May 27, 2001

The Everest summiteers Anna Akinina, Aman Eleushev and Stanislav Krylov successfully reached ABC on the May 26th evening. Oleg Novickij and Aleksander Provatorov who had to participate in the rescue came back with them. They had to give up the summit attempt to accompany their friends who spent the cold night outdoors at 8,600m.

Also yesterday May 26th two more climbers from Tomsk City Bochkov and Popov summited Everest. This decision was made after a long doubts and discussions that could not be described in this short information note. Today May 27th we are awaiting their return to ABC every moment. They feel well.

Tomorrow the team will leave ABC. The Hanty-Mansyjsky Okrug Arms and Kuzbass anthracite were left on the summit of Everest. But it is hard to believe for all of expedition climbers that we have to leave on the summit the outstanding climber from St.Peterburg Alexei Nikiforov...

26.05.01. 12:30

The facts of the last days were as following:

The four of climbers from Novokuznetsk City Zuev -Foigt - Uteshev successfully returned to ABC on May 24th.

The party Akinina - Krylov - Eleushev (from Tomsk City) and Alexei Nikiforov (from St.Peterburg) started the summit push on May 23rd. At 8,600m Alexei Nikiforov got felt worth and could not continue to move up. Understanding that he has not to endanger the climb, he asked to leave him before group will return from the summit. The involuntary lag from the ascent schedule occurred because of this situation but nevertheless Krylov - Akinina - Eleushev were on the highest point of the world later afternoon May 23rd.

It was appeared during the descent that Alexei's conditions became more worth. They decided to send Anna Akinina down to 8,300m to the upper camp and to try transport Nikiforov down by themselves. However the time was missed. The darkness came. They decided to spend the cold night outdoors. It's difficult to imagine what does it means at 8,500m under the hurricane wind. Their oxygen finished at 24th morning. Partly they was helped by other climbers. The radio battery power was low. We got known about this situation from American rescue party in ABC at about 11a.m. They offered the first aid to three Russians. Their help permits our group to continue the way down. The same time we came into contact with Sherpas from International Commercial Expedition who brought the additional oxygen to our climbers. Eleushev and Krylov could descent 8,300m camp by themselves after that. Alexei Nikiforov supported by Sherpas died literally in their hands. Everest took away the life of our colleague, one of the best Russian climbers.

The third group of Siberian climbers came to Camp 8,300m in the evening of May 24th. They organized the descent of Stanislav Krylov to ABC who had the inquired foot. Akinina and Eleushev felt good.

Sergei Chernoyarov from Ronbuk glacier

RISK-online send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Alexei Nikiforov in their sorrowful loss.

May 24, 2001

Four members of the expedition (citizens of Novokuznetzk, Siberia, Russia) reached the altitude 8,500m on May 22nd. At that moment the oxygen equipment of Sergei Zuev was broken and he made a wise decision to gave up. At 2p.m. three other climbers - Nikolai Kozhemiako, Alexander Foigt and Yuri Uteshev were on the highest summit of the world. Moreover Foigt made the summit without oxygen. We have got a problems with communications so we will send you more information later. We have no news from other groups due to the same reason.

From the Ronbuk glacier - Sergei Chernoyarov

The sad news came to us...
The following information published in English version only because the family have to be informed first.
The information in Russian and our deep condolences to the family and friends will be published later when we will get known about the name of the dead climber and the family will be informed.

According to EverestNews:

This is a real hard call on reporting. But the news appears to be out. The media is going wild. So here is the rest as being reported to us ! Our call is to release and avoid a 96 media .... Today (May 24, 2001) was one of the most frustrating, scary, nerve wracking and inspirational days I can remember for a long time. In many ways it epitomized everything that is best and worst about mountaineering. I have been in the middle of my share of screw-ups over the years, some of them with tragic endings. Today I'm happy to report we were on the helping end of the equation. Hopefully if we ever need assistance, this deposit in the Karma Bank will pay off!

