Ama Dablam. On April 11 our Australian expedition arrived at Base
A m a Dablam . On A pril 11 our A ustralian expedition arrived at Base Cam p for the north ridge of A m a D ablam after a 16-day walk-in from K arantichap. This was at 16,800 feet at the head of the lateral m oraine valley of the A m a D ablam G lacier, south-southeast Chhukhung. W e were A ndrew H enderson, Lincoln H all, Tim M acartney-Snape, D am ien Jones, K aren Robins and I as leader, Australians; D avid Pluth
and H oom an A prin, A m ericans; and Leo Eutsler, Canadian. A fter sev eral days’ acclim atization and organization, climbing began on the left side of the huge, slabby wall that buttresses the north ridge proper. (W e believe that the F rench and New Zealand parties took the right side, while the original unsuccessful 1959 English expedition took the same route as w e.) A fter steep and often difficult climbing on excellent granite, Cam p I was m ade at 18,000 feet on A pril 20. M ore steep and spectacular rock climbing followed and on M ay 24 Cam p II was estab lished below a steep snow couloir at 18,900 feet. The couloir was climbed to gain the crest of the north ridge proper and our route merged thereafter w ith the F rench route. From this point impressive climbing on snow m ushroom s and under cornices led to a big rock gendarm e at 19.500 feet. H alfw ay up this tow er was the site of Cam p III (II for F rench and N ew Z ealanders), which was established on M ay 3. T he al ready bad w eather now deteriorated further. D uring the 35 days on the m ountain only four were wholly fine; most had four- to five-hour snowstorms from one P.M . on. The 1000 feet above Cam p III were the crux. W e climbed m any difficult mixed and ice pitches, progress being slow. On M ay 12 M acartney-Snape, H all and H enderson estab lished Cam p IV under a huge ice tow er w here the ridge turns and makes its sweep to the summit. F o r two days they fixed ropes above the camp and on M ay 14 they left in a bid for the summit. A fter some tricky climbing over huge cornices and ice form ations, they bivouacked at 21.500 feet. On M ay 15, they reached the summ it at m idday and by 10:30 P.M . had returned safely to Cam p IV. All mem bers w ere in Base Cam p the next day. T hree days were spent in cleaning the equipm ent and some fixed ropes from the mountain. T he expedition left for Lukla on M ay 21. K e n n e t h M c M a h o n , Australia
and H oom an A prin, A m ericans; and Leo Eutsler, Canadian. A fter sev eral days’ acclim atization and organization, climbing began on the left side of the huge, slabby wall that buttresses the north ridge proper. (W e believe that the F rench and New Zealand parties took the right side, while the original unsuccessful 1959 English expedition took the same route as w e.) A fter steep and often difficult climbing on excellent granite, Cam p I was m ade at 18,000 feet on A pril 20. M ore steep and spectacular rock climbing followed and on M ay 24 Cam p II was estab lished below a steep snow couloir at 18,900 feet. The couloir was climbed to gain the crest of the north ridge proper and our route merged thereafter w ith the F rench route. From this point impressive climbing on snow m ushroom s and under cornices led to a big rock gendarm e at 19.500 feet. H alfw ay up this tow er was the site of Cam p III (II for F rench and N ew Z ealanders), which was established on M ay 3. T he al ready bad w eather now deteriorated further. D uring the 35 days on the m ountain only four were wholly fine; most had four- to five-hour snowstorms from one P.M . on. The 1000 feet above Cam p III were the crux. W e climbed m any difficult mixed and ice pitches, progress being slow. On M ay 12 M acartney-Snape, H all and H enderson estab lished Cam p IV under a huge ice tow er w here the ridge turns and makes its sweep to the summit. F o r two days they fixed ropes above the camp and on M ay 14 they left in a bid for the summit. A fter some tricky climbing over huge cornices and ice form ations, they bivouacked at 21.500 feet. On M ay 15, they reached the summ it at m idday and by 10:30 P.M . had returned safely to Cam p IV. All mem bers w ere in Base Cam p the next day. T hree days were spent in cleaning the equipm ent and some fixed ropes from the mountain. T he expedition left for Lukla on M ay 21. K e n n e t h M c M a h o n , Australia
