Everest | 1996 S Col-SE Ridge

A New Zealand expedition to Everest in 1996 via S Col-SE Ridge, led by Rob Hall. Summit reached on 10th May 1996. 15 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1735
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER96115
Peak ID EVER
Year 1996
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Col-SE Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality New Zealand
Leaders Rob Hall
Sponsor Adventure Consultants Friendship Everest Expedition 1996
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 228
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Australia, Canada, Japan, S Africa, USA
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1996-04-09
Summit Date 1996-05-10
Summit Time -
Summit Days 31
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8849
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 13
Summit Members 6
Member Deaths 4
Total Hired 9
Summit Hired 2
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(09/04,5350m),C1(16/04,5900m),C2(18/04,6400m),C3(29/04,7350m),C4(09/05,7900m),Smt(10/05)
Route Notes C1 at top of Icefall C2 in Cwm C3 on Lhotse Face (50m higher than normal site) C4 at South Col. 1st summit bid (only one expected) started at 11:30 pm of 9th from C4: 1 Sherpa and Fischbeck turned back after 2 hrs when Fischbeck felt not well enough and "intuitively had a bad feeling" since had been on Everest 3 times before but "weather was perfect" at the time; reached SE Ridge (c.8300m) at dawn by Ang Dorje and Krakauer, 1-1/2 hours ahead of Hall, who told them to wait for others and Scott Fisher's group arrived with Hall's others, which caused congestion and a member annoyed when they took of from them ahead of Hall's party. An hour lost in delay fixing rope from S Summit up, which did not take place immediately by Sherpas who were sitting smoking and said not their job - had not been properly instructed. Krakauer, Kasischke, Beidleman and Hansen's reacted to this by taking the rope from Sherpa and 3 of these members who were guides of the two teams had same rope and setting off to do it. By time reached S Summit wind had blown up (steady 20-30 knot wind) plume coming off summit and when Krakauer on top, clouds coming up from below. Krakauer stayed on top only few minutes, met group coming up Hillary Step and waited 1/2 hour for them to pass. Namba going very well till just below S Summit, when much slower where technical problems greater than her experience could readily cope with - clipped onto old ropes instead of right ones - and was inefficient in expending her energy: very slight (41 kg only and had to ask Sherpas to carry her 2 kgs down suit which climbers were suppose to carry themselves). Krakauer's oxygen ran out at Hillary Step and got to C4 at 6:00-6:30 pm with strong wind ("scream of winds") and intermittent white out: K. was 1st - Sherpa to reach tent and (Harris 1st to Col) but never got into tents - crampon marks seen heading for Lhotse face). Hansen at base of Step very near Hall at summit of snow cave Hall is in. Namba seen by Hutchison in snow and ice very unlikely to have ever moved again. Weathers was very partially incased and walked into BC c5:00 am saying "its great to be alive"; was put onto own tent but Sherpas entering tent freaked out and left tent flaps flapping. Hutchison exhausted and unable to function well in C4 completely busy looking after known hiring (Groom, Taske exhausted) (Kasischke frostbitten and snow blind). All had gone smoothly with whole group together till disaster struck on 10th - no previous drama. At 2:15 pm Hall and his 2 Sherpas were on summit and Namba with him, Hall reported from summit by radio; Hansen seem to be coming up and Hall would wait for him. Groom and Harris were moving down from summit. Hall sent Ang Dorje (aka. Chuldin) and Norbu down with Namba. Ang Dorje, aka Chuldin Dorje, Pangboche, scaled Everest 3 times before, Broad Peak and Cho Oyu once. Groom - 15 May 96 (by telephone) Hall has to be dead. "Vicious" storms after 10th May. Hall weak voice and could tell he was cold on 11th. Wind even worse that evening 80-100 km/hr Hansen (US) between Hillary Step and S Summit - probably died early night of 10th. Harris last seen 100m up from C4 before maybe 6 pm dramatic night turns and 10th walked towards Lhotse and not seen since Namba. Groom is escorting her down from top to about 8500m where met Weathers and had to short rope him down and she ahead - at bottom of gully she none of oxygen, because exhausted. Fischer descending members including Neal now escorted her, visibility lost, night fall winds up - reached lowest part of Col near East Face, really lost, so lay down. Namba extremely confused and unable to understand where she was or what was going on. 12:30-1:00 am clouds descend and able to get bearing. 10-12 had been lying down. Groom shoulder (?) blind Beck then left them, Namba and Beck, with several Americans while Groom searched for C4 and found it 1:00 am - asked teammates strong people at C4 to send others go to Namba. Groom collapsed in tent and slept. Hutchinson found Beck and Namba so near death left them. Beck crawled into C4 5:00 am saying its great to be alive - not known where she is. Fischer lying somewhere between S Summit at 8400m - bived with Gau - seen by Ang Dorje and Norbu on 11th when they went up to try to take oxygen and thermos. Groom - 15 May 97 (by telephone) "My fingers little bit frostbitten," emotionally down, "quite shattered and upset." May come to Thamserku/Kangtega in autumn "but just now that's the furthest thing from my mind." Caroline Mackenzie - 12 May am Weathers alive at Col but dying. Athans and Burleson at Col. Duff and 3 tried to reach Hall and had to dump oxygen and thermos below him. Hall no contact today. Fischer and Gau found alive but only Gau could be gotten down. Fischer unable to move. Bukreev went to try get Fischer but came down alone to Col yesterday. Harris to South Col yesterday and fell, missing, and footprints leading down Lhotse Face. Letter to Miss Hawley from Madeleine David: - Late summit on an increasingly windy