Everest | 1991 S Col-SE Ridge

A Nepal expedition to Everest in 1991 via S Col-SE Ridge, led by Pasang Lhamu Sherpa. Summit reached on 30th September 1991. 16 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 605
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER91304
Peak ID EVER
Year 1991
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Col-SE Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Nepal
Leaders Pasang Lhamu Sherpa
Sponsor 1st Nepalese Woman Sagarmatha Expedition to Everest
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 Belgium, France
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1991-08-22
Summit Date 1991-09-30
Summit Time -
Summit Days 39
Total Days 49
Termination Date 1991-10-10
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8760m due to winds
High Point (m) 8760
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 14
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 16
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb True
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep True
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(22/08,5350m),C1(03/09,6100m),C2(08/09,6400m),C3(15/09,7300m),C4(28/09,7900m),xxx(30/09,8760m)
Route Notes C4 at South Col High point at South Summit. French women arrived BC late Aug, 10th Sept and began 15th Sept. At BC Pasang Lhamu's husband said no climbers from any expedition had right to try summit before Pasang Lhamu tried. Europeans had not signed any paper to this effect. Pasang made her 1st attempt on 30th Sept. Pasang Lhamu angry that Besson joined her 30th Sept attempt (he had waited 1 day in S Col for her - "she can't stop me; they don't want to carry my oxygen so I carry it myself." Reached S Summit (Asselin reached same route as S summit) then time too late and strong wind and big clouds; so went down and met Pasang 50m below S Summit and she turned back here, 1/2 hr from S Summit and her 5 Sherpas an hour later; all down to C2 and BC. Europeans made their attempt on 3rd Oct. When arrived at col to try for top on 4th, winds very strong and only Mauduit stayed at col while others down (Mauduit stayed because Karl and Apa Sherpa arriving col that day and troubles with Pasang Lhamu). Mauduit ready to go up at midnight but Apa not well and did not want to go up, Karl not willing to go up without him and Mauduit decided not to go above without oxygen; so on 5th all 3 down. Mauduit's and Karl's plan to go to top was in violation of new order from Pasang's husband that foreign member do not go ahead of her. 3rd summit attempt: Pasang, Besson, Nawang Thile, Babu and Dawa Tashi Sherpa from BC and arrived at col. Got no one up because of wind and 10th noon all down and in descent took down C4. Met Mauduit at C2, not allowed to go to on top to C4 and on 11th dismantled C4 and C2 and climb obviously finished although on 10th 1 Russian Gerglan and 1 member reached summit later that day. At col on 29th Besson had to sleep in Spanish tent because Sherpas said no room for him. Pasang very slow especially on descent and not good technically. She was official leader, but leaders were her husband and sirdar; she did not know how to lead. 6 Oct - Pasang Lhamu: There were 10 Nepali members (8 Sherpas and 2 Gurungs) and 5 Sherpas in Icefall and carrying loads only and 1 Sherpa, Apa, hired by Karl Huyberechts to help him. Of these 10 members, six made summit bids: on 1st bid of 30th Sept, they were Pasang Lhamu, Sonam Tshering, Dawa Tashi, Nawang Thile, Babu Tshering and Iman Gurung; on 2nd bid of 7-8 Oct (not 9-10th Oct) same members except Sonam Tshering. In both bids, oxygen used at and above C4 by Pasang Lhamu, Sonam Tshering, Nawang Thile, Dawa Tashi; Babu and Iman used none at all; other Nepalis, who went to C4 but did not sleep there used none. On 30th Sept Besson of this expedition and Asselin of French expedition went ahead while Pasang Lhamu and her 5 Nepalis waited just below S Summit for their report of conditions ahead. Besson and Asselin returned after 1/2 hour and reported not possible to go beyond S Summit because of wind and soft snow; 2 Frenchmen descended, Pasang Lhamu and party went up anyway, reached S Summit and descended part way to small dip before ascent to Hillary Step, then turned back because of wind. On 7th Oct Pasang Lhamu and 4 Nepalis arrived at C4 to go to summit next