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 - - -