Everest | 1999 N Col-NE Ridge

A Ukraine expedition to Everest in 1999 via N Col-NE Ridge, led by Valentin Simonenko. Summit reached on 8th May 1999. 11 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 3341
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER99134
Peak ID EVER
Year 1999
Season 1
Host Country 2
Route 1 N Col-NE Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Ukraine
Leaders Valentin Simonenko
Sponsor First National Ukrainian Everest Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 313
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1999-03-30
Summit Date 1999-05-08
Summit Time -
Summit Days 39
Total Days 44
Termination Date 1999-05-13
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8849
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 11
Summit Members 3
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 2
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
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(30/03),ABC(04/04,6350m),C1(07/04,7050m),C2(26/04,7200m),C3(07/05,8300m),Smt(08/05)
Route Notes ABC same as other teams C1 at North Col C2 just off ridge C3 at North Face. All members reached at least 8300m. 8 May summit bid was expedition's first: Gorbach, Kopytko and Terzyul left C3 at 4:30 am and ascended very smoothly and on top at 3:00 pm (Kopytko and Terzyul); Gorbach was slow and topped at 4:00 pm. 1st, 2nd summiters radioed electricity in air and must go down. On summit was rubbish (boxes, etc - Babu Chhiri's?). 1st, 2nd waited at 8800m for Gorbach to come up, go to top and join them. Terzyul went down first to find old ropes under snow so they could be used, 100m below other two. Other 2 stopped on ridge at 8:00 pm, getting dark and snowing (were near First Step) and didn't find ropes and consciously passed tent they had left in ascent: Kopytko went up searching ropes and disappeared, perhaps went down with cornice over East Face. Terzyul reached last camp about 9 pm. 9 May other members went up and found Gorbach who had been searching for Kopytko. Kovalev and Leontyev searched but Kovalev faster and met Gorbach in a bad condition, frostbitten and unable to move at 3:00 pm. 3-4 members started to move Gorbach down at about 5:00 pm and reached last camp to sleep. 10th Georgian Sherpas helped in descent but came late and Gorbach carried all night to ABC which arrived 5:00 am on 10th. Georgian Sherpas helped to North Col, from Col to ABC helped by Americans and Italians and below Col Brice-organized brigade took over. Internet's reports correct except extent of frostbite. 12 May Gorbach moved to BC and left BC 13th and arrive KTM same day. Several members went up to search for Kopytko but no further attempt to climb mountain. Kopytko not found despite search of bottom of N Face as well as on face. Brice - 9 June 99 There is a body that probably is Kopytko's lying 30m from the "exit crack" at 8500m where people have to stop; his legs - his head in underneath overhanging rock and he is lying in a position suggesting he went to sleep - wearing red jacket, grey trousers and oxygen mask. Expedition leader gave orders to climbers about their movements and they had to obey; he went according to a fixed program and disregarded member's information (sent to him in BC) about forecast of storm coming: he sent the summiters to the top on 8 May because that was the plan, but he had no resources to rescue his own men.
Accidents Gorbach serious frostbite all left fingers and all toes and nose; Simonenko heart attack at BC; Kopytko disappeared
Achievement 1st Ukrainian citizen to summit
Agency Windhorse Trekking
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453576
Year 1999
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n col-ne ridge

Members

11 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Sergei Igorevich Bershov M 1947 Ukraine Climber Kharkov, Ukraine Sports instructor Details Other expeditions
Vladimir (Volodymyr) Gorbach M 1954 Ukraine Climber Kiev, Ukraine Alpine instructor Details Other expeditions
Mstislav Gorbenko M 1947 Ukraine Climbing Leader Odessa, Ukraine Alpine club manager Details Other expeditions
Nikolay Goryunov M 1971 Ukraine Climber Kiev, Ukraine Alpine instructor Details Other expeditions
Vasili (Vazyl) Kopytko M 1964 Ukraine Climber Odessa, Ukraine Physician Details Other expeditions
Roman Koval M 1968 Ukraine Climber Odessa, Ukraine Mediator (family & labor disputes) Details Other expeditions
Volodymyr Lebedenko M 1952 Ukraine Exp Doctor Khartsyzsk, Ukraine Alpinist Details Other expeditions
Vadim Leontiev M 1951 Ukraine Climber Odessa, Ukraine Official of alpine club Details Other expeditions
Igor Svergun M 1966 Ukraine Climber Kharkov, Ukraine Sports instructor Details Other expeditions
Valentin Simonenko M 1940 Ukraine Leader Kiev, Ukraine Official of parliament; president of Ukrainian Mountaineering Fed Details Other expeditions
Vladislav Terzyul M 1953 Ukraine Climber Odessa, Ukraine Sports instructor Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER99134 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 74:358 (2000) -
EVER99134 HIGH - - - 205:69 (Dec 1999) -
EVER99134 - - http://www.terzyul.info/8000_everest_e.htm - - -
EVER99134 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12200035801/Asia-Nepal-Pre-Monsoon-in-the-Nepal-Himalaya - - -