Yesterday our team of Dave Hahn, Andy Politz, Tap Richards, and Jason Tanguay, accompanied by Phu Nuru and Phu Dorge, had pushed from Camp 5 to Camp 6 on the North Ridge of Everest via the REAL North Ridge...only the second ascent since 1938 (two of our climbers, Brent Okita and Jake Norton had made the first climb of this classic route several weeks ago. If you want to see more about this and our expedition, you can go to our website www.mountainguides.com and click on Everest 2001.) After re-discovering the 1924 Camp 6 and doing some more exploration and video work there, they pushed into Camp 6 to get ready for the summit ascent today. Everyone was psyched, strong, and hoping to be on top by about 7am!!

The problems started when one of Russell Brice's guides woke the climbers up at 8:30 pm and told them that one of their guides and one of their clients were bivouacking at the Third Step (8700m). Apparently the client had been overcome with cerebral edema and was unable to continue. The guide had elected to spend the night with him. They were in a dire situation and needed help. There had only once before (post monsoon 1988 by the Spanish, from the South Summit, 8750m) been a rescue higher than this on Everest, and never from above the Second Step on the North Ridge.

Five of our team (Dave, Tap, Jason, Phu Nuru, Phu Dorge) left Camp 6 at about 12:30am. Andy stayed at Camp 6, his plan to spend the day searching some more. By dawn (4:30am) the climbers were at the mushroom rock (Camp 7) between the First and Second Steps. There they were surprised to run into three Russian climbers, huddled together in an open bivouac without oxygen (they had run out many hours before). One of them could stand up, but the other two were so messed up they could barely move. It was clear to our climbers that they had to do something. The first call was to Andy Politz at Camp 6, to get him ready to go up and help. He would leave a bit later with more oxygen. Then the team had to get the Russians on oxygen. Fortunately, our two Sherpas were each carrying an extra bottle, and the team had a spare regulator and a "T" fitting. They had to cut the ends of the Russians oxygen hoses to accommodate the "T", which was then plugged into one of our American cylinders and regulators. At 5 liters per minute the two sickest climbers would have about 6 hours of O2 to share. Then each climber was given 8mg of dexamethasome. After spending an hour with the Russians, during which time the sun came up, the Russians began to move around a bit and look better. The team decided to take Phu Nuru's oxygen bottle, mask and regulator with them and send Phu Nuru down. Off he went, as the Russians started to get ready to go down also. Then our climbers started across the Traverse to the Second Step.

Our team cruised up the Second Step and reached the Third Step, where the next two persons were bivouacked, by 6:50am. There, they took Phu Dorge's oxygen set, and set him down without any (both Phu Nuru and Phu Dorge made it down OK). The idea was to give Phu Dorge's oxygen to one of the stricken climbers and Phu Nuru's to the other...and hopefully be able to continue themselves to the summit. After a few minutes at the site, however, it became immediately obvious that neither of these climbers were going anywhere without major help. It was obvious that going to the summit, only an hour away, was out of the question for our team. Neither sick climber could even stand up. Both were partially blind from cerebral edema. Both had some frostbite. Walking was impossible. Again, our team administered oxygen and dexamethasome.

After an hour, the two sick men could barely stand up with help. Trying to get them to walk was agonizing. It took fully another hour to go 50 yards down the ridge. Jason and Tap were with the guide, Dave with the client, all pulling and dragging. The first party of three reached the top of the Second Step at 10am, and took over an hour to lower the sick man down. Dave and the sick client reached the top of the Second Step at 11:15 and took another hour to lower down. It took both groups another hour from the bottom of the Step to reach the mushroom rock, where they met Andy Politz, who arrived with another oxygen bottle. Along the Traverse they were met by Phurba, one of Russell's Sherpa's who also came up with another oxygen bottle, and helped Dave and the client across the steep and dangerous Traverse. From the mushroom rock, it took until 2pm for the group to reach the First Step. Along the way they were met by Lobsang, another of Russell's Sherpas, who brought more oxygen and a strong set of arms for hauling and dragging.

Another lower down brought everyone off the First Step. Then the long walk across the ridge to the Yellow Band gullies. Along the way both of the patients started to do better and were able to walk. The oxygen and dex were kicking in! Two more of Russell's Sherpas showed up with more oxygen and manpower.

