Nuptse | 1979 N Ridge

A UK expedition to Nuptse in 1979 via N Ridge, led by Doug Scott. Summit reached on 20th October 1979. 6 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2116
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID NUPT79301
Peak ID NUPT
Year 1979
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 N Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality UK
Leaders Doug Scott
Sponsor British West Ridge Everest Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 3rd
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries France, USA
Approach Lukla->Khumbu Valley
Basecamp Date 1979-09-27
Summit Date 1979-10-20
Summit Time 1430
Summit Days 23
Total Days 29
Termination Date 1979-10-26
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 7864
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 6
Summit Members 4
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
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 Attempted Kusum Kanguru (KUSU-793-01) and Everest (EVER-793-03)
Campsites BC(27/09,5500m),C1(6100m),C2(6400m),Biv1(6700m),Biv2(7300m),Smt(20/10)
Route Notes Everest not attempted officially (actually Bettembourg went up Lhotse Face). Kusum Kanguru attempted unsuccessfully. Bettembourg - 31 Oct 79 Before climbing Nuptse, Bettembourg went alone to Everest for 3 days carrying 25 kg food and equipment. Reached Yellow Band on Lhotse Face at about 7400m - wasn't yet well acclimatized. Doug Scott, et al - 30 Oct 79 "A bit late on Nuptse, I guess." Deaths on Everest a bit off-putting and only Mike knew Kathy [Genet] so took her down. Kangtega packed up earlier then expected so might they should join us on Nuptse with no one acclimatized for Everest. So wanted 4 on Nuptse and waited for permission. When didn't get permission Rouse and Hall went anyway. Climbed Nuptse and then Icefall so bad wouldn't think of going through it again. Huge crater where could see ice moving and hear it. Nuptse BC 27 Sept and went through Icefall once to have recce and making same carry - and then up again after Everest deaths and wait for permit on 14 Oct couple days acclimatizing at 22,000 feet at Everest C2. Attacked mountain on 17th and got to top on 20th. Icefall at bottom and 200-250 feet of ropes over 5 little icefalls. Slightly left of rib tried last year but upper part same. 2 nights in snow cave at 7000m, fixed bit of rope above it after first. Another snow cave at 7500m on 19th and on 20th to top and back to higher cave. That night had storm and worried about snow higher on mountain threatening route (it didn't). Did not go up 10 feet very dangerous snow that made highest point on Nuptse. It would have given way and may well not be there now. Doug and Georges went to Lo Lha just after Mike took Kathy down. Brian slight frostnip so wouldn't have gone on for fear of real frostbite. All cold feet at BC which couldn't get warm. "What ever drove us to climb was satisfied by Nuptse." If go on West Ridge and if storm made ridge dangerous, couldn't have gone down American route to Cwm because Icefall's state. Carrington (Kangtega) - 21 Oct 79 Doug Scott on 12th left. Khumjung to BC; not decided on route or mountain Jim Jerram - 6 Oct 79 Mike Covington has not acclimatized and has left expedition; will stay in Khumbu with his wife. Rob Carrington has split with other 2 in his Kangtega [team], so only 2 from his expedition will join Scott on Everest. Doug Scott - 28 Aug 70 Routes on Everest: allowed only 2 alternative routes and have chosen West Ridge or South Pillar. West Ridge appeals because will be entirely own route (no Germans or Poles also on it) but will have a look when on Nuptse. Probably not permitted to split team and do 2 routes. Doug Scott - 23 Aug 79 Want to see if you can't hike up Everest. After 6 weeks on Kangchenjunga were fully acclimatized. Find a way to go up it completely Alpine: West Ridge you can do it but face means Icefall and fixed ropes and so on. Will go to Nuptse and see what looks like best route or routes in present conditions. Doing what one does in Alps: start with small peak, Kusum Kanguru, and then Nuptse