Nuptse | 1989 S Spur of SE Smt

A Canada expedition to Nuptse in 1989 via S Spur of SE Smt, led by Jim Elzinga. Summit reached on 17th May 1989. 4 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 830
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID NUPT89102
Peak ID NUPT
Year 1989
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Spur of SE Smt
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Canada
Leaders Jim Elzinga
Sponsor Canadian Nuptse Expedition
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 1989-04-18
Summit Date 1989-05-17
Summit Time -
Summit Days 29
Total Days 32
Termination Date 1989-05-20
Termination Reason 10
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7300m due to slow progress, low supplies and poor weather
High Point (m) 7300
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 4
Summit Members 0
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 Chhukung Peak
Campsites BC(18/04,5200m),Biv(03/05,6000m),Biv1(08/05,5600m),Biv2(09/05,6100m),Biv3(10/05,6300m),Biv4(11/05,6550m),Biv5(12/05,6750m),Biv6(13-14/05,6900m),xxx(17/05,7300m)
Route Notes BC at Lhotse Nuptse Glacier east of Chhukung Peak Biv 1 at beginning of S Spur. Did acclimatization climb on Chhukung Peak and Marshall found he had 19,000 ft altitude limit left. Robinson climbed on Nuptse first day of team's climbing Nuptse, which started 7 May, and his back gave such trouble he couldn't move for several days but stayed on at BC till climb finished. Italians, Nuptse team reduced to 2 climbers with one just not ready for Himalayan climb. So 4 men climbed together (5 actually on 1st day) in alpine style. 8 May to 19,800 ft (Robinson climbed east pitches and went down with back trouble). Averaged 4 to 5 rope lengths a day (rope about 50m) in very hard climbing and 7th day got to top of Pillar at 6900m surpassing Jeff Lowe's high point. Canadians and Italians took turns leading climb, 1 day Canada next day Italy. From top of Pillar sat out a day of bad storm and Italians then decided to go down because of lack of food and fuel and weather conditions while 2 Canadians stayed but were now on half rations. 16 May good weather. Rested during day to leave at midnight for SE Summit and did get away at 1:00 am of 17 May. Climbed through night on easier terrain of steep hanging glacier (Pillar had been steep granite ala Yosemite, plus sections less steep of mixed rock and ice) and got into rocks, where realized would take at least 2 more days up very steep rock to SE Summit. In afternoon snowing so climbing ended about noon on 17 May. Got about 450m above top of Pillar. SE Summit - 7804m Descended British 1961 route via a Pillar west of ascent route. Back in BC on 19 May. Slept 17th May at top of ascent pillar.
Accidents None
Achievement -
Agency Nepal Himal
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2450958
Year 1989
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) s spur of se smt

Members

4 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Peter Arbic M 1957 Canada Climber Banff, Alberta Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Jim Elzinga M 1954 Canada Leader Toronto, Ontario Director of adventure-travel company Details Other expeditions
Jeffery Marshall M 1961 Canada Climber Calgary, Alberta Salesman Details Other expeditions
Ward Robinson M 1952 Canada Climber Banff, Alberta Logger Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
NUPT89102 AAJ Rosso, Enrico - - 64:228 (1990) -
NUPT89102 MM - - - 129:7 (Sep 1989) -
NUPT89102 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199022801/Asia-Nepal-Nuptse-Joint-Attempt-by-the-Left-Buttress-of-the-Central-Part-of-the-South-Face - - -