to 7500m, worse wind Zehnder - 15 Oct 1986 Graf, Koenig, Naar and Chuldim Sherpa (21) tried for summit about 24 Sept. Naar to 8450m and feared frostbite and down. Other 3 to South Summit and back because too late (4:00 pm) and much deep snow. Had been very quick at first but deep snow when reached ridge. Burkhardt, Weber, Monnerat (and Escoffier) on 27th to 8500-8600m and turned back because deep snow and late and oxygen finishing. Escoffier not breaking trail at all and down to C3 same day. 28th others left C4 Col and had week avalanches crossing yellow band. Burkhardt hit by bigger avalanche between band and C3 (C3 in seracs towards right of face at about 7300m). Then heavy snowfall and no more summit attempts. 5 Oct up to C2 and down again when snowfall resumed. 4 Oct worked on Icefall route and Sherpa killed by serac collapse which sent him into crevasse. Still hoping for Everest summit: Graf Burgess Koenig Bernard Muller Lawrence de la Ferriere Naar Uranga (Raul) Leave BC about 18 Oct = end of expedition No attempt for Lhotse summit at all Chances of success after 1st of Oct very small. Graf has same frostbite. Accident of Dr. Simon Burkhardt/Switzerland 27/9/86 - 3 members climbed to the South Ridge at Everest south wall, and turned at an altitude of 8650m at 1200 hours and then they climbed back to camp 4, where they slept a second night on 8000m. 28/9/86 - Because of fog and storm, the 3 members started at 0900 direction 1000 they reached 6- SP made fotos and the weather was very good and windy. 1100 the first which climbed down direction of Yellow Band was Raymond Monnerat, 44, followed by Peter Weber, 44, an architect, both from Switzerland, the third was Dr. Simon Burkhardt. At this time a big powder avalanche from the Lhotse couloir overspoiled Peter and Raymond. They survived this avalance and continued the way to the C3. 1115 Raymond and Peter reached C3 by running for their life. 1130 Simon was at that time at the Yellow Band and crossed the last few meters under the Lhotse wall to C3. A first powder avalanche covered him, but he could go on. 1145 avalanche killed him. He was hanging in the fixed rope. His neck was hit by a ice piece. 1500 the 2 members with 5 other from C3 went to C2 where 6 Sherpas were waiting them. 29/9/86 - Celebration at the BC for Simon
Accidents Burkhardt killed Sep 28 by avalanche descending Lhotse Face; Gyalu Sherpa killed Oct 4 by falling seracs which buried him in icefall
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2448820
Year 1986
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) s col-se ridge

Members

27 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Alan Burgess M 1948 UK Climber Huddersfield, W Yorkshire, England Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Simon Burkhardt M 1934 Switzerland Exp Doctor Muri, Bern, Switzerland Physician Details Other expeditions
Didier Cour M 1957 France Climber Le Plessis Robinson, Hauts-de-Seine, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Fredy Graf M 1936 Switzerland Leader Zurich, Switzerland Architect Details Other expeditions
Thomas Hartmann M 1960 W Germany Climber Germering, Bavaria, W Germany Salesman, musical instruments Details Other expeditions
Alan Hunt M 1940 UK Climber Downe, Kent, England Owner, sports gym Details Other expeditions
Christoph Peter Jezler M 1940 Switzerland Climber Meilen, Zurich, Switzerland Attorney Details Other expeditions
Rudolf Julier M 1955 Switzerland Climber Ernen, Valais, Switzerland Alpine guide & ski instructor Details Other expeditions
Serge Koenig M 1958 France Climber Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Martin Lochstampfer M 1949 Switzerland Climber Luzern, Switzerland Organ maker Details Other expeditions
Theo Mayer M 1935 W Germany Climber Gardena, California Printer Details Other expeditions
Raymond Monnerat M 1942 Switzerland Climber Moutier, Bern, Switzerland Salesman, sports equipment Details Other expeditions
Bernard Roger Muller M 1952 France Climber Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Jean Mueller M 1950 Switzerland Climber Moutier, Bern, Switzerland Architect Details Other expeditions
Ronald Naar M 1955 Netherlands Climber Hague, Netherlands Photographer & writer Details Other expeditions
Andreas Reinhard M 1950 Switzerland Climber Horw, Luzern, Switzerland Gardener Details Other expeditions
Mario Rizzi M 1956 Switzerland Climber Raron, Valais, Switzerland Electrician Details Other expeditions
Christian Schlegel M 1961 Switzerland Climber Sevelen, St. Gallen, Switzerland Student, medical Details Other expeditions
Chuldim Dorje Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions
Gyalu Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions
Georges Stephane Sichap M 1948 France Climber Gaillard, Haute-Savoie, France Hydraulic engineer Details Other expeditions
Frede Toxvaerd M 1941 Denmark Climber Vipprod, Denmark Fisherman Details Other expeditions
Raul Uranga M 1941 Argentina Climber Versoix, Switzerland - Details Other expeditions
Peter Weber M 1942 Switzerland Climber Wald, Zurich, Switzerland Architect Details Other expeditions
Till Werner M 1943 W Germany Climber Gaggenau, Baden-Wuerttemberg, W Germany Physician Details Other expeditions
Claude Zehnder M 1962 Switzerland Climber Wallisellen, Zurich, Switzerland Student, economics Details Other expeditions
Laurence Gautier De La Ferriere F 1957 France Climber Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France Owner/manager of adventure travel agency Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER86302 AAJ Graf, Fredy - - 61:234-235 (1987) -
EVER86302 - Weber, Peter Everest 86 By author, Wald, Switzerland - W86
EVER86302 - Naar, Ronald Ijle Horzon De Toorts, The Hague, Netherlands - N02
EVER86302 MM - - - 112:10 (Nov 1986) -
EVER86302 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198723403/Asia-Nepal-Everest-Attempt-and-Tragedy - - -