day for Mike Groom, Yasuka Namba, Jan Krakauser, Andy Harris, Doug Hansen and Rob Hall. - At 2:30 pm Rob was still on summit waiting for a tired Doug. - At 4:15 pm Rob was heard calling for oxygen from the top of the Hillary Step. This was for both he and Doug who at this stage was very weak. - We were unable to communicate with anyone who could bring oxygen to Rob, although broken transmission led us to believe at one stage that a Sherpa was returning. He could not be pursuaded to leave the weakened Doug and his last transmission was at 5:45 pm as he was bringing Doug down the Hillary Step. - As night fell and a storm blew in, it became apparent that not only our expedition but also Scott Fischer's American team and a Taiwan climber with 2 Sherpas were having extreme difficulty returning to the South Col. - By 8:30 pm a combined team of Base Camp staff from NZ, British, South African and American teams were working franticlly to enlist aid with efforts continuing throughout the night frustrated by a blizzard, nil visibility, high winds and exhaustion of most people of the South Col. Rob stunned us all by radioing from the South Summit at 4:45 am today and rescue was mounted for him after early morning winds died down (in progress time of writing) - while at midnight the total of climbers above the col was 21, by 8:40 this morning that number had reduced to 10, with all eleven climbers returning to South Col tents. - A second rescue, for those at the Col, of approximately thirty has been mounted by climbers currently at C2 and C3 and will take place over the next 2 days. - Every expedition team at BC is currently involved in this epic rescue and is praying and working for the safety of Rob Hall as three Sherpas approach his location on the South Summit. From Guy Cotter (NZ guide) at Everest Base Camp - 13 May 1996. On 10 May between 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm the summit of Mt Everest was reached by Rob Hall (NZ), Yasuko Namba (Japan), Doug Hansen and Jon Krakauer (USA), Michael Groom (Australia) and Andy Harris (NZ). The group began the descent back to their top camp (IV) at 7900m. Last to descend wer Rob Hall and Doug Hansen who were caught by nightfall above the South Summit and consequently ran out of bottled oxygen. Hansen died during the night and Hall was forced to bivouac in the open at 8750m, without tent or sleeping bag. Lower on the mountain the other climbers who had that day became lost. By dawn the total missing were Hall and Hansen above the South Summit. Yasuko Namba and Beck Weathers (Weather did not summit but awaited the descending climbers), Scott Fisher (from the American group), along with Makalu Gau from Taiwan who was with 2 Sherpas. Andy Harris (NZ) was also still missing, having last been seen very close to the tents at the South Col (c4) in whiteout conditions. In the morning a rescue for Hall was initiated by 2 Sherpas, Ang Dorje and Lhakpa Chhiri, who tried to carry oxygen and drink to him on the South Summit. Hall was in radio contact with base camp where he was able to describe his condition and talk to friends. He even spoke to his wife Jan Arnold who had climbed Everest with Hall in 1993. On satellite phone link to NZ Hall sounded positive but was unable to move due to extreme cold. Meanwhile a search contined for the missing climbers on the South Col. Discovered dead were Yasuko Namba and Scott Fischer. Beck Weathers quite remarkably "came back to life" having been considered dead. After being out in the open for almost 20 hours he got up and walked into camp. Bad weather and strong wind plagued the already exhausted climber who were performing the search. However, they combed the South Col area bringing in climbers from the various groups and supplying life supporting oxygen, drinks and specialised high altitude drugs. On the South Summit Hall was immobile and late in the day was informed from BC that the Sherpas performing the rescue had to turn back due to very high winds and extreme cold. They left oxygen and a thermos for Hall on the SE ridge, some 200m below him and descended to the South Col fearing for their own lives in the bitterly severe conditions. Hall took the news stoically that rescue wouldn't happen until the following day, stating he would wait. After a call to his wife he turned off his radio and was not heard from again. An aeroplane flight over the South Summit revealed no sign of movement. Beck Weathers, who was in critical condition when he stumbled into camp at the South Col, was given attention and eventually began accepting fluids. All of the expeditions on the mountain halted their climbing to provide assistance, selflessly providing personnel, equipment and support. Only one expedition of the eleven on the mountain carried on with their climb while all others pitched in. Americans Pete Athans and Todd Burleson prepared to make another rescue attempt for Hall but foul weather made this impossible. Instead they concentrated their efforts to bring Beck Weathers down which was accomplished successfully over 2 days with the help of climbers of all nationalities (too many to name). A daring helicopter rescue was accomplished by the Nepalese Airforce by Colonel KC from the top of the notoriously difficult and dangerous Khumbu Icefall. This helicopter rescue saved another full day of evacuation for Weathers and a severely frostbitten Taiwanese climber, Makalu Gau, 24 hours after leaving the South Col they were in the hands of expert high altitude medical technicians in Kathmandu. The redeeming feature of this tragedy has been the combining of resources and the ease with which the climbers from all countries have dropped their lifetime ambition of reaching the summit of Everest in order to help those in need.
Accidents Tenzin fell into crevasse between C1 & C2 climb; Weathers had snow[-blind] problem from arrival at C1 on 16th April to S Col)
Achievement Oldest woman to summit
Agency Wilderness Experience
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2452435
Year 1996
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) s col-se ridge

