Everest | 1987 N Face (Great Couloir)-W Ridge

A USA expedition to Everest in 1987 via N Face (Great Couloir)-W Ridge, led by Jack Allsup. Summit reached on 21st May 1987. 16 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 452
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER87102
Peak ID EVER
Year 1987
Season 1
Host Country 2
Route 1 N Face (Great Couloir)-W Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Jack Allsup
Sponsor US Everest Expedition 1987
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 KTM->Tingri->BC
Basecamp Date 1987-03-17
Summit Date 1987-05-21
Summit Time -
Summit Days 65
Total Days 73
Termination Date 1987-05-29
Termination Reason 10
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8750m due to difficulty in final section of W Ridge
High Point (m) 8750
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 3200
Total Members 14
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 5
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb True
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep True
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites LowBC(17/03,5120m),ABC(22/03,5600m),C1(28/03,6200m),C2(05/04,6770m),C3(17/04,7560m),C4(12/05,8170m),xxx(21/05,8750m)
Route Notes LBC at 16,800 ft end of rock ABC at 5600m at Central Rongbuk Glacier C1 at 6200m at head of Rongbuk Glacier at base of N Face C2 at 6770m below the North Col (route has now gone towards Changtse) C3 at base of Great Couloir C4 just below yellow band next to Australian's 1984 campsite. Route from C2 all fixed: 10,500 ft of rope fixed batween C2 and C4 for load carrying and later snowfalls brought avalanches. Route from C1 to shoulder of Changtse's S Face, exactly same route of 1982 US expedition. 4 summit attempts above C4; ran into difficulties and fixed 300m of rope above C4 on yellow band and grey band where hard rock (these rock bands had never been climbed before in spring_. Climbed yellow band and grey band to top of Great Couloir and then traversed across summit snowfield to W Ridge at 8750m; had used up all fixed rope by time had topped bands and when on 2nd summit bid [on 21 May by Simonson and Viesturs] needed more rope on W Ridge, had to retreat after having gone up only 25-30 ft [above ?] [Simonson to 8750m, Viesturs to 8720m]. Simonson was on oxygen but Viesturs had chosen not to. On 1st attempt [by Dunn and Wilson on 16 May] fixed yellow band, but ran into more problems than expected here [both to c8400m]. 27th May Dunn and Wilson made 3rd attempt, but Dunn got sick (blacking out) and descended from C4. 4th attempt by Allsup, Ann Smith, Nuru and Pasang Tshering still in progress on 28th when Simonson who doubts they got above C4. Last summit push was on 29th May and turned back at c25,500 ft [7770m]; then Smith got sick and party gave up: Allsup, Pasang Tshering and Nuru were also in this party. Now climb over. Member's early departure from Everest expedition spring 1987: Baumeister (expedition's doctor) left about 25 March; thought he had pneumonia and did not go above low BC. Allison left 2 April; got to ABC and then developed altitude problems. Breashears left 28 April after having finished his photography. East as arranged in advance, arrived late (5 April) and left early (12 May) because of business; got to C2. Van Hoy left 27 May to arrange bus transport and have airline bookings confirmed. Nobori left 28 May with Simonson, tired. David Breashears - 30 April 1987 (David left BC 28 April) Americans on Everest: ABC very low: 18,500 ft. Abandoned BC by and large with only Chinese there. LO said fixed rope to 7900m C1, C2 and C3 had been established and stocked at about 19,500, 21,000 or 22,000 and 24,000-25,000 feet. Craig to BC in mid-April with tooth problem. Bob Allison left due to fatigue (not really a climber, went to ABC) Baumeister (doctor) never above BC, went home.
Accidents Various illnesses which caused early departures
Achievement -
Agency Nepal Himal
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2449059
Year 1987
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) n face (great couloir)-w ridge

Members

16 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Robert G. (Bob) Allison M 1938 USA Climber Raytown, Missouri Retired (from AT&T) Details Other expeditions
Jack O. Allsup M 1930 USA Leader Little Rock, Arkansas Retired Details Other expeditions
Todd John Baumeister M 1957 USA Climber Des Moines, Iowa Physician Details Other expeditions
Alex Brandon M - USA Climber Little Rock, Arkansas Newspaper reporter Details Other expeditions
David Finlay Breashears M 1955 USA Film Team Newton, Massachusetts Film-maker Details Other expeditions
R. Travis Canon M 1953 USA Climber Golden, Colorado Geologist Details Other expeditions
George James Dunn M 1953 USA Climber Renton, Washington Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Robert C. (Bob) East M 1947 USA Climber Little Rock, Arkansas Owner, construction company Details Other expeditions
Bonnie M. Nobori F 1957 USA Climber Ashford, Washington Trail crew laborer, National Park Service Details Other expeditions
Eric Robb Simonson M 1955 USA Climbing Leader Ashford, Washington Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Ann Smith F 1945 USA Climber Little Rock, Arkansas Staff (Southeastern Bell Telephone) Details Other expeditions
Craig Douglas Van Hoy M 1958 USA Climber Tacoma, Washington Alpine & trekking guide Details Other expeditions
Edmund Karl (Ed) Viesturs M 1959 USA Climber Seattle, Washington Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Ronald Gregory (Greg) Wilson M 1956 USA Climber Bellevue, Washington Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Nuru Sherpa M 1955 Nepal H-A Worker Yarsa, Jiri - Details Other expeditions
Pasang Tshering/Tshiring Sherpa M 1963 Nepal H-A Worker Beding, Dolakha - Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER87102 AAJ Simonson, Eric - - 62:266-267 (1988) -
EVER87102 MM - - - 116:9 (Jul 1987) -
EVER87102 MM - - - 117:7 (Sep 1987) -
EVER87102 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198826603/Asia-Tibet-Everest-Attempt-via-the-Great-Couloir - - -