Everest | 1994 Couloir on E side of N Ridge (to 8000m)

A New Zealand expedition to Everest in 1994 via Couloir on E side of N Ridge (to 8000m), led by Russell Brice. Summit reached on 28th May 1994. 14 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1484
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER94113
Peak ID EVER
Year 1994
Season 1
Host Country 2
Route 1 Couloir on E side of N Ridge (to 8000m)
Route 2 N Col-NE Ridge (to 7800m)
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality New Zealand
Leaders Russell Brice
Sponsor Himalayan Experience 8000 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 Canada, France, Guatemala, Romania, USA
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1994-04-11
Summit Date 1994-05-28
Summit Time -
Summit Days 47
Total Days 52
Termination Date 1994-06-02
Termination Reason 10
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8300m due to effort & strength expended, leaving no support for summit party
High Point (m) 8300
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 2000
Total Members 10
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 5
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),ABC(17/04,6600m),C1(03/05,7400m),C4(24/05,7000m),C5(25/05,7800m),xxx(28/05,8300m)
Route Notes BC at road ABC at East Rongbuk (normal site) C1 in couloir immediately on east side of North Ridge C4 at North Col C5 on North Ridge by Schmidt and Lacatusu. 2 French were not teammates really, refused to carry even light loads. Quite technical ground to C1 subject to a little rock fall on warm days & to slab avalanche conditions if there snow & wind; very steep mixed rock & hard ice; fixed from glacier at about 6800m to C1. From C1 up couloir & very fast but steep & fixed here also to 8000m. 9th May & again 16th May reached this highest point on this route: Brice & Chuldin Sherpa 1st, Schimid & Ang Rita 2nd time (Ang Rita strong). Intended to make C2 at N Ridge at normal C6 site, but ran out of rope temporarily & there heavy snowfall with strong winds loaded couloir with small avalanching daily. 22nd May Brice at 7800m avalanche came from above & confirmed that would have trouble if continued. 23 May asked Swenson his agreement to change route to normal one & on 24th had people at the N Col C4 7000m & content (paid Americans fee of $1000 per person). 25th Lacatusu & Schmidt at C5 without Sherpa at 7800m on N Ridge & this the highest any members reached (but 3 Sherpas went higher, to C6 at 8300m on 26th to rescue Canadian). Found some old fixed ropes 200m above C1 which had not been placed by Schmuck's Spring 1991 member who died there. Japanese C1 debris found there & Barry Blanchard reportedly had been in this couloir then basically ended up helping rescue others. If commercial expeditions went to take shortcuts; it's irresponsible because spare oxygen, etc. lacking. 5th May sent Sherpas down to help Simonson's Sherpas carry down one of there Sherpas from ABC to BC. 19 & 20 May helped N Ridge Italians get down from N Col & down to ABC. 25th May Simonson member (Paul) very sick with asthma at N Col & Brice's doctor had to help him & sending 31 Sherpas on oxygen from C4 (7000m) to C6 (8300m) in 4 hrs 20 minutes & rescued Canadians (used up all of Brice's Sherpa support and oxygen). 28th helped Simonson's Whetu get down from C5 to C4 & on down to ABC in storied rescue. 30th Whetu rode Brice yak to BC. For Brice team to continue impossible: were totally exhausted - had also spent time & effort looking after Kowalzik's members, Lacatusu went out and fixed Canadian's McIsaac when he was falling on N Ridge, plus cleaned everything off the mountain; had people in position to go for top & in condition to do so but burned out by rescues & support not available for possible summit pair (Schmidt & Lacatusu). Sherpas to 8300m were Chuldin, Karsang (Ang Rita's son) and Lobsang. Brice team came at right time; others there a month before them, battled wind and cold for a month. People on south summited while north side people tied down by winds; north side never successfully climbed by guided clients.
Accidents Nothing serious
Achievement -
Agency Asian Trekking
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2451720
Year 1994
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) couloir on e side of n ridge (to 8000m)

Members

14 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Russell Reginald Brice M 1952 New Zealand Leader Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Barry Bridgeman M 1937 New Zealand Climber Auckland, New Zealand Dentist Details Other expeditions
Stuart Hutchison M 1962 Canada Climber Montreal, Quebec Cardiologist Details Other expeditions
Constantin Lacatusu M 1961 Romania Climber Piatra Neamt, Romania Geologist Details Other expeditions
Chantal Mauduit F 1964 France Climber Les Houches, Haute-Savoie, France Physiotherapist Details Other expeditions
Richard Desmond (Dick) Price M 1947 New Zealand Climber Timaru, New Zealand Physician Details Other expeditions
Martin Walter (Marty) Schmidt M 1960 New Zealand Climber Christchurch, New Zealand Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Rene Robert M 1961 France Climber Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France Photographer Details Other expeditions
Jaime Vinals Massanet M 1961 Guatemala Climber Guatemala City, Guatemala Biologist Details Other expeditions
Von Whitby M 1948 USA Climber Salt Lake City, Utah Investment banker Details Other expeditions
Ang Rita Sherpa M 1948 Nepal H-A Worker Yilajung, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Karsang Namgyal/Namgel Sherpa M 1971 Nepal H-A Worker Thami, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Lobsang Temba (Lupsang Temba) Sherpa M 1968 Nepal H-A Worker Khumjung, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Chuldin Temba (Chuldim) Sherpa M 1962 Nepal H-A Worker Zarok, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER94113 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 69:300-301 (1995) -
EVER94113 HIGH - - - 144:39 (Nov 1994) -
EVER94113 - - http://www.lacatusu.ro - - -
EVER94113 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199530000/Asia-Tibet-Everest-from-Tibet-in-the-Pre-Monsoon - - -