Everest | 1998 S Col-SE Ridge

A Spain expedition to Everest in 1998 via S Col-SE Ridge, led by Juan Corro. Summit reached on 15th October 1998. 9 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 3195
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER98303
Peak ID EVER
Year 1998
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Col-SE Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Spain
Leaders Juan Corro
Sponsor Castellon Costa Azahar Everest 1998
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 306 disputed
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed True
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1998-09-06
Summit Date 1998-10-15
Summit Time -
Summit Days 39
Total Days 43
Termination Date 1998-10-19
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8849
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 6
Summit Members 1
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 4
Summit Hired 0
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(06/09,5350m),C1(14/09,6200m),C2(20/09,6500m),C3(13/10,7300m),C4(14/10,7900m),Smt(15/10)
Route Notes C1 above top of Icefall C2 in Western Cwm C3 on Lhotse Face C4 at South Col. 14th Oct C4 occupied by 2 Japanese on this permit and Corro, Pitarch and Sherpas Dorje (Everest X6, Thamo), Gyalzen (Everest X2, Phurte) and Mingma (20 years old, 1st time on South Col, Namche); only 4 tents total. 15th Corro stayed in tent at Col because very tired and Mingma also stayed in tent because very tired and throat problem and not expected to sleep in C4 and Gyalzen in tent as Corro's climbing partner. Corro and Gyalzen left at 9:00+ am down to lower camp. Dorje up with Pitarch and Japanese party at 1:20 am and Dorje turned down at 8300m and in extremely dangerous weather (very windy) but Pitarch "crazy," made "very risky decision" to continue. Corro and others members "very angry" but "ambition, high altitude affecting his decisions" made Pitarch to carry on says Corro. Pitarch says it was his only chance to climb Everest but now realizes dangerous decision and unhappy now that he destroyed team's decision. If winds had not abated at about 8:30 am he would have died. Pitarch says he reached top at 10:30 am and back in C4 2:30 pm. His footsteps had disappeared when he came down because had started snowing before reaching S Summit. At time he was on summit, he thinks snow in area was only from wind blowing it around - on top found on snow stakes and scarves tied to metal rod - stayed only one minute because panicked by feeling very weak and only wished to go down (did not realize toes and fingers frozen). Corros trusts Pitarch's honesty and believes him regarding summit success; know each other as good friends since childhood. Pitarch was snowblinded on 16th in very slow descent without ability to see ropes; Sherpas helped him to C2 where he got better on 17th. On his ascent, Pitarch's oxygen system froze and broke at bottom of Hillary Step. 22 Oct 98 - Ken Noguchi leader of Japanese team on Everest at same time: Noguchi and others from his team went up with Pitarch and his Sherpa on 15th in joint attempt to reach summit. Noguchi turned back but Pitarch went on up alone despite fact he was very tired there were no fixed ropes and wind very strong. Leader by walkie-talkie told him to come down but Pitarch didn't listen and continued up slowly, returned to Col 4:00 pm with summit claim. Was impossible to see above 8500m because of cloud cover. Kaji Sherpa, who claimed summit on 17th, reported Pitarch's footprints stopped above South Summit. 26 Oct 98 - Matsumoto, leader of another Japanese team then on Everest: "I don't think they (Pitarch and Kaji) reached summit" - no pictures, no evidence. Pitarch couldn't see properly after his oxygen supply stopped; he "made error." Matsumoto's sirdar watched summit ridge through binoculars from C2 about an hour from 10:17 am and saw no one there although ridge clearly visible. Spaniard Scales Everest by Elizabeth Hawley Kathmandu, Oct. 16 (Reuters) - The first ascent of Everest in this autumn season was made by a Spanish mountaineer Thursday, according to news from the Nepalese tourism ministry today. The ministry announced that Carlos Pitarch, a 31-year-old lawyer from Borriol, Castellon, reached the highest point on earth at 10:30 am on Thursday, Pitarch left the camp at 7900 meters' altitude (25,900 ft) for his final climb up the Southeast ridge to the 8848 meters high (29,028 ft) summit of the Everest. He spent only one minute on the top of the world because of extremely strong winds and returned to camp at 2:30 pm, the ministry said. There are two Japanese teams attempting to reach Everest's summit this week or next, and also one Nepalese Sherpa climber, Kaji Sherpa, who aspires to make a speed ascent in only 18 hours from base camp to summit. On the north side of Everest, there were five parties trying to reach the summit this autumn, but all failed to do so, most of them reporting that the winds were so fierce it was impossible for them to battle their way to the summit. Pitarch is a member of a five-member Spanish team led by Juan Corro from Benicasim, Castellon. The ministry did not know whether more members of this expedition were planning their own summit bids. Pitarch is the 31st Spaniard and the 809th person from any country ever to reach Everest's summit.
Accidents Pitarch most fingers and toes frostbitten (horseback BC to Namche)
Achievement -
Agency Asian Trekking
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453370
Year 1998
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) s col-se ridge

Members

9 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Ramiro Beltran Miravet M 1965 Spain Climber Castellon, Spain Trucking company administrative staff Details Other expeditions
Juan Corro Tormo M 1963 Spain Leader Benicasim, Castellon, Spain Petrochemical engineer Details Other expeditions
Javier Garcia Garcia M 1962 Spain Climber Castellon City, Castellon, Spain Controller in maritime coastal shipping coordination center Details Other expeditions
Carlos Pardo Fonfria M 1962 Spain Exp Doctor Castellon City, Castellon, Spain Physician Details Other expeditions
Carlos Pitarch Francisco M 1967 Spain Climber Borriol, Castellon, Spain Attorney Details Other expeditions
Ricardo Villar Garcia M 1963 Spain Climber Castellon City, Castellon, Spain Computer system analyst Details Other expeditions
Gyalzen (Ang Gyalzen) Sherpa M 1952 Nepal H-A Worker Phurte, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Dorje Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions
Mingma Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker Namche Bazar, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER98303 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 73:374-375 (1999) -
EVER98303 HIGH - - - 198:38 (May 1999) -
EVER98303 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199937402/Asia-Nepal-Everest-Ascents-in-the-Post-Monsoon - - -