and Everest. No commitments to papers, etc and one completely free to climb what and when we like. Kusum Kanguru: route when get these and see; 3 on this: Bettembourg, Covington and Scott. Nuptse: North Ridge as before - same 3 (while Kangtega traverse being done). Everest: 3 + Carrington, Rouse and Hall from Kangtega. No oxygen at all and no Sherpas above BC. Porters leave 25 Aug and members with family mid next week. Scott - May 79 5-20 Sept Kusum Kanguru 20 Sept-20 Oct Nuptse while others arrive Kangtega About 15 Oct Everest alpine-style - Nuptse team and Kangtega trio 5 Oct = Everest rendezvous date says Kangtega team Sept 79. Letter from Georges Bettembourg, Everest BC - 23 Oct 79 Alan Rouse, Brian Hall, Doug Scott and Georges Bettembourg reached the summit of Nuptse on the 20th of October at 2 pm, via the North Face from the Western Cwm, alpine style (no oxygen, no Sherpa, no fixed camp) in 6 days round trip from C2 of Everest. Everyone safe and sound in BC after an incredibly difficult descent through the icefall. Since the Germans and Poles left the area, the ice fall changed dramatically. None of their fixed equipment could be used or remained in difficult parties and the 4 of us had to aid climb up and rappel down through the chaos of ice to BC during all day yesterday (22nd). The 4 of us are looking forward to climb Everest, via the West Ridge. Doug and I have been to the Lho La to look at the route already. It looks fine in fair shape and the weather here is fantastic. I have not seen any press release from France about Kusum Kanguru at the date of the 4 of October. Why? Although low in elevation it [Kusum Kanguru] is a hard mountain to climb. Just in case can you forward. On the summit, Georges Bettembourg and Doug Scott the 16th of September at 5 pm via the North Ridge, alpine style, in 5 days (Mike Covington was with us up to 6000m elevation, then got sick and could not continue to the top). The climb constitutes one of the most technical and exposed climb Doug and I ever did. Letter from Doug Scott - 23rd Sept 79 Good morning from Khumjung. You may have heard that we went on the North Buttress of Kusum Kanguru in 3 days of quite hard alpine climbing - snow and rock - and that Georges and me reached the top of the "North" summit of KK on 16th Sept. About yards away was a higher point (20 feet higher) which we did not visit as it was 5:00 pm. Snowing and monsoon snow had been blown in to fantastically beautiful but somewhat dangerous cornices. There were top ropes, pegs and bolts poking up out of the snow at intervals right up to about 6000m. Incredible where they put their bolts - even on rocking stones you would not trust sitting on. Maybe conditions were different for them. Mike Covington made it up to 600 feet of the top but stopped (awaited our return as he had not acclimatized). Off to Everest BC tomorrow.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2447451
Year 1979
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n ridge

Members

6 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Georges Bettembourg M 1950 France Climber Glenoma, Washington Ski instructor & mineralogist in winters Details Other expeditions
Michael M. (Mike) Covington M 1947 USA Climber Allenspark, Colorado Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Douglas Keith (Doug) Scott M 1941 UK Leader Nottingham, E Midlands, England Author & alpinist Details Other expeditions
Rab Carrington M 1947 UK Climber Sheffield, S Yorkshire, England Mathematics teacher Details Other expeditions
Brian P. Hall M 1951 UK Climber Kendal, Cumbria, England Ecologist Details Other expeditions
Alan Paul (Al) Rouse M 1951 UK Climber Sheffield, S Yorkshire, England Mathematics teacher Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
NUPT79301 AAJ Scott, Douglas - - 53:609-612 (1980) -
NUPT79301 - Bettembourg, Georges & Brame, Michael The White Death Reynard House, Seattle - B325
NUPT79301 MM - - - 70:14 (Nov 1979) -
NUPT79301 MM - - - 71:13 (Jan 1980) -
NUPT79301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198061600/Asia-Nepal-Gaurishankar-South-Summit - - -