Everest | 1999 N Col

A USA expedition to Everest in 1999 via N Col, led by Robert Anderson. Summit reached on 7th December 1999. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 3448
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER99401
Peak ID EVER
Year 1999
Season 4
Host Country 2
Route 1 N Col
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Robert Anderson
Sponsor Everest Millenium
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 1999-11-23
Summit Date 1999-12-07
Summit Time -
Summit Days 14
Total Days 30
Termination Date 1999-12-23
Termination Reason 7
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7000m due to Sherpa's illness
High Point (m) 7000
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 200
Total Members 1
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 3
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(23/11),C1(28/11,5600m),C2(30/11,6000m),C3(06/12,6500m),xxx(07/12,7000m)
Route Notes C3 at normal ABC High point at North Col. 1. Arrived Chinese BC on 23 Nov. 2. Slept in C2 28 November (5600m), C2 30 November (6000m), C3 6 Dec (6500m). 3. Reached the North Col (7000m+) with Lhakpa Dorje on 7 December. Climbed unroped up to the Col from C3 in 5 hours, fixed one 200m rope on descent, from just below the crest of the North Col. 4. I abandoned the climb on 22 December, after Lhakpa Dorje hadn't eaten a proper meal in 5 days and didn't seem to be improving at BC. He was to climb with me above the North Col and I didn't think he would recover to make an ascent within the next two weeks. We had made an attempt to carry to the North Col 2 days previously and he had been unable to reach even the base of the climbing on the North Col route, 200 vertical meters of walking up the Glacier above C3. I had already determined that of the two Sherpas, Lhakpa had the expertise to climb high on the mountain, while Gombu would primarily carry loads for us. 5. Lhakpa began vomiting and had stomach and lower gastro problems from 17 Dec. These faded and then returned as we climbed up from lower camps to C3. He thought it was from cooking and gas fumes in the tent. However, duration and symptoms indicated it was a gastro-intestinal bug, which didn't fully fade away until we reached KTM. 6. No oxygen was used. I took 8 bottles and planned to use it from 8000m up. 7. Besides Lhakpa, everyone else was in good health. 8. No frostbite or other incidents. Five puppies were born at Base Camp from one of the two dogs that followed us everywhere. We left them in the care of the lama who lives above the Rongbuk. The second dog ascended up the initial steep climbing leading to the North Col, reaching over 6800m. 9. We departed BC 23 Dec, overnighted in Tingri and then arrived Kathmandu late 24 Dec. 10. Technical problems. Potentially it could be impossible to reached BC, but we were lucky as the last storm had cleared and we drove direct to BC. A major hurdle was the inability of the yaks to progress past C1 at 5600m, when they normally carry to 6500m. This necessitated multiple carries from C1 to C2 and onto C3. Also, the drifting snow meant about 20% of the glacier between C1 and C3 required trail breaking and about 50% between C2 and C3. This partially hardened up, but sections were always knee to thigh deep on every carry. The option of employing Tibetan porters was considered, but they were never able to ascend past C2 due to the deep snow and cold. We often wore double boots from C1-C2 and always from c2-C3. It normally took us about 30-50% longer to cover the distance than in the spring and the first time it took twice as long. Snow conditions. As above on the trail. The slopes to the North Col were in very good shape, hard snow, little or no avalanche danger - one of the advantages of winter. Above the North Col (we walked across the Col to the base of the slope leading to the C5 (7800 m) and the snow was hard all the way and would seem to be that way up the ridge due to the wind. Weather. The actual temperatures weren't extreme (say 25 degrees colder than the spring as a rough guide), but the combination of wind, altitude and shorter days made them seem much colder than the thermometer indicated. In the shade at BC it never reaced above freezing, but the sun, from 8am-3pm warmed tents up considerably. Above BC, the wind and altitude made conditions exponentially more difficult. The Sherpa's repeatedly said that camp 3 at 6500 m was like (if not worse than) being at the South Col. I'd say a rough guide was most elevations seemed 1000 m higher in terms of conditions and the ability to stay there for any length of time. There were also the winds, which if they weren't actually blowing wehre we were, sounded like a large and v ery angry river rushing overhead. the winds were never constant however, and could go from absolutely dead calm, to massive gusts. 11. Abandoning the climb was very disappointing, as we had equipment in C3 and the rope to the Col that would have opened our way onto the upper slopes. I had planned on climbing direct from C4 (North Col, 7000 m) to C6 at 8100 m to avoid the very exposed C5 on the ridge. I have done this several times previously (1991 solo and again with Paul Teare in 1992) and felt if anything, that with the hard snow conditions, it would be quicker than in the Spring season. However, the opportunity to be on Everest by ourselves was very unique. It felt like an entirely different mountain and one that was very very remote and untouched. For that alone it was well worth going. 12. The top the combination of winter weather and climbing Alpine style above the Col would have made the top difficult, but certainly not impossible. There are certainly days when it is possible and the winds caught up high would be dangerous. Climbing quickly up high would be an advantage and a lightweight attempt would be safer than putting in all the camps and carrying loads up high in traditional style. If I tried again it would be with a team of 6 climbers and about the same number of Sherpas to ensure a stronger presence at C3. But there will always be a big chance taken as to weather BC can be reached by vehichle and then weather Yaks will go to C3, both of which alter logistics substantially. We discussed sun on the mountain. As mentioned above BC was about 8am-3 pm, earlier than I thought because the sun comes through a valley further along the ridge and so isn't much different from the summit jin terms of morning sunrise. At C1 it was about an hour less. At C3, the valley opens to the East so it came up about 7, and it just clears the Northeast ridge so we had sun all day until it set over the North Col about 3 pm. The North Ridge gets sun most of the day and there is a little in the morning at C6 at 8100 m and then the sun again just reaches that terrace again from about 4-5 pm. The North Face itself is pretty much fully shaded all day. Started from BC on 27th Nov in waist deep snow; after 2 hours stopped and made camp at about 540 m; 29th up to 5800m and made camp (C2). 29th arrived ABC but back to C1 that afternoon; while Anderson down to BC and back to C1 with load of gear. 30th ferried gears from BC to C2 and slept at C1 and next days continued ferrying to ABC till 3rd Dec finally slept in ABC. Now strong winds broke kitchen tent so 5th C2 on 9th. 10th ABC and now they put in new kitchen tent. 11th Gombu and cook Tendi down to C2 to ferry gears to ABC (while Lhakpa and Anderson went to North Col to see route in alpine style (i.e., no fixed rope) and slept also that night in ABC. 12th Robert and Lhakpa tried to reach Col but strong winds sent them down to ABC on 12th. 15th Lhakpa developed stomach trouble. 17th Robert, Lhakpa and Gombu up towards Col but Lhakpa too sick to reach Col and all 3 returned to ABC. 18th to C1 and decided to end attempt to reach top because very cold, bad wind winds, cloudy and Lhakpa sick. ABC and lower camps cleared by all 3 Sherpas while Robert down to BC. Anderson wants to return to North Col in winter after 2 years with more members and more Sherpas. Sherpas: Lhakpa Dorje, Kurima, 33, Everest top 1995 from North with Taiwanese and 1996 from South with Breashears Pasang Gombu, 38, Sapharma, Solu, Cho Oyu X2
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Explore Himalaya
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453789
Year 1999
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n col

Members

2 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Robert Mads Anderson M 1958 USA Leader New York, New York Writer about climbing and adventure travel Details Other expeditions
Lhakpa Dorje Sherpa M 1965 Nepal H-A Worker Chitre, Sotang, Solukhumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

0 recorded references.