Everest | 1994 N Face (Great Couloir) (to 8000m)

A Canada expedition to Everest in 1994 via N Face (Great Couloir) (to 8000m), led by Jamie Clarke, Alan Hobson. Summit reached on 25th May 1994. 9 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1479
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER94101
Peak ID EVER
Year 1994
Season 1
Host Country 2
Route 1 N Face (Great Couloir) (to 8000m)
Route 2 N Col-N Ridge-N Face (to 8685m)
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Canada
Leaders Jamie Clarke, Alan Hobson
Sponsor Emergo Mt. 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 -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1994-03-08
Summit Date 1994-05-25
Summit Time -
Summit Days 78
Total Days 82
Termination Date 1994-05-29
Termination Reason 7
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8685m due to need to save McIsaac which had exhausted everyone
High Point (m) 8685
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 6
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 9
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 4
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb True
O2 Descent True
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical True
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(08/03),C3.ABC(29/03,6550m),C4A(02/04,7000m),C5A(12/04,7590m),C6A(28/04,8000m),xxx(8000m); C5B(19/05,7800m),C6B(24/05,8200m),xxx(25/05,8685m)
Route Notes BC at road C at North Col C at bottom of Great Couloir under rocks and well protected C in Couloir (not actually occupied) C on North Ridge. Acclimatized for 3 weeks in BC area, which was good for psychology but not physiologically, especially for Sherpas who were no longer interested in high climbing after months at the mountain. Had two camps between BC & ABC, one of which was only temporory. Camp "2" at 20,000 ft was kept through the climb. 1st went to Great Couloir via traverse across couple of deeper gullies, taking 4-1/2 hours to cross, very tiring. In gullies protected from winds but were avalanches. C6 not occupied: Bilodeau & Lhakpa Sonam went to C5A on 13th May enroute to occupy C6A & started fixing yellow band above it. But heavy snowfall started on 14th & wind loading more snow in gullies on traverse. Ventured out of C5A to tent snow conditions on 15th & found they were setting off slab avalanches. Finally on 17th started down when avalanching struck them, in one Bilodeau entirely covered & by time they got down they were "totally freaked out" and Lhakpa never returned to the climb. Route immediately changed route with Simonson's segment & used up a lot of energy carrying up Simonson's oxygen to classical route. Now very strong winds hammered C5B which is terrible place to be. Hobson, Clarke & McIsaac occupied 5B on 19th & got stuck there 3 nights by winds. Hobson & Clarke kept McIsaac well fed & on 23rd May then two went down leaving McIsaac to try summit with Brown, who reached 5B on 25th; 24th McIsaac & Brown made C6B & on 25th went for top 45 mins after Swenson. They left 6B at 3:45 am & never caught up with Swenson. Brown reached top of 1st step at c8500m while McIsaac reached 8685m, third step now he reached he was losing control, could hardly stand up & getting tunnel vision. He soon lost a crampon & fingers freezing while coped with crampon. Clarke told him to use emergency oxygen in his pack (2.75 kg small bottle) & this brought him around. Brown in his descent left his small oxygen at bottom of 1st step for McIsaac & used other bottle in C6B to warm himself there while waiting for McIsaac. McIsaac didn't find bottle & suddenly unable to move well but crossed yellow band but very slowly with long rests. Finally joined Brown in 6B just before sunset. 40 mins later his lungs filled with fluid, wind howling & very cold so not evacuated till next morning when Brice's Sherpas arrived from C4 in 4 hrs. He had been using oxygen given to him by Rheinberger before he left for top, leaving McIsaac again very sick & was expected to die in few minutes. Decided to move him down immediately in Gamov bag & stream of climbers with headlamps moved up to help carry him down. Got him to ABC at 2 am on 27th found him really more dead than alive but IV fluid, oxygen, & antibiotics & strepcils & lower altitude brought him back to life. Took 3 days before he could sit up.
Accidents Clarke bad sinuitis from BC; McIsaac nearly died of altitude sickness; Brown altitude sickness
Achievement -
Agency Great Escapes Trekking
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2451672
Year 1994
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) n face (great couloir) (to 8000m)

Members

9 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Mario Bilodeau M 1954 Canada Climber Chicoutimi, Quebec University professor of outdoor education Details Other expeditions
Dennis Brown M 1951 Canada Exp Doctor Fort St. James, British Columbia Physician Details Other expeditions
Ian Jamie Clarke M 1968 Canada Co-Leader Calgary, Alberta Public speaker Details Other expeditions
Susan Foster F 1946 Canada Business Manager Surrey, British Columbia Office manager and meeting planner Details Other expeditions
Alan Hobson M 1958 Canada Co-Leader Calgary, Alberta Author & public speeker Details Other expeditions
Michael Keller M 1946 Canada ABC Manager Calgary, Alberta Computer math teacher Details Other expeditions
John McIsaac M 1954 Canada Climber Canmore, Alberta Building contractor Details Other expeditions
Timothy Leonard (Tim) Rippel M 1961 Canada Climber Nelson, British Columbia Ski guide Details Other expeditions
Sarah Wright F 1964 Canada ABC Cook Kluane, Yukon Cook Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER94101 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 69:300-301 (1995) -
EVER94101 CAJ McIssac, John Everest Without Oxygen - 78:100-103 (1995) -
EVER94101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199530000/Asia-Tibet-Everest-from-Tibet-in-the-Pre-Monsoon - - -