Everest | 1988 Eastern most buttress of E Face

A USA expedition to Everest in 1988 via Eastern most buttress of E Face, led by Robert Anderson. Summit reached on 12th May 1988. 6 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 463
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER88103
Peak ID EVER
Year 1988
Season 1
Host Country 2
Route 1 Eastern most buttress of E Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Robert Anderson
Sponsor US, UK and Canada Everest Spring 1988
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 79th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Canada, UK
Approach KTM->Tingri->Rongbuk BC
Basecamp Date 1988-03-10
Summit Date 1988-05-12
Summit Time 1540
Summit Days 63
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8849
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 6
Summit Members 1
Member Deaths 0
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 LowBC(10/03,4875m),BC(29/03,5000m),ABC(31/03,5450m),C1(14/04,6350m),C209/05,7400m),C3(10/05,7700m),Smt(12/05)
Route Notes Previous BC just below Langmo La - from there mtn, Karma Valley Main BC at Kangshung Glacier moraine ABC at middle of Kangshung Glacier, due east of US 1983 BC C1 on southern-most buttress of E Face C2 below huge bergschrund on buttress C3 at S Col (really just below it). Upper slopes of "Neverest Buttress" actually quite safe but lower part close to avalanche danger. Other part of face huge serac bands that fell off and powder snow avalanches. Took 21 days to get to BC with snow too deep for yaks and daily heavy snowfall. Had to get porters to get transport loads. They went to ABC, climbed buttress to 40 ft wide and 100 ft deep glacier which took difficult technical climbing to overcome. Fixed 4000 ft of rope from bottom of buttress to where it eases off at about 22,000 ft or so. Again weather turned bad. Made one carry of loads to 24,500 ft on 1 May and then to ABC while snowed. Arrived for summit bid 5th May but weather of 2-3 May snow brought big avalanches; so summit push by all 4 members on 8th May from ABC. 9th knee-deep snow from C1 to C2 took 14 hrs. 10th May 11-hour haul from C2, which they picked up and carried to South Col, where pitched tent (did not see Japanese-Chinese-Nepal tents in their hurry to pitch it and get out of wind). 11th 3 stayed at Col because of wind while Teare developing altitude sickness so down to ABC (in 7 hours). Eve of 11th winds abated so 3 set out from Col at 11:00 pm. Venables to top 3:40 pm 12th; other 2 were behind him and turned back at or very near S Summit in deteriorating weather. Webster and Anderson slept that night in Japanese tent at C5 of Japan-China-Nepal expedition while Venables spent night at 8500m on slope below S Summit because couldn't find way down in misty weather. Venables caught up with others at Japanese tent and all there to S Col together where stayed remainder of 13th resting and slept there that night, which shouldn't have done because of altitude. Very slow descent. 14th to C1 in afternoon. 15th tried to go down in afternoon but snowed and had to return to C2. 16th managed to get started at 11:00 am and to ABC at 4:00 pm (Webster and Venables) while Anderson couldn't find route and spent night out at 22,500 ft and down to ABC about 8:00 pm on 18th with the help from bottom of buttress by photographer. Accidents and Injuries: Anderson's frostbite one big toe and same fingers which probably will heal. Venables 5 toes which could lose tips of (nose frostbitten but is healing). Webster's 5 toes and 5 fingers; will probably loose 1st digits of fingers. When Venables set off from South Col, he knew toes were getting numb and took conscious decision to go on up anyway. Support team: Mimi Zieman, medical student from NY, 25 years old Joe Blackburn, photographer, 42 from New Canaan, Conn Came as high as ABC Buttress starts at about 18,000 ft and merges into face at about 24,500 ft. Ang Kami - 23 May 12 May some 4-5 people coming down from S Summit at 6:00-7:00 am towards S Col. Did not meet them (he had been at Col for 3 days and wanted to go down) but is sure they went to Col. Had expected them to descend normal route but they did not. Isono 1-8 May 10 May Nepalese met Americans on SE Ridge below S Summit. Americans very tired, but oxygen regulators to them, and Americans opportunity down from South Summit and slept at S Col - Ang Karma reported this. Webster - 25 Feb 88 Norbu Tenzing Norgay, son of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, visited BC area about 12-20 May as member of trekking group of half dozen people; is not a technical climber and will do no climbing, go no higher than ABC. Indian, aged 24, single member of Lindblad Travel staff on promotional side lives in Westport, Conn. * 1 Nepali and 1 Sherpa above BC
Accidents 3 members frostbite; Teare developed altitude sickness
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2449417
Year 1988
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) eastern most buttress of e face

Members

6 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Robert Mads Anderson M 1958 USA Leader Auckland, New Zealand Advertising Details Other expeditions
Paul (Wally) Teare M 1959 Canada Climber Tahoe City, California Carpenter & climber Details Other expeditions
Stephen Malcolm Westmacott Venables M 1954 UK Climber London, England Mountaineering writer & lecturer Details Other expeditions
Edward Russell (Ed) Webster M 1956 USA Climber Eldorado Springs, Colorado Author, photographer & publisher Details Other expeditions
Joseph Mark Blackburn M 1946 USA Support New Canaan, Connecticut Photographer Details Other expeditions
Miriam (Mimi) Zieman F 1962 USA Support New York Medical student Details Other expeditions

References

13 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER88103 AAJ Webster, Ed Four Against the Kangshung - 63:1-17 (1989) -
EVER88103 HJ Webster, Ed Four Against the Kangshung - 45:32-36 (1987-1988) -
EVER88103 AJ Venables, Stephen Everest Kangshung Face - First Ascent of the Neverest Buttress - 94:1-8 (1989-1990) -
EVER88103 - Venables, Stephen Everest, Kangshung Face Hodder & Stoughton, London - V64
EVER88103 - Webster, Ed Snow in the Kingdom Mountain Imagery, Eldorado Springs, CO - -
EVER88103 MM - - - 122:9-10 (Jul 1988) -
EVER88103 MM Anderson, Robert The Nine Days of Neverest - 124:20-27 (Nov 1988) -
EVER88103 - Anderson, Robert Mads Summits, Climbing the Seven Summits Solo Clarkson Potter, New York - -
EVER88103 - Anderson, Robert Mads To Everest via Antarctica Bateman, New Zealand - -
EVER88103 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198900100/Four-Against-the-Kangshung - - -
EVER88103 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/45/5/four-against-the-kangshung/ - - -
EVER88103 - - https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1989-90_files/AJ%201989%201-8%20Venables%20Kangshung.pdf - - -
EVER88103 HIGH Venables, Stephen After Everest - 126:38-39 (May 1993) -