Then tragedy. At the top of the gully the rescue team they came across one of the Russian climbers who had collapsed. Andy administered more dex, but the man died in his arms. The other Russians made in back to Camp 6 OK, but this one guy, who had been in the worse shape of the three, had apparently gone over the line. About the same time we received a radio call from our friend in the Australian group, who said that his tent partner had just died suddenly at Camp 5. What a day!

Eventually, everyone made it back to camp. I was super proud of what Dave, Andy, Tap, and Jason had accomplished. They put their personal goals on the back burner and saved four out of five people, with virtually no assistance. I was also bummed that they didn't get to make the top, knowing how hard they had worked. I guess that's just the way it goes here...if you don't like the uncertainty, you shouldn't be here.

Eric Simonson leader on the IMG North Expedition

Tibet, Everest ABC, 6400m
May, 21, 16:30.

May, 18, the weather got considerably better. The sky is clear. Only by the evening the clouds appear. Summer has come to Tibet. The day before yesterday, May, 19, the whole ABC rejoiced. The team of two guides and four Sherpa climbed to the Summit. The Americans deserved their victory.

Dozens of climbers from different countries started their way to the Summit. We are not idle as well. The group of Foigt, Kozhemyako, Zuev, Uteshev is leaving for Camp III at 8300m tonight. The last night at Camp II - 7800m was very strenuous for them because of the hurricane wind. The group of Krylov, Anikin, Nikiforov, Eleushev is leaving for Camp II - 7800m today.

We hope that the first group will be on the Summit tomorrow, May, 22, and the second group - the day after tomorrow.

Because there is no room in the upper camps, my group: Bochkov, Popov, Novitsky, will leave ABC for the North Col only May, 22. Operator Alexander Provatorov will go with the group up to 7800m.

Wish us luck!

Dmitry Bochkov - the leader of the Siberian expedition "Everest-2001"

Everest Advance Base Camp, 6400 m
16 May, 16-00

Cronicle of the Everest Expedition life

• May, 5 - all the members of the expedition, except Foigt, went down to BC.
• May, 7 - Foigt left ABC and reached CampII (7800m) where he found a torn tent full of snow. He managed to spend a night there using four sleeping bags. We'll have to bring a new tent.
• May, 8 - Foigt went down to BC 5200m.
• May, 9 - 11 - It's snowing heavily every day. The question about starting the climb was not raised.
• May, 12-14 - The weather is good. All the participants climbed up to ABC in three groups with a 24-hours interval. The further ascent is impossible yet because of the great amount of snow.
• May, 14 - The group: Foigt, Kozhemyako, Uteshev, Zuev reached the North Col 7050m. Within two days they managed to dig out two tents, which surprisingly were not broken by the 1,5m thick layer of snow. The camp is restored. The group returned to ABC because of the bad weather.

Today is May, 16, and the tension among the members of the numerous expeditions is growing. No one has been on the summit yet neither from the North nor from the South.

The British-American expedition stopped its work because of the lack of time. The British expedition ended because of the conflict with the porters.

Practically everybody is pressed for time, and the Mountain won't let anyone. Closer to the success is the American Commercial expedition. Its members reached BC much earlier than all the others. The expedition is perfectly equipped with everything including guides and high altitude porters. The day before yesterday they reached 8400m, but had to return because of the deep snow.

We have very little time. May, 31 our visa expires and we are to leave Tibet not later than this date.

For the next four days the weather forecast is very bad: strong wind with snow. Today there was a rumor that the monsoon has reached Nepal already. If that is true, than the Everest summit may be left untouched this season.

There is good news as well: Sasha Provatorov has mastered the process of cooking pan-cakes (Russian bliny). The life became more joyful in ABC

Dmitry Bochkov - the leader of Sibirian expedition EVEREST-2001

Tibet, Eastern Rongbuk glacier 6400m
May, 5, 12:00

The report from Dmitry Bochkov, the leader of Siberian expedition EVEREST-2001

Everything is ready for the final push. We are waiting 5 days for the weather in ÀÂÑ. It snows already a week. The Mountain became absolutely white. The way to the North Col became avalanche dangerous because of fresh snow. Today all the staff will descend to BC in order to recover and to wait for the weather. But we have a good news also. All the illed climbers are again with us.

