Everest | 1996 N Col-NE Ridge

A Norway expedition to Everest in 1996 via N Col-NE Ridge, led by Jon Gangdal. Summit reached on 17th May 1996. 11 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1756
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER96114
Peak ID EVER
Year 1996
Season 1
Host Country 2
Route 1 N Col-NE Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Norway
Leaders Jon Gangdal
Sponsor Chomolungma International Expedition 1996
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 234,236
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Czech Republic, Italy
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1996-04-07
Summit Date 1996-05-17
Summit Time 1010
Summit Days 40
Total Days 44
Termination Date 1996-05-21
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8849
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 8
Summit Members 5
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 3
Summit Hired 3
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 ChineseBC(07/04,5200m),ABC(11/04,6450),C1(20/04,7060),C2(15/05,7800m),C3(16/05,8300m),Smt(17-18/05)
Route Notes C1 at North Col C2 on North Ridge C3 on North Face. No camps above Col slept in till summit push, but camps established from 28th April (C2). 1st summit party left C3 at 3:50 am, reached top 10:10 am (with Indians) and returned to C3 at 1:00 pm. 2 Norwegians slept at Col and Sherpas to ABC same day. 2nd summit team followed day behind and on top at 1:15 pm and slept in C3 (now without oxygen because gave his 2 bottles to fatally sick Austrian with Hungarians, Reinhard Wlasich). Sherpas: Dawa Tashi, Beding, atop Everest 4 times before, Cho Oyu once Dawa Tshering, Beding, atop Everest 2 times before, Cho Oyu twice Gyalbu, Beding, atop Everest 2 times before, Cho Oyu once Personal View [by Morten Rostrup, published in British Medical Journal, 3 Jan 1998) Mount Everest: A Deadly Playground On 11 May 1997 five climbers died during their descent from Mount Everest on the North Ridge. Exactly one year and one day earlier eight people died during a storm below the summit. Seven more died later the same year, making 1996 the worst ever on Everest. As a doctor on a Norwegian Everest expedition, I partly witnessed and partly took part in rescue operations on the north side of the mountain where four climbers died. This was my sixth expedition to the Himalayas and my 12th to mountains above 5000m. The incidents illustrate important medical and ethical aspects of high altitude climbing, and should be considered carefully by expedition doctors. On 10 May 1996 three Indian climbers were overtaken by bad weather close to the summit and did not make it back to the camp that night. Early next morning five climbers from another expedition headed for the summit. They met the first Indian climber alive on the North Ridge below the most difficult part of the climb, the Second Step. He was reported to be moving slowly downwards. Despite obvious need for help, the team continued and met his two fellow climbers above the Second Step, still alive, but suffering from altitude sickness, exhaustion and hypothermia. They were considered more or less beyond rescue. The team continued and reached the summit about 10 am. On their way back they verified the death of one of the Indians. They could not see the second man, but assumed that he had fallen down the North Face. The third climber was still alive further down the ridge. Too exhausted to give any help the climbers passed him by for a second time. A few hours later he died alone. At the same time two members of a mixed expedition, climbers from different countries who did not know each other beforehand, left a third member alone in his tent at 7800m. He was suffering from cerebral edema, but his fellow climbers did not realise his condition, and they themselves were exhausted and suffering from frostbite and severe retinal hemorrhage after an unsuccessful summit attempt without supplementary oxygen. The condition of the climber in the tent deteriorated and a rescue operation had to be arranged. The members of his expedition were, however, reluctant to help him, probably because such an exhaustive operation would reduce their own chances of reaching the summit. After being urged by our expedition leader, they brought him down. He was now also suffering from pulmonary edema and severe frostbite, and was lucky to survive.
Accidents Arnesen vision affected by altitude and couldn't go up
Achievement -
Agency Rolwaling Trek
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2452442
Year 1996
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) n col-ne ridge

Members

11 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Liv Arnesen F 1953 Norway Climber Bekkestua, Norway Marketing director Details Other expeditions
Jan Christophersen M 1954 Norway Climber Bronnoya, Oslo, Norway Partner in executive-recruiting agency Details Other expeditions
Fausto De Stefani M 1952 Italy Climber Castiglione delle Stiviere, Mantova, Italy Alpinist Details Other expeditions
Jon Gangdal M 1954 Norway Leader Kolsaas, Norway Journalist & writer Details Other expeditions
Sven Hougen Gangdal M 1954 Norway Climber Flisa, Norway Social worker Details Other expeditions
Josef (Pepino) Nezerka M 1954 Czech Republic Climber Liberec, Czech Republic Construction company director Details Other expeditions
Morten Rostrup M 1958 Norway Exp Doctor Oslo, Norway Physician Details Other expeditions
Olav Storli Ulvund M 1960 Norway Deputy Leader Oslo, Norway Computer consultant Details Other expeditions
Dawa Tashi Sherpa M 1964 Nepal H-A Worker Beding, Dolakha - Details Other expeditions
Dawa Tshering (Dawa Chhiri) Sherpa M 1971 Nepal H-A Worker Beding, Dolakha - Details Other expeditions
Gyalbu Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker Beding, Dolakha - Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER96114 - Gangdal, Jon Til Topps Pa Mount Everest Arneberg, Oslo - -
EVER96114 HIGH - - - 167:71 (Oct 1996) -