Everest | 1989 S Pillar (to 7000m)

A New Zealand expedition to Everest in 1989 via S Pillar (to 7000m), led by Rob Hall. Summit reached on 16th May 1989. 4 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 479
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER89102
Peak ID EVER
Year 1989
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Pillar (to 7000m)
Route 2 S Col-SE Ridge (to 8200m)
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality New Zealand
Leaders Rob Hall
Sponsor Robert Hall Spring 1989 Everest Expedition
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 Nepal
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1989-03-17
Summit Date 1989-05-16
Summit Time -
Summit Days 60
Total Days 63
Termination Date 1989-05-19
Termination Reason 7
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8200m due to illness, bad conditions, etc.
High Point (m) 8200
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 4
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent True
O2 Sleep True
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(17/03,5350m),C1(04/04,6100m),C2(07/04,6400m),C3(24/04,7300m),C4(16/05,7900m),xxx(16/05,8200m)
Route Notes BC at normal site C1 at top of Icefall (left there only couple nights) C2 in Western Cwm C3 on Lhotse face C4 at South Col High point on SE Ridge. Winter winds had taken all snow away and nothing but ice, very hard ice like granite on Lhotse Face, taking lot of energy. Took 19 days to put route through icefall: put in by Hall, Ball, Jamieson, Berg and Fischer plus Sherpas did almost all this job. Started on Pillar and went to 7000m, then decided rock fall danger, especially when Hall and Phinzo Norbu Sherpa were almost hit by batch of rocks coming down from left of Geneva Spur (much safer in Autumn). Reached high point on pillar route on 22nd and 23rd April; retreated to C2, applied by radio for permission to change route and permission granted by radio. Made C3 on Lhotse Face on 24th and put gear at Col on 25th but tent not erected. Occupied C4: Ball and Apa (Hall had throat infection, Phinzo blood clot) at same time as snowbirds Ang Zangbu, Peter Hillary and MacKenzie. When Phu Dorje Sherpa died on 16th, Apa and Ang Zangbu no longer willing to climb, so at 11:00 pm 16th the three foreigners [Ball, Hillary and MacKenzie] set out for summit (only Ball without oxygen); reached 8200m. Now Ball too cold, Hillary had throat infection and both turned back (MacKenzie alone 200m more in altitude). Ball put on oxygen at Col 3:00-4:00 am and later on 17th to C2 where became very ill (pulmonary edema) and again on oxygen and 18th to BC and this team's climb finished. Apa and Phinzo Norbu with New Zealanders were equal members of team.
Accidents Phinzo Norbu blood clot in leg; Hall throat infection; Ball pulmonary edema
Achievement -
Agency Wilderness Experience
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2449787
Year 1989
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) s pillar (to 7000m)

Members

4 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Gary Ian Ball M 1953 New Zealand Climber Twizel, Canterbury, New Zealand Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Robert Edwin (Rob) Hall M 1961 New Zealand Leader Christchurch, New Zealand Alpinist Details Other expeditions
Apa (Appa) Sherpa M 1960 Nepal Climber Thami Og, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Phinzo Norbu (Phinzo) Sherpa M 1958 Nepal Climber Beding, Dolakha - Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER89102 AAJ Ball, Gary - - 64:230 (1990) -
EVER89102 NZAJ Ball, Gary Everest 89: The Second Lesson - 43:74-83 (1990) -
EVER89102 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199023001/Asia-Nepal-Everest-Attempt-and-Rescue-of-Andrzej-Marciniak - - -