Trip Reports

Everest 2003 - The Golden Jubilee Expedition

On the final section of the SE Ridge of Everest in spring 2011

Written by Leader, June 2003

This is the last despatch from our 2003 coverage on Everest. For a full overview of the Jagged Globe expedition, please visit our Live Despatches section.

First of all, our apologies for the lack of updates since summit night. Because our team were pushing it time-wise at the end of the expedition, their main concern has been to pack up base camp as soon as possible and get home to anxious relatives and friends. This is understandable having been up on the mountain for so long and in base camp for over 8 weeks. Robert and David are flying out today, as are Kiek Stam, Fred Ziel and Sibusiso Vilane. Jon Gangdal and Borge Ousland flew back to Norway yesterday. Rodrigo and Alejandro are on the trek out to Lukla and will fly back into Kathmandu in the next day or so. Our Sherpa team are stripping the mountain of our ropes, tents, rubbish etc.

We spoke to Robert today on the phone about summit night. First of all, it was not ideal conditions. Very windy and very cold. They were almost crawling at one point on the ridge. Having left camp 4 at 9p.m. Rodrigo and Alejandro "powered ahead". Robert and David were climbing with Sibusiso and Fred and were at the South summit very early at 6 a.m. Borge and Kiek were climbing together. Kiek decided to turn back at 8,565m. This was his own decision. He felt that he'd expended half of his energy and was suffering from the strong wind. Borge, climbing with one of the Sherpas, got to the South Summit at 8 a.m. It was extremely windy and at this point he decided to turn back with one of the Sherpas. Rodrigo and Alejandro were on the summit first (don't have the exact time), followed by Sibusiso, David and Robert. David and Robert came down to see Fred (who was with Pasang Tenzing Sherpa), who was suffering from 'wind blindness' - the wind blowing snow into his goggles and giving him problems with his vision. Fred decided to turn back 60 metres (20 vertical metres) from the top. So contrary to the original report, Fred didn't quite get there. In Fred's own words:

"I climbed all night and reached the South Summit with the sun coming up over the horizon. The wind blew snow in my eyes all night. We crossed to the Hillary Step and my right hand froze trying to get my day goggles situated... then to summit... snow blindness started kicking in about this time. I'd guess I was 20/100 by then since I was 20m below summit, so I guess it's not official (but XXXX that, I climbed it anyway)."

They were back at the Balcony at 4p.m. and all safe back at Camp 4 by 9p.m.

"David Hamilton, Pasang Tenzing Sherpa and Robert Anderson helped me rappel back down (many 100's of fixed meters; I am truly indepted to all of them). I returned to Camp 4 and BC under my own power carrying my own gear."

Jon Gangdal did not take part in the third summit attempt having spent a night at the South Col on the Second attempt. Robert also said that they had "a lot of fun" on the summit with Sibu.

Our Sherpa team proved themselves to be absolutely awesome. Special mention to Pasang Tenzing Sherpa for his efforts and summiting at age 18!

That's all for now folks. Expect some stunning photography to hit the Jagged Globe website over the coming weeks.

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