Everest | 1991 S Col-SE Ridge

A France expedition to Everest in 1991 via S Col-SE Ridge, led by Marc Batard. Summit reached on 1st May 1991. 3 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 783
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER91114
Peak ID EVER
Year 1991
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Col-SE Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality France
Leaders Marc Batard
Sponsor Commodore Everest-Lhotse
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 Germany
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1991-04-11
Summit Date 1991-05-01
Summit Time -
Summit Days 20
Total Days 24
Termination Date 1991-05-05
Termination Reason 14
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8200m due to no permit to climb
High Point (m) 8200
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 3
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 2
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 BC(11/04,5350m),C1(14/04,6400m),C2(23/04,7200m),Biv(01/05,8200m),xxx(01/05,8200m)
Route Notes C2 in ice cave on Lhotse Face High point on SE Ridge. 1st May started form BC at 6am and reached 8200m at 6 pm; turned back in bad weathar that started at col (slight snowfall but big wind) where others were waiting for improvement; went alone to 8200m and then stopped (was also very cold) and down to BC; arrived BC 6 pm after having left bivouac at 8200m at 5 am on 2 May. Now decided not to continue climbing because expected permit not granted. Permit was actually granted (French ambassador was so informed) but Sonam of Thamserku Tkg and Ang Tshering of Sherpa Society gave a lot of money ($5000+) to Sachit Pant, a Tourism Ministry official, to induce him not to give written permission. Will not try to climb again in Nepal. Will concentrate upon Alps and spend more time with his children and will make training film about climbing. For his group for Everest for Autumn 1991: will suggest Pakistan or S America. "I have climbed Everest twice and I am happy" and has no more patience with Nepalese. On his return to France, he will inform authorities about 2 members of Sonam-Ang Tshering family working there illegally and (left BC 5th May) discuss with French trek organizers from using these agencies. Sonam and Ang Tshering are brothers; another brother Tendi works with Ang Tshering and he sent Batard a fax in France saying that if Batard did not employ their agency to represent him, he would not get his permit for Everest this spring. Miss Marie-Annick - 4 July 1991 French ambassador was told on phone by tourism secretary that Batard would be granted Everest permit this spring. Batard had already left KTM for Khumbu but Maurice Uguen was still in town pressing for permit. Neither ambassador nor she talked in ministry. Bikram Pandey - 26 June 1991 Trying till 28 June to get permit for Batard for autumn 1991. Pandey asked Batard to let him try for permit and Batard agreed recently but asked for outcome very soon. 4 July 1991 - HMG has formed committee and their attitude is not very favorable, so telling Batard today [chances] for permit are not good. Ang Tshering (Sherpa Society) - 25 June 1991 HMG has formed a committee of Tourism and Immigration officials to investigate Batard's activities. Fear his statements in France can harm flow of French tourists to Nepal - this is Tourism minister's ideas. Sachit Pant, Tourism Ministry - 9 May 1991 Batard will not get permission for Everest for this spring, and permit he already had for autumn 1991 has been suspended and its restoration uncertain. Batard's photographer Maurice Uguen in April met and photographed Prime Minister Bhattarai and Ganesh Man Singh and spoke with both about pending spring permit. About 9 trekking agents informally met with PM who asked if they wanted charges of bribery of Tourism Ministry officials to go to Special Police Dept - they said they did not. Still, if Tourism gave permit when application had been filed only in April, bribery charges would become loud and clear. Autumn permit suspended after charges of Batard's beating Sonam Sherpa's wife (Pasang Lhamu) last autumn. Chris Hawthorne, Australian Everest - 8 May 1991 Batard left BC early morning and got above C3 on Lhotse Face but got blown down to BC - about 1 May. Waiting for permit to make another try. Maurice and doctor at BC - other climber. Bikram Pandey, Amtrek - 2 May 1991 Batard Everest: Sonam's letter of no objection applies to autumn 1991 not this spring. Sachit Pant of Tourism learned that Joint Secretary Pradhan had agreed orally to give Batard permit and immediately objected, raising possibility of bribery. There was a charge against Batard of "man-handling" Sonam's wife (Pasang Lhamu) as well as not allowing her to try for Everest summit last autumn. Pandey - 14 May 1991 Joint Secretary actually put his full signature on Batard's application, giving permission, but Pant refused to let permit be typed out, told Secy that Sherpas would protest to the Secy and Pant could not be responsible for consequences; so Secretary held Batard file. Batard - 22 April 1991 Tourism Ministry official to Bhola Rana of problem now about Batard's permit for Everest and Lhotse for this spring is that there is an allegation that he has been getting a lot of permits in recent years without waiting by bribing a tourism official who now is Joint Secretary in Tourism. Prime Minister Bhattarai says if permit is approved, he will send case to Special Police to investigate.
Accidents None
Achievement -
Agency Amtrek
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2450549
Year 1991
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) s col-se ridge

Members

3 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Marc Marie Bernard Batard M 1951 France Leader Megeve, Haute-Savoie, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Nicolae Dimache M 1940 Germany Exp Doctor Angera, Varese, Italy Physician Details Other expeditions
Maurice Uguen M 1948 France Member Paris, France Film producer Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER91114 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 66:199-200 (1992) -
EVER91114 MM - - - 140:5 (Jul 1991) -
EVER91114 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199219904/Asia-Nepal-Mount-Everest-Illegal-Attempt - - -