Everest | 1998 N Col-NE Ridge

A New Zealand expedition to Everest in 1998 via N Col-NE Ridge, led by Roger Buick. Summit reached on 26th May 1998. 1 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2588
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER98132
Peak ID EVER
Year 1998
Season 1
Host Country 2
Route 1 N Col-NE Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality New Zealand
Leaders Roger Buick
Sponsor On New Zealand (Brice) permit
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 1998-05-04
Summit Date 1998-05-26
Summit Time -
Summit Days 22
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 6
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7400m due to death from exposure
High Point (m) 7400
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 1
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 1
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 1
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(04/05),Interim(07/05,5800m),ABC(08/05,6400m),C1(14/05,7000m),xxx(26/05,7400m)
Route Notes C1 at North Col High point at North Ridge. Buick was terribly slow climber even at relatively low altitude. [Told on] 26th, from at least 9 people, to turn back. Body found by Brice on 28th to push him off trail - was wearing only ski clothes (no down) and ski boots. His actions and clothing made no sense - brought equipment for snow probes and snowholes when had been told in advance it's a rock route; sleeping bag good for the beach; very in experienced climber - "weird behaviour" like stories to others like falling into 4 crevasses when were only 4 on entire route and route fixed from North Col to glacier and from there onwards. Jim Findley of US expedition led by David Hahn - 4 June 1998 Buick was "a determined man in all the wrong ways" and never changed his actions despite all advice from others on numerous occasions. Hahn: "he was extremely ignorant of the mountains and never could understand how they could kill him". Hahn was one of the last persons to talk to Buick. Hahn, et al: he thought everyone else was doing the climb much too expensively and elaborately and he had great disdain for guides. Was convinced that in life and climbing Everest, you learn as you go along, but he took 72 hours to descend from North Col to ABC while Hahn's client took 1-1/2 hours. Is it is possible that he wanted to die on Everest? Nothing else makes sense.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Asian Trekking
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453228
Year 1998
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n col-ne ridge

Members

1 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Roger Buick M 1946 New Zealand Leader Sydney, NSW, Australia Ski travel company director Details Other expeditions

References

1 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER98132 HIGH - - - 193:26 (Dec 1998) -