Members

15 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Frank Brian Dieter Fischbeck M 1939 S Africa Climber Hong Kong Book publisher Details Other expeditions
Michael Graeme Groom M 1959 Australia Climber Moorooka, QLD, Australia Alpinist & lecturer Details Other expeditions
Robert Edwin (Rob) Hall M 1961 New Zealand Leader Christchurch, New Zealand Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Douglas (Doug) Hansen M 1949 USA Climber Renton, Washington US Postal Service Details Other expeditions
Andrew Michael (Andy) Harris M 1964 New Zealand Climber Queenstown, New Zealand Alpine & skiing guide Details Other expeditions
Stuart Hutchison M 1962 Canada Climber Tiburon, California Cardiologist and researcher Details Other expeditions
Louis W. Kasischke M 1942 USA Climber Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Attorney Details Other expeditions
Jonathan Roblee (Jon) Krakauer M 1954 USA Climber Seattle, Washington Journalist Details Other expeditions
Caroline Mackenzie F 1966 New Zealand Exp Doctor Christchurch, New Zealand Physician Details Other expeditions
Yasuko Namba F 1949 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Federal Express Details Other expeditions
John Edward Taske M 1940 Australia Climber Brisbane, QLD, Australia Physician Details Other expeditions
Seaborn (Beck) Weathers M 1946 USA Climber Dallas, Texas Pathologist Details Other expeditions
Helen Wilton F 1956 New Zealand Climber Christchurch, New Zealand Physiotherapist Details Other expeditions
Chuldim Dorje (Ang Dorje) Sherpa M 1964 Nepal H-A Worker Pangboche, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Norbu/Nurbu (Nuru) Sherpa M 1968 Nepal H-A Worker Beding, Dolakha - Details Other expeditions

References

20 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER96115 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth A Season on Everest - 71:21-26 (1997) -
EVER96115 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 72:306-308 (1998) -
EVER96115 - Krakauer, John Into Thin Air Villard, New York - -
EVER96115 - Boukreev, Anatoli & DeWalt, G. Weston The Climb St. Martin's Press, New York - -
EVER96115 - Weathers, Beck Left for Dead Villard, New York - -
EVER96115 HIGH Deegan, Paul Rescue on Everest - 165:86-88 (Aug 1996) -
EVER96115 HIGH - - - 164:9-11 (Jul 1996) -
EVER96115 OUTS Bryant, Mark & Krakauer, Jon Everest: A Year Later Outside Magazine 57-62+ (May 1997) -
EVER96115 OUTS Child, Greg Lessons in Futility Outside Magazine 64-65+ (May 1997) -
EVER96115 OUTS Krakauer, Jon Into Thin Air Outside Magazine 46-66+ (Sep 1996) -
EVER96115 OTH Dowling, Claudia Glenn Death on the Mountain Life Magazine 32-46 (Aug 1996) -
EVER96115 MENS Wilkinson, Peter The Death Zone Men's Journal 36-46 (Aug 1996) -
EVER96115 MENS Wilkinson, Peter Everest: The Aftermath Men's Journal 40-46 (May 1997) -
EVER96115 CLMB Kennedy, Micheal By the Book - 163:94-104+ (Sep 1996) -
EVER96115 CLMB Beidleman, Neal The Last Step - 163:105-106 (Sep 1996) -
EVER96115 OTH Pittman, Sandy Hill Cliff Hanger Vogue Magazine 226-231+ (Aug 1996) -
EVER96115 - Kasischke, Lou After the Wind Good Hart Publishing, Harbor Springs, MI - -
EVER96115 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199830603/Asia-Nepal-Everest-in-the-Pre-Monsoon - - -
EVER96115 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199702100/A-Season-in-Everest-The-Rest-of-the-Story - - -
EVER96115 NGA Brown, Chip Sorrow on the Mountain - 226-5:56-91 (Nov 2014) -