day but wind prevented anyone from going higher. After waiting till 3:00 pm they descended to C2. They had meeting at C2 that evening: Pasang Lhamu and her 4 Nepalis, Sonam Tshering, Besson, Chantal Mauduit, Karl Huyberechts and Apa. Karl wanted to make summit bid soon but he found that his oxygen regulator was not working and he would not try without oxygen; Chantal wanted to try for summit, but not with Karl; Besson not interested in 3rd attempt nor was Pasang, so it was decided climb was finished and C4 would be - and was - brought down next day. Ministry of Tourism had asked other Everest expeditions and foreign members of Pasang Lhamu's expedition to give her first chance at summit but nothing was put in writing and she, her husband and her sirdar Sonam Tshering did not tell others they had to wait for her. Asselin, etc - 16 Oct 91 French Everest Expedition Nepal-French-Belgian Everest expedition had problems between European and Nepalese members: - items of written agreement by which Europeans pledged to give Pasang Lhamu priority on summit bid; Europeans did not realize how this would affect their own summit chances. - food provided by Nepalese not to Europeans taste. - oxygen not supplied by Nepalese. Europeans paid Nepalese $5000 each to join expedition. Sonam, Thamserku Trekking - 4 Oct 1991 Pasang Lhamu, Asselin and 5 Sherpas reached 96m below top in 100 mkh wind. She and sirdar at 8400m at midnight. Started from South Col 1:30 am and she back at South Col 10:00 am (her Sherpas earlier). All down to BC, 2nd Oct. 5th or 6th up again. All other teams waited for her to make trail and some were above South Summit yesterday and turned back. Very dangerous cornices above South Summit. Summit bid 15 Sept and C3 reached, then avalanche. Pivot and Groom as well as Pasang Lhamu made this bid. To Rising Nepal (Kathmandu), 2 Oct 1991 by Jean Michel Asselin of French team The Highest Night It was the second night we spent at the South Col at nearly 8000m of altitude. We the members of two expeditions; that of the first Nepalese women to attempt Mount Everest, and the French Expedition called Namaste. In total we were twelve. This second night was again marked by terrifying gusts of winds and I could not believe that at one o'clock in the morning we could leave our tents and go towards the summit of Mt Everest over 900m higher. 30 Sept: at 01:30 after putting on my crampons, I followed the steps of Sonam Tshering the sirdar of Pasang Lhamu, on to the great snow slopes leading to the southeast Ridge. Often I watched Pasang Lhamu and asked myself where did she find the courage to do what we were doing. It was very cold and the effort was so intense, that no matter who would haveno hesitation in turning back. Reaching the ridge, we discovered the most beautiful landscape view in the world. The sun helped everyone feel a little better assisted by the attraction of the summit which we felt close. I confess I was fascinated by the three Sherpas who were climbing without using bottled oxygen. Unfortunately for me, the snow, which until now was quite hard, became very soft and we sank through up to our waists and sometimes up to our chests. It was then that our progress already difficult became extremely slow. This slope which allows access to the South Summit and which is inclined at 50 degrees took us over two hours of effort. Every 15 metres one or other of us would take lead, knowing very well that here we would require all our force to reach the nearby summit. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon after fourteen hours of extreme effort we reached the South Summit of Everest at 8770m. It was already a good victory, but for total success there remained a further 100m. At this moment the wind gushed at over 100 km/hr and I wasn't sure what to do. I therefore asked the closest Sherpa what he thought. Without hesitation he told me "let's go." It appeared inevitable to me to go to the summit in such a wind, but how does one doubt the words of a Sherpa who had already been twice to the summit of the roof of the world. So we went, the two of us with a piece of rope in this strange high altitude world beaten by the violent wind. After about 100m, the snow disappeared under the steps of the Sherpa and dropped into the void. A this time we understood that it was futile to continue and we