Everest | 1988 SW Face (up); SE Ridge-S Col (down)

A Czechoslovakia expedition to Everest in 1988 via SW Face (up); SE Ridge-S Col (down), led by Ivan Fiala, Jaroslav Orsula. Summit reached on 17th October 1988. 8 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 484
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER88308
Peak ID EVER
Year 1988
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Face (up); SE Ridge-S Col (down)
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Czechoslovakia
Leaders Ivan Fiala, Jaroslav Orsula
Sponsor Ivan Fiala Autumn 1988 Everest-Lhotse Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 92st
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1988-09-09
Summit Date 1988-10-17
Summit Time 1340
Summit Days 38
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8849
Traverse True
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 8
Summit Members 1
Member Deaths 4
Total Hired 4
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 Climbed Lhotse (LHOT-883-02)
Campsites BC(09/09,5350m),C1(12/09,6150m),C2(14/09,6450m),Biv1(14/10,8100m),Biv2(15/10,8400m),Biv3(16/10,8600m),Smt(17/10)
Route Notes BC at normal site C1 at top of Icefall C2 in Western Cwm Biv on SW Face Biv below South Summit. First made route on Lhotse Face with Koreans. Made C3 at 7250m and C4 just under chimmney leading to summit at 7900m where spent only couple of hours. Left at 10:00pm, climbed during night and on Lhotse summit 6:00 am 28th Sept. Just and Becik only to summit. Bozik and Jasko stayed at C4, saving Lhotse top for after Everest after descending to S Col. Lhotse used primarily for acclimatization. All 4 descended to C2 on 28th and down to BC 29th for rest. No camps or ropes put on Everest SW Face. 1st Everest summit bid on 7th Oct defeated by wind before got above C2. 12th left BC and 14th started on SW Face at 3:00 am: 4 climbers with inner lining of 1 tent, 2 sleeping bags (for the 2 intending to go to Lhotse afterwards), food for 3 days, cooking stove and gas, 240-m pieces of climbing ropes, 4 ice axes, 2 ice hammers, 3 small cameras and 1 light video camera. 14th Oct 1st bived at 7:00 pm, 15th arrived 2nd biv at 5:00 pm feeling fine and weather good. Had planned to climb couloir 1st day but more hard ice and more technically difficult than they had expected. 16th to 3rd biv at 7:00 pm but took 2-1/2 hrs to build platform there. Had taken long time crossing snowfield, which took whole day. Fiala now feared something wrong. One member now sick and exhausted (Becik) but they continued up because felt it impossible to descend couloir they had exited. 17th 9 am, 4 men started towards S Summit, which they should reach at 10:00 and main summit at 11:00 am. 13:40 radio contact Just said he was now on main summit alone, Becik not well day before decided not to try for it and was waiting below S Summit; other 2: he did not know whether they trying for top or descending to col. Just on top 15-20 min, said extremely cold and windy. 15:00 hrs next contact; Just said now to S Summit, Becik not there and other 2 not seen, probably on way to col; Just having problems with vision (probably retinal hemorrhage). 16:00 hrs Just said he met other 3, then 5 mins later said Becik missing; Bozik and Jasko, he said, had same problems with vision and feeling lost; Jasko also lethargic and had to be persuaded to go on. 17:30 hrs Just said Becik reached them from above and Becik in best condition (could see properly); they found orientation and were midway from S Summit to Col and all OK [at 8300m], could see the way; will give more info in 2 hrs when at S Col. This was last contact with these 4 men. Americans reached Col at 18:00-18:30 in good visibility and could see entire route to S Summit but no nobody, no headlamps in the dark til late at night; at 23:00 hrs wind got very strong (100 mph, Americans said); at C2 4 of 7 tents torn apart in shreds - probably were blown off ridge down E Face. "One of the most serious attempts on Everest" says Fiala; hardest attempt to climb in Himalaya. Team's four strong climbers acclimatized on Lhotse's West Face, and two, Just and Becik, climbed during the night of 27/28 September to Lhotse's summit. Then to the Bonington route on Everest's SW Face without fixed camps, fixed rope, Sherpa helpers or bottled oxygen which they began at 3:00 am on 14 Oct carrying minimal gear. On first day did not make expected progress: more hard ice and greather technical difficulties than anticipated. On third day moved very slowly, spent whole day crossing snowfield. Becik now sick and exhausted, but continued up because would be unable to descend the face and must descend via South Summit-South Col. Just managed to gain summit, but all disappeared on descent to Col, probably blown off by the winds.
Accidents 4 climbers disappeared; BC visitor suffered concussion from fall
Achievement -
Agency Mountain Travel
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2449575
Year 1988
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) sw face (up); se ridge-s col (down)

Members

8 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Dusan Becik M 1954 Czechoslovakia Climber Bratislava, Czechoslovakia Architect Details Other expeditions
Peter Bozik M 1954 Czechoslovakia Climber Bratislava, Czechoslovakia Worker on tall buildings Details Other expeditions
Ivan Fiala M 1951 Czechoslovakia Leader Bratislava, Czechoslovakia Director of construction company Details Other expeditions
Emil Hasik M 1952 Czechoslovakia Climber Bratislava, Czechoslovakia Physicist Details Other expeditions
Jaroslav Jasko M 1961 Czechoslovakia Climber Bratislava, Czechoslovakia Worker Details Other expeditions
Jozef Just M 1955 Czechoslovakia Climber Bratislava, Czechoslovakia Teacher Details Other expeditions
Jaroslav Orsula M 1942 Czechoslovakia Leader Bratislava, Czechoslovakia Secretary, Alpine Club Details Other expeditions
Milan Skladany M 1951 Czechoslovakia Exp Doctor Bratislava, Czechoslovakia Surgeon, University Hospital Details Other expeditions

References

6 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER88308 AAJ Nyka, Jozef - - 63:202-203 (1989) -
EVER88308 MM - - - 125:10 (Jan 1989) -
EVER88308 - Stejskal, Jaryk & Vranka, Milan Zabudni na Everest Sport, Bratislava - S736
EVER88308 - Rakoncaj, Josef Tulakem Ve Vetru Himalaje Edice Okamiziky, Hradci Kralov, Czechoslovakia - R37
EVER88308 - Vranka, Milan Nezvestni Z Everestu Vranka Press, Bratislav - -
EVER88308 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198920200/Asia-Nepal-Slovak-Lhotse-and-Everest-Ascents-and-Tragedy - - -