Everest | 1999 S Col-SE Ridge

A UK expedition to Everest in 1999 via S Col-SE Ridge, led by Henry Todd. Summit reached on 5th May 1999. 10 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 3322
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER99115
Peak ID EVER
Year 1999
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Col-SE Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality UK
Leaders Henry Todd
Sponsor Himalayan Guides Everest 1999
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 309,318
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Mexico, New Zealand, USA
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1999-03-29
Summit Date 1999-05-05
Summit Time -
Summit Days 37
Total Days 53
Termination Date 1999-05-21
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8849
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 8
Summit Members 5
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 5
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(29/03,5350m),C1(10/04,6000m),C2(12/04,6350m),C3(25/04,7300m),C4(30/04,7900m),Smt(05,13/05)
Route Notes C1 at top of Icefall C2 in Western Cwm C3 on Lhotse West Face C4 at South Col. 3rd summit attempt by Todd and Mellor, Ang Tshering (for 2nd ascent this month), Nima and Pemba Nuru (all from Pangboche); were at C4 17 May but never above Col on 18th because of wind and new snowfall and not strong enough by this time. 2nd bid by Trueman and Pasang Dawa; left Col together night of 12th-13th and on top about 9:30 am (Trueman asked that no one talk about his climb); Lapkass spoke only when told about Tourism Ministry's press release. Medina said on 30 May: She stepped "just one foot too far" to right and fell through cornice over East Face; fell 5-10m unroped to snow ledge - was between S Summit and Hillary Step - just one scratch. Summit Sherpas: Ang Tshering (aka Pasang Tshering), 23, Pangboche, Everest 26/5/98 Pasang Dawa, 23, Pangboche, Everest X1 before Ratcliffe went through Icefall only twice and was first to go to BC, C2, C3 and C4. At C4 on 30th night, 1 May to C2, 2 May to C3 with Avila, Broom, Medina; Lapkass arrived 3rd straight from C2 to C4 with Sherpas. 3rd night windy and soon 4th other team members down from Col but this party plus Athans and Kropp parties stayed at Col on 4/5 May and at 8:00 pm wind died and went to top instead. Left C4 10:00-10:30 pm on 4th and found fresh snow from 8200m to S Summit got to S Summit at 10:00 am and found others tending to Medina who had slipped between S Summit and Hillary Step which was not fully roped and she descended from there, shaken by her narrow escape from long fall down SW Face. Ratcliffe down to Col at 3:30-4:00 pm with Medina from Balcony; he ran out of oxygen at S Summit in descent and received party used bottle from a Sherpa and reached his own extra bottle at the Balcony; were first back to Col from Todd's teams. Same Sherpas up to find out why Lapkass was late; he came back very tired. Medina and Ang Tshering had taken off dark glasses/goggle and developed snowblindness. Ratcliffe frostbitten fingers and toes but he hopes they will heal. Mellor dental abcess which required him to go down from C2 to Namche Dental Clinic for extraction of 4 teeth; went back to mountain. Elsa Avila climbed with Laurie Medina much of the time. On summit day left South Col together but Elsa "really motivated" and on oxygen it's really different" (started using oxygen at col) and moved fast and from Balcony to S Summit was behind only Athans and Crouse. On top Athans, 2-3 Sherpas, Ratcliffe, Avila, Crouse and Brown and then doesn't know order. Best part of climb was the real climb (not walking) up Hillary Step, which she had not reached in 1989 spring attempt.
Accidents -
Achievement 1st Latin American woman on summit; 1st Brit to scale Everest from both South & North
Agency Arun Treks
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453573
Year 1999
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) s col-se ridge

Members

10 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Elsa Flor Avila Bello de Carsolio F 1963 Mexico Climber Valle de Bravo, Mexico Outdoor activities instructor Details Other expeditions
Ray Brown M 1951 New Zealand Climber Manning, Perth, WA, Australia High school teacher Details Other expeditions
Andrew Atis (Andy) Lapkass M 1958 USA Deputy Leader Breckenridge, Colorado Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Laura T. Medina F 1963 USA Exp Doctor Vale, Colorado Physician Details Other expeditions
George David Mellor M 1942 UK Climber Freeport, Bahamas Sky diver & building contractor Details Other expeditions
Graham Gordon Ratcliffe M 1955 UK Climber Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear, England Commercial property manager Details Other expeditions
Henry Barclay Todd M 1945 UK Leader Edinburgh, Scotland Expedition organizer & leader Details Other expeditions
Michael J. (Mike) Trueman M 1952 UK Climber Midhurst, W Surrey, England Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Pasang Tshering (Ang Tshering) Sherpa M 1976 Nepal H-A Worker Pangboche, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Pasang Dawa (Pa Dawa, Pando) Sherpa M 1977 Nepal H-A Worker Pangboche, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

1 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER99115 HIGH - - - 205:70 (Dec 1999) -