retraced our path to the South Summit. Climbing there I crossed Pasang always confident and told her that we would not reach the summit and that one should go down. Thick mist began to form and envelope the mountain hiding the descent. Convinced that I was going to run out of oxygen, I ran down the slopes and exhausted, arrived at C4 (South Col) before night fall. The wind had again raged and I noticed with sadness that it had torn two tents. I threw myself into another where I was taken care of by two friends and immediately exhausted, I got into my sleeping bag, and tried to go to sleep fearing all the time that the tent would take off and fly away. At midnight, Nawang Thile, a Sherpa with Pasang's expedition, came to the tent and told me "Big problem, three people are not coming, probably Pasang!" I was very worried because I knew it was impossible for a man or woman to survive at over 8000m without shelter with winds gusting at over 150 km/hr. But what could be done? In the state I was in I couldn't move. I gave Nawang Thile a drink and my headlamps but was sure that he was also powerless to intervene. He managed to climb a few hundred metres higher during the night in which a man and a women (both Sherpas) managed to survive. It was a unprecedented achievement (probably more difficult than climbing Everest) of Pasang Lhamu and Sonam Tshering. During the night hours, struggling "against the cold, they showed that human beings have the strength to combat and beat the most hostile force of nature." When at nearly seven o'clock in the morning I saw Pasang arrive at tent like a ghost. I cried with joy. Tired, but alive, she was already thinking of her next attempt on her mountain. Sonam had got frostbite but his courage was intact. And for me as well the decision was made. I would go back towards the summit of Mt Everest with the woman who had lived through the highest bivouac in the world. And Chance would smile on us.
Accidents Sonam Tshering slightly frostbitten cheek only
Achievement -
Agency Thamserku Trekking
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2450701
Year 1991
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) s col-se ridge

Members

16 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Olivier Besson M 1962 France Climber Megeve, Haute-Savoie, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Frederique Delrieu F 1967 France Climber Beziers, Herault, France Organizer of social activities (animatrice) Details Other expeditions
Iman Gurung M 1960 Nepal Climber Laprak, Gorkha Alpinist & trekking guide Details Other expeditions
Lakshman Gurung M - Nepal Climber Rumjatar Village, Okhaldhunga Alpinist & trekking guide Details Other expeditions
Karl Huyberechts M 1956 Belgium Climber Overijse, Belgium Sports instructor Details Other expeditions
Marcel Lemennicier M 1954 France Climber Sallanches, Haute-Savoie, France Alpine guide & ski instructor Details Other expeditions
Chantal Mauduit F 1964 France Climber Chambery, Savoie, France Physiotherapist Details Other expeditions
Babu Chiri (Babu Tshering) Sherpa M 1965 Nepal Climber Chhulemu, Taksindu, Solukhumbu Alpinist & trekking guide Details Other expeditions
Dawa Tashi Sherpa M 1964 Nepal Climber Beding, Dolakha Alpinist & trekking guide Details Other expeditions
Nawang Tenzing Sherpa M 1967 Nepal Climber Beding, Dolakha Alpinist & trekking guide Details Other expeditions
Nima Gombu (Gombu) Sherpa M 1969 Nepal Climber Beding, Dolakha Alpinist & trekking guide Details Other expeditions
Pasang Lhamu Sherpa F 1962 Nepal Leader Surke, Khumbu & Kathmandu Trek leader & housewife (not professional climber) Details Other expeditions
Sonam Tshering Sherpa M - Nepal Sirdar Beding, Dolakha Alpinist & trekking guide Details Other expeditions
Tenzing (Tenzen, Tenzi) Sherpa M 1964 Nepal Climber Thami, Khumbu Alpinist & trekking guide Details Other expeditions
Nawang Thile (Pemba Dorje) Sherpa M 1953 Nepal Climber Beding, Dolakha Alpinist & trekking guide Details Other expeditions
Apa (Appa) Sherpa M 1960 Nepal H-A Worker Thami Og, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER91304 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 66:202-203 (1992) -
EVER91304 MM - - - 143:5 (Jan 1992) -
EVER91304 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199220202/Asia-Nepal-Everest-Attempt-by-a-Nepalese-Woman - - -