May 30, 1998
Everest from North side. Chronicle of ascents. Spring 1998.
o o o
Francis and Serguei Arsentiev. To their memory dedicated.
May 27, 1998
Information based on Anatoli Shabanov's report from base camp on 27/05/98:
No results in searching Arsentiev. It is supposed that he is dead. 26/05/98. It is confirmed that 3 Sherpas from South African team and 3 Chinese summited.
27/05/98 3 Americans reached the top and also Grigoriev and Fedorov from the Uzbek team, which had to stop their ascent on 23/05/98 to help Frencis Destifano-Arsentiev. Balmagambekov Hanif and Maz Roman, summited on 24/05/98 are now in ABC at 6 400 m. They have some problems with eye burns.
May 24, 1998
Information based on Anatoli Shabanov's report from base camp on 24/05/98:
The terrible tragedy happens. Not for nothing Mt. Everest called the mountain-murder. The mountains took their next sacrifice. It is so hard to write about it. We just publish the dry words of chronicle of events here.
21/05/98 the member of Uzbekistan expedition Rustam Radgapov climbed up from 6,400 to 8,200 m in a day.
22/05/98 Radgapov summited the top of Everest. Later in a day at about 13:30 two Czechs climbed a top also.
Sergei Arsentiev and Frensis Distefano, spent three (!) nights at 8,200 m, started the climb and summited at 18:15. They summits without supplemental oxygen. Thus Frensis became the first American woman to do so, and only the second verifiable female asce nt without oxygen.
23/05/98 the members of Uzbekistan expedition Oleg Grigoriev, Andrei Fedorov, Sergei Sokolov, Svetlana Baskakova (female) and Marat Usaev started from 8,200 m for the summit attempt. Just came from the tents they met coming down Arsentiev who exams them d id they see Frensis. They gave him the tea and he went to the tents, the guys continue the ascent. Apparently Arsentiev and his wife spent the night on Everest without tents.
After climb the Step I climbers found Frensis lying without movement but still alive. They decided that Sokolov, Baskakova and Usaev will continue the attempt. Grigoriev and Fedorov stayed with Frensis for help. After medical consultation with base camp d octor they gave her oxygen with maximum expenditure (totally they spent three bottles) and carried out all the another medical prescriptions. Later some South African climbers and 3 or 4 Sherpas climbed to them. Together they could transport her down 100 m, but in spite of the rendering aid Frensis dead at about 11:00.
When Arsentiev heard on radio what happens to Frensis, he took the oxygen and went upstairs to them. On descent Uzbekistanian climbers did not met Arsentiev. They just found his ice axe and rope. Till that moment (evening May 24th) he still did not came t o 8,200-m camp and nobody knows where he is.
Sokolov, Baskakova and Usaev summited the top of Everest.
24/05/98 the members of Uzbekistan expedition Tukhvatullin Ilias, Zaikin Andrei and Dokukin Alexei made the ascent to the top.
The members of Uzbekistan expedition Balmagametov Khanif + 1 person (unknown name - the poor audibility) ascended to 8,200 m plan the summit attempt on 25/05/98. They found lost 5 bottles of oxygen and now trying to make up for the loss.
All the members of Russian expeditions left the base camp except Moshnikov and Slepikovsky awaiting at ABC (6,400 m) for any news about Arsentiev.
The members of Uzbekistan expedition are going to leave ABC on May 27th by yaks and to leave base camp to Kathmandu on May 28th by Jeeps.
Some details on Kulbachenko ascent. He climbed the summit tower on the right side by rocks while four another Russians ascended and descended on the left side by snow-and-ice couloir. He had been on the top at 16:35. There are some photos he made on the t op. (Information received from Shataev who met Kulbachenko in Moscow airport on May 24th). By the way Kulbachenko became the first climber from Belorussia to be climb Mt. Everest.
"RISK-online" wish to extend to all the friends and family of Frensis Distefano-Arsentiev our sad condolences. We also congratulate Uzbekistanian climbers summited Mt. Everest.
May 21, 1998
Information according to Anatoli Shabanov's phone call from base camp on 21/05/98:
May 21st at about 13:00 (Nepal time) Anatoli Moshnikov and Gilles Roman (France, member of the Russian expedition) summited Mt. Everest. Our cordial congratulations!
The weather still good, although this group met hurricane wind impacts on descent. There is no any info on Slepikovsky's climb yet.
The participants of first climbed group came back to the base camp and confirmed the summit climb of Victor Kulbachenko (Belorussia, member of the Russian expedition). The guys passed one another on descent turn into another line. He had been on the top at about 16:00. Our congratulations (sorry for delay)!
Sergei Arsentiev and Francis Arsentiev-Distefano are still staying at 8,200 plan to climb on May 22nd. They had some problems with equipment (batteries for headlamps) but they still in a good shape.
6-person group of Uzbekistan expedition came to tents at 7,500 m (7,700 m? - poor audibility) in order for final attempt on May 23rd.
Information according to Anatoli Shabanov's phone call from base camp on 20/05/98:
More details on climb 18/05/98. The team of 4 climbers (Vinogradski, Timofeev, Pershin, Bolotov) climbed to the top at 15:20, started from 8,200 at 8:20. Being on the top they spoke with communication officer and he officially confirmed the fact of climb. At that moment these guys did not see Victor Kulbachenko on the top, decided that he turned back before summit. Nevertheless Kulbachenko declare on his return that he had been on the top. The team from Ekaterinburg still not confirmed this information, we will inform you concerned further news on this climb.
20/05/98 Sergei Arsentiev and his wife Francis Arsentiev-Distefano (USA) who came without oxygen started from 8,200. They have to turn back from the beginning of rocks because of forgotten headlamps.
Nevertheless they plan to make the next attempt on 21/05/98 staying at 8,200 one more night. Except them, on 21/05/98 plan to start following climbers: Anatoli Moshnikov, his partner Gilles Roman (France) and Boris Slepikovsky (Estonia), also members of the Russian expedition. However at the moment of call (18:30 Nepalese time) they still not came to 8,200.
Members of Uzbekistan expedition are planning the final attempts on May 24th and 25th. Totally will be 9-10 climbers in two or three groups. They are hope for the continuation of a good weather. The cyclone that was promised on May 19-20th is turn away.
Some part of participants leave the base camp and are on the way to Kathmandu: Zakharov, Sushko, Ishutin + 1 man (?) - May 19th; Kulbachenko - May 20th.
May 18, 1998
On May 18th Eugeni Vinogradski, Alexei Bolotov, Serguey Timofeev, Valeri Pershin climbed to the summit of Everest.
Congratulations!
May 17, 1998
The review of the latest news from Himalayan expeditions. 17/05/98.
May 12, 1998
Everest-98. Report from Anatoli Moshnikov.
There were no attempts of summiting. Many sick people, no camps above 7 800m. Chinese weather forecast informs that the weather would be bad. And probably if there will be the attempts to summit they will be without set additional camps. Russian expedition plans to be back on May 22nd.
Information is provided by Serguey Kalmykov (St.Petersburg).
May 7, 1998
"Changabag-98" Expedition news.
