Everest | 1992 W Cwm-W Ridge-N Face (Hornbein Couloir)

A UK expedition to Everest in 1992 via W Cwm-W Ridge-N Face (Hornbein Couloir), led by Mike Kefford. Summit reached on 18th May 1992. 23 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1115
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER92101
Peak ID EVER
Year 1992
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Cwm-W Ridge-N Face (Hornbein Couloir)
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality UK
Leaders Mike Kefford
Sponsor British Services Everest Expedition 1992
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 1992-03-06
Summit Date 1992-05-18
Summit Time -
Summit Days 73
Total Days 76
Termination Date 1992-05-21
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8500m due to bad weather, wind and snow
High Point (m) 8500
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 5
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 19
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 12
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(06/03,5330m),C1(26/03,5910m),C2(02/04,6400m),C3(11/04,6900m),C4(21/04,7640m),C5(11/05,8000m),xxx(18/05,8500m)
Route Notes C2 in Westerm Cwm C3 on SW Face C4 on West Shoulder C5 at bottom of Hornbein. One of our problems was spindrift being blown around (and almost suffocating us) when almost no wind on SW Face and Cwm was still. This expedition was first to arrive at BC, put in icefall route and handed over to others to mountain. Had also sugggested where tracks between tents should be, where toilets should be after Galicians (Quinteiro) and Dutch threw stones at each other for walking through their camps. After New Zealand's Sherpas accident, got all expedition's doctors together where scratches were, etc. On SW Face went almost straight up to shoulder. 1st real technical problems were icefall and steep ice section between C2 and C3; then Hornbein Couloir top, just when you think you are through this difficulties, there is steep rock. On 18th May Bell and Hughes got to site of C6 and stashed their tent and oxygen bottles in such strong wind they had to descend and this point never reached again. Had reached C5 on 26th April but 27th started to snow and not till 6th May were able to get back to C5 because of snow conditions and wind and to rest lower camps. Started work on Couloir on 12th. Were always going to be a week behind the other because of length of route during other's success period 12-15th May, weather actually kept good only in mornings and there after 15th not even then. Hughes, Bell, Barnes and Batson spent 4 days at C5 with Hughes and Bell going to C6 site [to stash oxygen] on 19th and to go for top on 20th. Assisting on carrying loads to C6 site were Babu Tshering, Ang Temba, Phinzo (Thulo Phinzo) and another Phinzo (Sano Phinzo). Had bartered gear for more rope to fix from other teams. Fixed entire route from 6700m to 8500m. 70 days on mountain, Icefall to Icefall. Williams left BC 17 May since father-in-law had died.
Accidents James Morning to KTM because of allergic reaction to medicine; 4 slight frostbite
Achievement -
Agency Summit Nepal Trekking
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2450933
Year 1992
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) w cwm-w ridge-n face (hornbein couloir)

Members

23 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Chris Barnes M 1959 UK Climber Weingarten, Germany Royal Marines Details Other expeditions
William (Bill) Batson M 1956 UK Climber RAF, Lossiemouth, Grampian, Scotland Royal Air Force Sergeant Details Other expeditions
Stephen J. (Steve) Bell M 1959 UK Climber Bristol, Avon, England Royal Marines reserve lieutenent Details Other expeditions
Meryon G. Bridges M 1944 UK Climber Beeston, Nottingham, England Lieutenant Colonel, Royal Engineers Details Other expeditions
Peter R. (Pete) Davis M 1963 UK Climber Plymouth, Devon, England Surgeon Lieutenant in Royal Navy Details Other expeditions
David A. (Dave) Howie M 1957 UK Climber Fairbourne, Gwynedd, Wales Flight Sergeant in Royal Air Force Details Other expeditions
Andrew Simon (Andy) Hughes M 1960 UK Exp Doctor Plymouth, Devon, England Surgeon Lieutenant in Royal Navy Details Other expeditions
Steve Hunt M 1965 UK Climber Holyhead, Gwynedd, Wales Flight Lieutenant in Royal Air Force Details Other expeditions
Michael H. (Mike) Kefford M 1946 UK Leader Fleet, Hampshire, England Colonel with Army's 7th Gurkha Rifles Details Other expeditions
Michael Patrick (Bronco) Lane M 1945 UK Deputy Leader London, England Army parachute regiment Details Other expeditions
Lalitman Limbu M 1965 Nepal Climber Fleet, Hampshire, England Lance Corporal in British Army's 7th Gurkha Rifles Details Other expeditions
Simon Patrick Rhodes Lowe M 1960 UK Climber Shrivenham, Oxford, England Army Captain (Royal Signals) Details Other expeditions
T. G. (Terry) Moore M 1953 UK Climber N Yorkshire, England Sergeant in RAF Details Other expeditions
James L. (Jim) Morning M 1953 UK Climber Grantown-on-Spey, Moray, Scotland Royal Air Force Flight Sergeant Details Other expeditions
John Lincoln Rowe M 1951 UK Climber Edinburgh, Scotland Artist (civilian) Details Other expeditions
Ang Phula Sherpa M 1965 Nepal Climber Fleet, Hampshire, England Lance Corporal in British Army's 7th Gurkha Rifles Details Other expeditions
Christopher Brine (Kit) Spencer M 1955 UK Climber Fleet, Hampshire, England Major in British Army's 7th Gurkha Rifles Details Other expeditions
Graham Stamp M 1961 UK Climber Holyhead, Gwynedd, Wales Royal Air Force Corporal, deputy leader of RAF mountain rescue team Details Other expeditions
Gavin Nigel Williams M 1956 UK Climber Scotland Major in Royal Hampshire Regiment Details Other expeditions
Ang Temba Sherpa M 1959 Nepal H-A Worker Beding, Dolakha - Details Other expeditions
Babu Chiri (Babu Tshering) Sherpa M 1965 Nepal H-A Worker Chhulemu, Taksindu, Solukhumbu - Details Other expeditions
Phinzo (Thula Phinzo) Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions
Phinzo (Sano Phinzo) Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER92101 AAJ Kefford, Michael H. - - 67:215-216 (1993) -
EVER92101 HIGH - - - 117:7 (Aug 1992) -
EVER92101 HIGH Bell, Steve Everest - 124:40-42 (Mar 1993) -
EVER92101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199321500/Asia-Nepal-Everest-West-Ridge-Attempt - - -
EVER92101 HIGH Bell, Steve Everest - 124:40-42 (Mar 1993) -