Everest Southwest Face expedition post monsoon -- Nepal side
In 1972 a British expedition led by Chris Bonington attempted to climb the notorious Southwest Face in the post monsoon season. This route had been attempted by the Germans, Japanese and an international team. All had failed.Sadly the British expedition did not make it to the top. Severe winter storms with winds above 70 mph and plunging temperatures to nearly 50 below zero resulted in horrendously dangerous conditions. Entire camps were blown off the Face. I sustained frostbite to my hands and feet while doing a carry without oxygen to camp 4 at nearly 25,000 feet.
During the evacuation phase of the expedition Tony Tighe was killed in the icefall when a large serac collapsed. His body was never found.
Expedition poster
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Old timer yak heardsman
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For a post monsoon climb you have to reach base camp during the monsoon. We trekked from Kathmandu for over two weeks
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Monsoon conditions. No one in their right mind treks during this time
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Unusually heavy snow falls caused chaos. This was base camp
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Digging out at camp 2
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The icefall; considered by many as the most dangerous section of the climb because many loads have to pass through it, up and down, every day.
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Looking up the Western Cwm from camp 1 to camp 2
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Engineering a safe route above the icefall is always difficult
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Wind conditions reached greater than gale force with temperatures down to 40 below
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A clear day. Looking back down the Western Cwm from the route up to camp 3
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Graham Tiso getting stitches to the head by doctor Barney Rosedale after a large rock penetrated the camp 3 tent
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Camp 4 at about 24,700 ft
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A cold, still night at camp 4
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Winds at blizzard force
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The remains of camp 4 after a bad storm
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Me on descent from camp 4 with frostbite
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My right hand
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Climbers Dougal Haston, Mick Burke and Doug Scott waiting out another storm
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Looking across Nuptse and a mile down to the Western Cwm
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Doug Scott at the high point before he and Haston had to come down
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A memory that does not die
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