Everest Northeast Ridge Attempt. Our expedition arrived at Base Camp at 5000 meters on September 3. We were British climbers Doug Scott and Rick Allen, co-leaders, Nick Kekus, Michael Scott, and I, Austrian Robert Schauer, American Steve Sustad and Sharu Prabhu, who was the first Indian mountaineer to represent her country in China. Our route was the unclimbed northeast ridge and we were attempting it without oxygen and in lightweight style. We established snow caves at 7090 and 8000 meters. Doug Scott, Allen, Schauer, Kekus and I set out from Advance Base to try for the summit in very windy conditions. I turned back that same day, convinced that good weather was not to come. Kekus and Schauer retreated the following day with frostbitten toes. Scott and Allen got to 8100 meters in 100 mile-per-hour winds. We had ideas of another attempt, but heavy snowfall in the second week of October prevented this. Also, our Nepali cook, Nima Mangal Sing Tamang was caught in an avalanche near Base Camp. His body was later cremated at the Rongbuk Monastery. Other expeditions on the north side abounded and all had problems clearing Base Camps due to the depth of the snow.

Sandy Allan, Alpine Climbing Group