Everest | 1987 N Face (Japanese & Hornbein Couloirs)

A Canada expedition to Everest in 1987 via N Face (Japanese & Hornbein Couloirs), led by Roger Marshall. Summit reached on 20th May 1987. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 447
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER87106
Peak ID EVER
Year 1987
Season 1
Host Country 2
Route 1 N Face (Japanese & Hornbein Couloirs)
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Canada
Leaders Roger Marshall
Sponsor Canadian 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 USA
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1987-04-24
Summit Date 1987-05-20
Summit Time -
Summit Days 26
Total Days 27
Termination Date 1987-05-21
Termination Reason 7
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7850m due to Marshall's altitude illness and subsequent fatal fall while descending
High Point (m) 7850
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 1
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 2
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 1
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
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(24/04,5580m),C1(01/05,5940m),Biv(20/05,7850m),xxx(20/05,7850m)
Route Notes BC at lake camp Biv above Japanese Couloir High point at biv above Japanese Couloir. On 18th May, Roger moved up from lake camp 18,300 ft and to follow on 19th. Roger to leave 2:00 am 20th, he rested at 19,500 ft on 19th. Ruth on 19th started out and Pasang too for short distance - route passed than US BC half way. Just outside lake camp, Ruth saw Roger at 23,500 ft in Japanese Couloir climbing strong, steadily at 10:00 am. Plan was for Roger on 1st day to reach bottom of Hornbein at 26,000 ft at 4 pm and biv there; instead of this, he quit at 1:30 pm in rocks at c24,500 ft. From that point on Ruth worried. Plan was that 2nd day he'd get up at midnight, start climb at 2:00 am and summit 12:00. 1:00 pm down to tent at bottom of Hornbein but on 20th no sign of 11:00 am when just at top of Japanese Couloir at most at 25,000 ft. At 25,500 ft at 1:30 pm he sat down and didn't get up for very long time. Others saw him pitch tent at 25,500-25,800ft. 19th Ruth to 19,500 ft and slept there alone. 20th 3:00 pm Ruth down to US camp knowing Roger in trouble. 21st at 1st light saw tent Roger at same spot at 25,500 ft. 6:00 am she left for lake camp and saw Roger moving, coming down. For 1-1/2 hours couldn't see him but 8:30 am saw him came out of rocks into snow. Ruth headed back up to 19,500 ft to where Roger would arrive. 9:30 am passed US camp and all agreed he was coming down strong. At 11:10 am Ruth arrived at ABC and looks with binoculars and sees Roger's body at 20,500 ft. Ruth tears up telling herself it was a rock and Roger just behind the next rise - trail flagged with bamboo poles - hoped he at US C1. She had to climb steep snow came at top of which was Roger and saw he was badly smashed up. She did not go nearer but turned down to US camp and then on to her own camp to which Pasang would arrive next day. Roger had cerebral edema Ruth believes Pasang and 2 Sherpas from US expedition went up to Roger, straightened him up (neck, arm, etc broken) and put him into at bottom of Japanese Couloir. Sherpas took out Roger's camera and photographed his body before putting him in. When Ruth was near him she saw trail of Roger's fall just before he would start down climbing below ice - fell 500-1000 ft. Must have had edema to have made mistake: Roger very cautious and expert. Roger decides on 17th May to start up earlier than planned start of 25th May. He was impatient and by incredible pressure to get climb over with, with obsession to do climb. Think Roger stayed 2nd night where he did because couldn't go down and hoped to solve problem by going up - pack when found no food, gear, only camera and clothing; had ice tools and ski pole with him. Before push Roger had climbed 6800m peak near BC and was 3rd trip to ABC on summit push. Roger had originally thought to climb at night and rest in day as Loretan and Troillet in 1986 but this May there wasn't the snow as last August and difficulty of climb without snow (with only base rock and blue ice only) made him change plan and climb in daylight. Simonson, US Everest - 1 June 87 Roger Marshall didn't know what he was doing. He was surprised at lack of snow, which is normal in spring, had parachute along for his descent but had never used one before (did not actually take it with him on ascent) had no other coherent plan for his descent (said maybe would come down US route but didn't ask permission), had ice tools in his pack when he fell 100 ft down ice using only ski poles at that point. Mark Sprigett - 1 May 87 Roger Marshall on Everest Snowed heavily 27th April - 1 ft at lake camp - clearing up fast but than yesterday heavy rain from Nyalam to Khasa yesterday which probably set back progress in making ABC 2 or 3 days. Blue ice Japanese Couloir and rock in Hornbein. Sprigett left Roger's BC early yesterday morning (is at Star till 4 May when leaves for BKK) - went to BC with Marshall.
Accidents Marshall fell 150-300m down the N Face of Everest on May 21 as he was descending from an unsuccessful bid to reach the top; from below seemed to be going well at first, but at about 11am his body was seen at about 6250m
Achievement -
Agency Ama Dablam Trekking
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2449058
Year 1987
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n face (japanese & hornbein couloirs)

Members

2 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Ruth De Cew F 1950 USA Member Boulder, Colorado Nutritionist Details Other expeditions
Roger Gough Marshall M 1941 Canada Leader Boulder, Colorado Writer Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER87106 AAJ - - - 62:268 (1988) -
EVER87106 - Patterson, Bruce Canadians on Everest Detselig, Calgary - P100
EVER87106 MM - - - 116:9 (Jul 1987) -
EVER87106 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198826801/Asia-Tibet-Everest-Tragedy - - -