Asia, Tibet, Swedish Everest Attempt

Publication Year: 1988.

Swedish Everest Attempt. We are still waiting for details about a large Swedish expedition led by Ebbe Wahlund that attempted the North-Col route on Everest. They established Camp IV on the North Col late in April and Camp V at 7500 meters. We do have a few details about their summit attempt. On May 20, Lasse Cronlund and Daniel Bindner crossed to the Great Couloir to establish Camp VI at 8000 meters. That night Bindner did not feel well and descended the next morning, May 21. Cronlund set out at 4:30 and after passing through the American camp, caught up with Ed Viesturs and Eric Simonson on the Yellow Band. Cronlund led much of this. Above was a snowfield where the Americans had left a fixed rope on a previous attempt. All three climbed separately. Simonson and Cronlund were climbing with oxygen, but Cronlund used up his supply at about 8650 meters. He felt he would not be strong enough to continue on without it and still be able to descend. For that reason he turned back. What the Americans did is covered in their report.