Everest | 1986 W Ridge from N (7170m)

A USA expedition to Everest in 1986 via W Ridge from N (7170m), led by Steve McKinney. Summit reached on 12th October 1986. 11 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 444
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER86304
Peak ID EVER
Year 1986
Season 3
Host Country 2
Route 1 W Ridge from N (7170m)
Route 2 N Face
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Steve McKinney
Sponsor US Everest (W Ridge) - Autumn 1986
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 1986-09-08
Summit Date 1986-10-12
Summit Time -
Summit Days 34
Total Days 48
Termination Date 1986-10-26
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7170m due to winds, bad snow conditions
High Point (m) 7170
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 11
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 8
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
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 -
Campsites BC(08/09,5000m),ABC(16/09,5500m),C1(19/09,6000m),C2(24/09,6600m),C3(12/10,7170m),xxx(12/10,7170m)
Route Notes BC at Rongbuk Glacier ABC C1 at spur slightly east of Lho la C2 at spur leading to West Shoulder C3 just below West Shoulder High point at C3. W Ridge progress greatly slowed by need to get a hang-glider up the route. 3 members tried quick ascent via N Face on 14th Oct. Athans, Freer and Politz tried Japanese Couloir-Hornbein Couloir route on N Face but got no higher than 6860m because of bad snow conditions and were back at starting point 24 hours later. Oxygen taken for use by hang-glider pilots and for climbers above 8000m. Andy Politz - 11 Nov 86 Arrived BC about 6-8 Sept ABC C1 - 6000m on spur slightly east of Lho La C2 - 6600m on spur to West Shoulder C3 - 7170m (23,500 ft) just below Shoulder mid-Oct - highest point reached by expedition was hang-gliding and making movie. Had test flight from 20,500 ft on 5 Oct. No other flights actually because of weather problems and pilots not acclimatizing in sync with weather. Left BC 26 Oct. Summit attempt by 3 members on 14 Oct by Pete Athans, Catherine Freer and Andy Politz; got to 22,500 ft in 24 hours and back because of bad snow conditions and weather deteriorating. Were trying Japanese Couloir to Hornbein Couloir. Pete Athans - 24 Oct 86 He left BC 19 Oct. Had been big effort to get gliders up to take offs. One went fine just 1000 ft above Lho La; camp had been 200-300 ft below Lho Lha; had ropes to C3 on shoulder at about 23,750 ft. Gliders then hauled to C3 by 10 Oct. Then high winds for a week but mile-long snow plume engulfing North Ridge. Tried to climb at night up Hornbein got to 7000m at 1:30 am but water ice and wind slab. Athans, Freer and Politz on 14/15 Oct and returned to Lho La and C1. Hang-gliders McKinney hang-glided; winds later made flights impossible. 3-person alpine-style attempt up Japanese couloir by Athans, Freer and Politz to 23,000 ft - too cold about 15 Oct. All Ok. Left BC 26 Oct highest camp was at 23,800 ft for gliding and highest point reached was 24,000 ft 12 Oct for landing glider. Put in a camp at 25,500 ft but was occupied only one night probably, defeated by winds and avalanching. Enormous amount of equipment abandoned on North Col, too dangerous to retrieve. One Sherpa death Leave BC 28 Oct Winds on Col terrible. Athans had to leave for trek the leads in Nepal. More gliding planned but more high climbing seemed ruled out. 8 climbing Sherpas 3 hang-glider pilots - 2 to C3 3 film crew - 1 not above C1 4 lead climbers 6 other climbers Steve McKinney used oxygen Peter Athans, American team (McKinney) - 24 Jan 2009 Many of us went to the high point, the West Shoulder, then. Perhaps the entire team. The objective was to have a hang-glider launch from there and fly over the top. Certainly myself, Kim Carpenter, Andy Politz, Catherine Freer went up to that point. No Sherpas from our team were killed. There was a British team that lost a young Sherpa from Phortse village and I believe his name was Ang Phu or Phu Tashi. I don't remember specifically. Ang Jangbu (Phortse) - 14 Dec 2012 Hang-Glideing Members: Steve McKinney Bob Carter Larry Tudor Craig Colonica Peter Athans Peter Hackett Andy Politz Sherpas: Lhakpa Dorje, Khunde Ang Jangbu, Phortse Lhakpa Tshering, Khunde Ang Nima, Khunde Ang Danu, Khunde Ang Jangbu does not think any Sherpas from Phortse were killed on the north side of Everest in Autumn 1986.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2448837
Year 1986
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) w ridge from n (7170m)

Members

11 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Peter George (Pete) Athans M 1957 USA Climber Denver, Colorado Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Heidi Rose Benson F 1957 USA Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Kim David Carpenter M 1956 USA Climber - Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Bob Carter M - USA Hang-glider Pilot - Hang-glider pilot Details Other expeditions
Craig Calonica M 1953 USA Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Bob Craig M - USA Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Catherine M. Freer F 1949 USA Climber Boulder, Colorado Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Ellen V. B. Lapham F 1943 USA BC Staff Woodside, California Business consultant Details Other expeditions
Steven M. (Steve) McKinney M 1953 USA Leader California Speed-skiing racer Details Other expeditions
Andrew James (Andy) Politz M 1959 USA Climber - Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Larry Tudor M - USA Hang-glider Pilot - Hang-glider pilot Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER86304 AAJ Politz, Andrew - - 61:304 (1987) -
EVER86304 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198730402/Asia-China-Everest-Hang-Gliding - - -