Lhotse | 1990 W Face

A USA expedition to Lhotse in 1990 via W Face, led by Glenn Porzak. Summit reached on 13th May 1990. 5 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field	Value
ID	2922
Imported	2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID	LHOT90101
Peak ID	LHOT
Year	1990
Season	1
Host Country	1
Route 1	W Face
Route 2	-
Route 3	-
Route 4	-
Nationality	USA
Leaders	Glenn Porzak
Sponsor	1990 American Everest-Lhotse Expedition
Success 1	True
Success 2	False
Success 3	False
Success 4	False
Ascent 1	22nd
Ascent 2	-
Ascent 3	-
Ascent 4	-
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Countries	-
Approach	-
Basecamp Date	1990-04-01
Summit Date	1990-05-13
Summit Time	1045
Summit Days	42
Total Days	47
Termination Date	1990-05-18
Termination Reason	1
Termination Notes	-
High Point (m)	8516
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Camps	4
Fixed Rope (m)	0
Total Members	5
Summit Members	2
Member Deaths	0
Total Hired	18
Summit Hired	0
Hired Deaths	0
No Hired	False
O2 Used	True
O2 None	False
O2 Climb	True
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Taken	False
O2 Unknown	False
Other Summits	Climbed Everest (EVER-901-07)
Campsites	BC(01/04,5350m),C1(06/04,6000m),C2(08/04,6600m),C3(15/04,7150m),C4(27/04,7900m),Smt(13/05)
Route Notes	Berg and Fischer only member who made attempt to Lhotse summit, but Athans and Lakpass wanted both Everest and Lhotse summits but gave priority to Everest. Athans sited Lhotse's C4. 1st US ascent of Lhotse was enduring goal of Berg and Fischer; also climbing without Sherpas appealed to them too. After Lhotse C4 was sited, US got involved with Nepal army Everest team's fixing rope on Lhotse Face including Berg on this work. Some had hoped to go to Everest summit with 2nd army team; this didn't happen and all back to BC. Next on Lhotse Sherpa carry of gear to Lhotse C4 on 10 May with Berg, Fischer and Lakpass planning Lhotse summit bid the day after Everest was scaled by the others (needed than regulators). Then Berg and Fisher from C3 involved in rescuing altitude sick Browning down to C2 on 10th. Then decided definitely to use oxygen; tired on 11th so rested that day. 12th from C2 to Lhotse C4, rested from 5:00 pm till start for top 4:30 am 13th climbing on oxygen - reached top in high winds and low visibility at 10:45 am via the couloir and back to C2 6:00 pm of 13th. Had planned to go to top from C3 but after Browning rescue knew had to rest at Lhotse C4 as well as use oxygen. "Very exciting climb for us" as 1st American on top of Lhotse. Wally Berg - 27 May 1990 10 minutes after we radioed from summit of Lhotse, the Sherpas were "putting on city clothes and taking baths." Despite Porzak's telling Sherpas in advance Berg and Fischer were to try Everest summit, Sherpas weren't ready to cooperate after other Everest successes and Lhotse's. Berg and Fischer could have gone for Everest top with Swiss if Berg and Fischer were prepared to go and no lower than C2 and join Swiss on 16th to Everest top, but Berg and Fischer needed BC rest first. Fischer especially disappointed at losing chance for Everest summit. Berg also sorry but have taken some consolation from reports that weather not good after 15th or so.
Accidents	-
Achievement	-
Agency	Mountain Travel
Commercial Route	-
Standard Route	True
Primary Route	True
Primary Member	True
Primary Reference	True
Primary ID	EVER90107
Checksum	2450825
Year	1990
Summit Success	True
O2 Summary	Used
Route (lowercase)	w face

Members

Field	Value
ID	23837
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	LHOT90101
Member ID	01
Peak ID	LHOT
Year	1990
Season	1
First Name	Glenn Edward
Last Name	Porzak
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1948
Calculated Age	41
Citizenship	USA
Status	Leader
Residence	Boulder, Colorado
Occupation	Attorney
Leader	True
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	True
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	0
Summit Date 1	-
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	0
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	1
Summit Term	17
HCN	0
Checksum	2430900
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	glenn edward porzak
Year of Birth	1948
Year	1990
Age at Expedition	42
Role	Leader

Field	Value
ID	24244
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	LHOT90101
Member ID	03
Peak ID	LHOT
Year	1990
Season	1
First Name	Wallace Wayne (Wally)
Last Name	Berg
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1955
Calculated Age	35
Citizenship	USA
Status	Climber
Residence	Copper Mountain, Colorado
Occupation	Alpine guide for outdoor adventure firm in Seattle
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	True
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	8516
Summit Date 1	1990-05-13
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	1045
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	22
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	True
O2 None	False
O2 Climb	True
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	5
Summit Term	1
HCN	0
Checksum	2433184
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	wallace wayne (wally) berg
Year of Birth	1955
Year	1990
Age at Expedition	35
Role	Member

Field	Value
ID	24245
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	LHOT90101
Member ID	04
Peak ID	LHOT
Year	1990
Season	1
First Name	Scott Eugene
Last Name	Fischer
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1955
Calculated Age	34
Citizenship	USA
Status	Climber
Residence	Seattle, Washington
Occupation	Alpine guide
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	True
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	8516
Summit Date 1	1990-05-13
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	1045
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	22
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	True
O2 None	False
O2 Climb	True
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	(1955-1996) Died 11 May 1996 on Everest from exposure and AMS
Summit Bid	5
Summit Term	1
HCN	0
Checksum	2433509
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	scott eugene fischer
Year of Birth	1955
Year	1990
Age at Expedition	35
Role	Member

Field	Value
ID	49062
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	LHOT90101
Member ID	02
Peak ID	LHOT
Year	1990
Season	1
First Name	Peter George (Pete)
Last Name	Athans
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1957
Calculated Age	33
Citizenship	USA
Status	Climber
Residence	Boulder, Colorado
Occupation	Alpine guide & film technician
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	False
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	7900
Summit Date 1	-
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	0
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	1
Summit Term	15
HCN	0
Checksum	2434004
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	peter george (pete) athans
Year of Birth	1957
Year	1990
Age at Expedition	33
Role	Member

Field	Value
ID	49063
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	LHOT90101
Member ID	05
Peak ID	LHOT
Year	1990
Season	1
First Name	Andrew Atis (Andy)
Last Name	Lapkass
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1958
Calculated Age	32
Citizenship	USA
Status	Climber
Residence	Estes Park, Colorado
Occupation	Ski instructor
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	False
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	0
Summit Date 1	-
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	0
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	1
Summit Term	17
HCN	0
Checksum	2434357
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	andrew atis (andy) lapkass
Year of Birth	1958
Year	1990
Age at Expedition	32
Role	Member

5 recorded members.

Name	Sex	Year of Birth	Citizenship	Status	Residence	Occupation
Glenn Edward Porzak	M	1948	USA	Leader	Boulder, Colorado	Attorney	Details Other expeditions
Wallace Wayne (Wally) Berg	M	1955	USA	Climber	Copper Mountain, Colorado	Alpine guide for outdoor adventure firm in Seattle	Details Other expeditions
Scott Eugene Fischer	M	1955	USA	Climber	Seattle, Washington	Alpine guide	Details Other expeditions
Peter George (Pete) Athans	M	1957	USA	Climber	Boulder, Colorado	Alpine guide & film technician	Details Other expeditions
Andrew Atis (Andy) Lapkass	M	1958	USA	Climber	Estes Park, Colorado	Ski instructor	Details Other expeditions

References

0 recorded references.