Everest | 1988 NE Ridge
A UK expedition to Everest in 1988 via NE Ridge, led by Brummie Strokes. Summit reached on 6th August 1988. 19 members recorded.
Expedition Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| ID | 464 |
| Imported | 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634 |
| Expedition ID | EVER88201 |
| Peak ID | EVER |
| Year | 1988 |
| Season | 2 |
| Host Country | 2 |
| Route 1 | NE Ridge |
| Route 2 | - |
| Route 3 | - |
| Route 4 | - |
| Nationality | UK |
| Leaders | Brummie Strokes |
| Sponsor | Brummie Stokes Everest Expedition 1988 |
| 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 | New Zealand, USA |
| Approach | Lhasa->Rongbuk Glacier |
| Basecamp Date | 1988-06-20 |
| Summit Date | 1988-08-06 |
| Summit Time | - |
| Summit Days | 47 |
| Total Days | 0 |
| Termination Date | - |
| Termination Reason | 5 |
| Termination Notes | Abandoned at 8400m due to heavy snowfall |
| High Point (m) | 8400 |
| Traverse | False |
| Ski | False |
| Paraglide | False |
| Camps | 3 |
| Fixed Rope (m) | 0 |
| Total Members | 19 |
| 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 | False |
| O2 Descent | False |
| O2 Sleep | True |
| O2 Medical | True |
| O2 Taken | False |
| O2 Unknown | False |
| Other Summits | - |
| Campsites | BC(20/06,5200m),ABC(6492m),C1(01/07,7090m),C2(15/07,7376m),C3(03/08,8000m),Biv(05/08,8380m),xxx(06/08,8400m) |
| Route Notes | BC at road head High point at junctions of NE & North Ridge. Two members, Briton Henry Taylor and New Zealander Russell Brice, made the first successful climb past the pinnacles of the NE Ridge, first attempted by Bonington's 1982 team, but because of heavy snowfall & temporary white-out conditions were unable to go higher than the junction of this ridge with the classical route's north ridge at 8400m. The NE Ridge was extremely narrow, very dangerous, very exposed. Technically not Brice's hardest but the high altitude made it hard work. Team fixed rope from the start of the buttress at 6490m all the way up the buttress & then up the NE Ridge to 8230m at the first pinnacle. Saw no signs of Boardman and Tasker, but much snow and could have walked over them. Slept on oxygen nights of 3rd and 4th Aug and at biv shared some briefly night of 5th. When got to bivvy one regulator not working so had to share (used "to keep our toes warm"). Bivvy 200-300m short of finishing all pinnacles which finished on 6th in white-out and 18" new snow which made for avalanche danger and therefore did not carry on to top. Spent 2 hours brewing up at top of ridge. By time weather finally cleared, too late to go for top and down to N Col and on to ABC on 6th. 3-1/2 hours finishing pinnacles, 2 hours rest and 6 hours descent to ABC. Alpine grade 3-4 in difficulty: certainly dangerous very narrow ridge, very exposed. Were on snow entire way (only 1 rock piton entire trip). Technically not Brice's hardest climb but the altitude made it hard. Moores and Barker slept on oxygen one night in C3 on their way up. Waited in C3 on 6th in case Brice and Taylor came down to C3. As soon as knew B and T down North Ridge/Col. After this a week of constant heavy snow and no further upward climbing after 5-6 Aug. Long and Kellas, Moores and Barker would have made another bid for top. Fixed rope from bottom of buttress to 27,000 ft at First Pinnacle. |
| Accidents | Stokes mild stroke from cerebral edema |
| Achievement | - |
| Agency | - |
| Commercial Route | False |
| Standard Route | - |
| Primary Route | False |
| Primary Member | False |
| Primary Reference | - |
| Primary ID | - |
| Checksum | 2449503 |
| Year | 1988 |
| Summit Success | False |
| O2 Summary | Used |
| Route (lowercase) | ne ridge |
Members
19 recorded members.