19.04.2001

Hello friends

Everything is OK with us. On April, 11, we finished organizing and arranging ABC 6,400m. After that we went down to have some rest in BC. We celebrated the Easter in BC and organized banya (sauna). The only thing we lacked for real banya was a birch broom.

In spring 1997 the Altai climbers Nikolai Shevchenko, Ivan Plotnikov, Alexander Toroshchin got killed on our route going down from Everest. On April, 14, at the memorial in BC we fixed a steel plaque with their names and honored the memory of the perished friends.

During next going out from BC in April 17 - 27 we plan to organize C1 on the North Col and move all the high-altitude equipment there, and if the weather permits we will organize C2 at 7,800m.

Yesterday four climbers: Foigt, Zuev, Kozhemyako, Uteshev reached the col 7,050m, put up a tent there and spent a night. In the evening they are returning to ABC. The two: Popov & Provatorov are heading for the col with the load of oxygen. The rest will climb to ABC a bit later.

There are only two problems: Novitsky's lack of acclimatization and Eleushev's high fever. But we still have the time. Everything might be OK.

Dmitry Bochkov - the leader of the "Siberia - Everest - 2001" expedition, Tibet, the Eastern Rongbuk glacier, April, 19, 13:30.

Translated by Ludmila Korobeshko

02.04.2001

It has been reported from Lhasa that the works on clearing the snow blocks on the road from Nepal to Tibet will be finished by tomorrow. We hope it is not an April Fool's joke. Tomorrow morning we are leaving Kathmandu. If everything goes as planned we'll be at the base camp by April, 5th.

Good-bye, Nepal!

29.03.2001

Dmitry Bochkov, the leader of the Everest-2001 expedition from Siberia reports from Kathmandu, Nepal:

Little by little we are getting warm after Siberian frosts. It's very unusual to walk in shorts, though very pleasant. We are finishing the last preparations for our departure. We are served in the yard of Windhorse Trekking firm, here stand rows of blue barrels and a large pile of sacks with the equipment of our expedition. We have to buy only vegetables, but we'll do it right before leaving. Our departure is postponed because the road on the Chinese side hasn't been cleared from the snow.

The Korean team on peak Shalasongguo, 7052, having waited for several days, made a decision to go in to the blocked area. The Ukrainian team on Manaslu (they were planning to leave today) is still in the city. As I was told, the roads are blocked with students demonstrations. The day before yesterday half of our team was present at the reception in the Russian embassy. Our ambassador, Vladimir Vasiljevich Ivanov, gave us a hearty welcome and offered his help in case we need it. Tonight we are expecting him to visit our hotel. He was going to come around and meet the whole team. In the morning we got an email with good news. In a couple of days our team will increase by one more person - Oleg Novitsky from Tomsk. Every cloud has its silver lining - the delay with our departure puts us out of the schedule, but it gives us the opportunity to have some rest after intense training.

Dmitry Bochkov, the leader of the Everest-2001 expedition from Siberia,

Kathmandu, Nepal

28.03.2001

25.03.2001

First report from Siberian expedition "Everest-2001"

March 25, all the climbers are in Kathmandu. Alltogether we are 12 people.

List of participants:

1. Anna Akinina - Tomsk
2. Dmitri Bochkov, leader - Tomsk
3. Aman Eleushev - Tomsk
4. Alexandr Foigt - Novokuznetsk
5. Viacheslav Kolomin, doctor - Tomsk
6. Nikolai Kozhemiako - Novokuznetsk
7. Stanislav Krylov - Tomsk
8. Nikiforov Alexei - St.Petersburg
9. Eugeni Popov - Tomsk
10. Alexandr Provatorov - Barnaul
11. Yuri Uteshev - Mezhdurechensk
12. Sergei Zuev - Kemerovo

We'll have to stay here for three days to get the Chenese visas. March, 29th we are planning to head for Tibet. But this date can be changed because of the large avalanche which blocked the road between Zhangmu and Nyalam.

The information is sent for Tomsk TV-2 and www.risk.ru.

Dmitry Bochkov,
the leader of the Everest-2001 expedition from Siberia,
Kathmandu, Nepal
25.03.2001