Everest | 1997 S Col-SE Ridge

A Mexico expedition to Everest in 1997 via S Col-SE Ridge, led by Ana Mendez de Luca. 4 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2452
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER97312
Peak ID EVER
Year 1997
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Col-SE Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Mexico
Leaders Ana Mendez de Luca
Sponsor Summit for Peace - Everest 1997
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 Costa Rica
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1997-09-17
Summit Date -
Summit Time -
Summit Days 0
Total Days 7
Termination Date 1997-09-24
Termination Reason 12
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 5350
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 4
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
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(17/09,5350m)
Route Notes Did no climbing because trekking agent, Santa Subba of Kailash Himalayan Treks, never paid HMG for permit. Agent "robbed us," charged thousands of dollars for unnecessary elaborate icefall route of their own, overcharged for more bottles of oxygen than produced, etc, etc. Have a Nepali lawyer to retrieve funds paid to agent and will stay in KTM as long as it takes to reach a settlement. Want to return for Everest ascent next year. Ministry of Tourism - 1 Oct 1997 - no permit issued because no royalty paid. 19 Oct - team representative offered to pay $30,000 before summit guaranteed more later. (Mrs Mendez and another member prayed at BC on 23 Sept says German journalist who interviewed Mr and Mrs today, 5 Oct 1997 - they confirmed to her they did no climbing because no permit - have now received refund from agent). Inaki Ochoa, Spanish Lhotse leader - 19 Oct 1997 Mexican team belonged to some Christian sect which is very well financed by titles from its membership. They explained that their good was to take the devil away from the summit of Everest that God could come to Nepal and people of Nepal, Hindus and Buddhists, could be evangelized, They wrote with an ice axe on seracs near BC "Jesus lives," and made and altar in ice beside BC and prayed there every day. It took them six hours to travel from Gorak Shep to BC (trip of an hour or less normally) because they fell on their knees frequently to pray. On this way to BC, there is a big hole and they said this was the gateway to hell and they prayed to God to close it. They tried to pay less than the the $70,000 fee; said they had excellent Mexican connections with important people in Nepal. When that didn't produce a permit, they said they had realized at BC that BC was as good as the summit for their purpose. 24 Oct 1997 - trekking agent, Santa Subba of Kailash Himalayan Treks - Mexican leader made connected effort to get entire royalty waived: saw Secretary of Tourism Ministry and Minister of Tourism and argued that fee should not be charged because team would pray for peace in world and peace for Nepal people; if these prayers not conducted atop Everest, disasters would strike Nepal. Officials did not agree to waive fee. Then she offered a blank cheque which she signed, saying no money in account. This expedition paid no bills in KTM: no hotel bills, agent's fees and expenses. 17 Nov 1997 - Subba said Mendez paid about half of his bills.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Kailash Journeys Treks
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2267
Year 1997
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) s col-se ridge

Members

4 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Lorenzo Cabrera M 1973 Mexico Climber Mexico City, Mexico Manager of office cleaning business Details Other expeditions
Veronica Cabrera F 1976 Mexico Climber Mexico City, Mexico Secretary Details Other expeditions
Ana Mendez de Luca F 1954 Mexico Leader Mexico City, Mexico Speaker at conferences (speaks on the Bible) Details Other expeditions
Eduardo Villalobos M 1952 Costa Rica Climber San Jose, Costa Rica Sports instructor Details Other expeditions

References

1 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER97312 HIGH - - - 188:21 (Jul 1998) -