| Name | Sex | Year of Birth | Citizenship | Status | Residence | Occupation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor Williams | M | 1942 | UK | Climber | England | Draftsman | Details Other expeditions |
| Julian Vincent (Mo) Anthoine | M | 1939 | UK | Climber | North Wales | Worker, factory | Details Other expeditions |
| William Geoffrey (Bill) Barker | M | 1943 | UK | Climber | Dolwyddelen, Gwynedd, Wales | Computer analyst | Details Other expeditions |
| Russell Reginald Brice | M | 1952 | New Zealand | Climber | Twizel, Canterbury, New Zealand | Electrician & alpine guide | Details Other expeditions |
| Joseph (Joe) Brown | M | 1930 | UK | Climber | Llanberis, Gwynedd, Wales | Self-employed | Details Other expeditions |
| James Alan Curran | M | 1943 | UK | Film Team | UK | Lecturer (British Polytechnic) | Details Other expeditions |
| John S. C. English | M | 1955 | UK | Exp Doctor | London, England | Physician | Details Other expeditions |
| Loel Guinness | M | 1957 | UK | BC Manager | UK | Businessman | Details Other expeditions |
| Philip James Horniblow | M | 1928 | UK | Exp Doctor | UK | Physician | Details Other expeditions |
| Dave Jones | M | 1945 | UK | Climber | Wales | Instructor (Outdoor Pursuits Centre) | Details Other expeditions |
| Alastair (Ali) Kellas | M | 1944 | UK | Climber | UK | Instructor (Outdoor Pursuits Centre) | Details Other expeditions |
| Pete Long | M | 1950 | UK | Climber | Scotland | Contractor (roofing) | Details Other expeditions |
| Paul Anthony Moores | M | 1952 | UK | Climber | Glencoe, Argyll, Scotland | Alpine guide | Details Other expeditions |
| Ian Nicholson | M | 1949 | UK | Climber | Scotland | Owner, hotel | Details Other expeditions |
| Daniel Noble | M | 1952 | USA | Exp Doctor | West Virgina | Orthopedic surgeon | Details Other expeditions |
| Sam Roberts | M | 1945 | UK | Climber | North Wales | Warden, national park | Details Other expeditions |
| John Henry (Brummie) Stokes | M | 1945 | UK | Leader | Holmer, Hereford, England | Retired SAS | Details Other expeditions |
| Harold Christopher (Harry) Taylor | M | 1958 | UK | Climber | Oxford, England | Salesman, clothing | Details Other expeditions |
| David R. B. Williams | M | - | UK | Journalist | Wales | Producer, TV | Details Other expeditions |
References
10 recorded references.
| Expedition ID | Journal | Author | Title | Publisher | Citation | Yak 94 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EVER88201 | AAJ | Moores, Paul | - | - | 63:273-274 (1989) | - |
| EVER88201 | AJ | Moores, Paul | The Boys and the White Stuff | - | 94:9-14 (1989-1990) | - |
| EVER88201 | MM | - | - | - | 124:10 (Nov 1988) | - |
| EVER88201 | MM | Moores, Paul | The Boys from the White Stuff | - | 124:28-31 (Nov 1988) | - |
| EVER88201 | - | Stokes, Brummie | Soldiers and Sherpas (2nd ed) | By author, Hereford | - | - |
| EVER88201 | - | Stokes, Brummie | Soldiers and Sherpas | Michael Joseph, London | - | S766 |
| EVER88201 | - | Alvarez, Al | Feeding the Rat | Bloomsbury, London | - | A183 |
| EVER88201 | NZAJ | Brice, Russell | "A Good Day Out", Northeast Ridge of Everest | - | 42:54-58 (1989) | - |
| EVER88201 | - | - | http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198927300/Asia-Tibet-Everest-Northeast-Ridge | - | - | - |
| EVER88201 | - | - | https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1989-90_files/AJ%201989%209-14%20Moores%20Everest.pdf | - | - | - |