Mount Everest. Our expedition on the south east ridge of Everest consisted of Brian Agnew, Peter Allen, Paul Bayng, Norm Crookston, Pat Cullinan, Chris Curry, Tony Delaney, Bruce Farmer, Charlie Hart, Peter Lambert, Terry McCullagh, Rick Moor, John Muir, Nick Pezzet, Phil Pitham, Michael Rheinberger, Andrew Smith, James Strohfeldt, Terry Tremble, Jill Trenham, James Truscott, James Van Gleder, Sorrel Voilby, Zac Zaharias, Carol Brand-Maher and me as leader. The advance party got to Base Camp on February 21. We did not use any high-altitude porters above Base Camp. It was a real team effort and many of the climbers had to forget trying for the summit to carry material to the South Col. The good weather did not come until the middle of May. The first summit attempt on May 15 reached 8580 meters but was thwarted by deep snow. On May 25, Bayng and Cullinan reached the summit after six days in Camp IV on the South Col. On May 28, John Muir got to the top in 52 hours from Base Camp. Curry turned back 150 meters from the top after the failure of his oxygen equipment, which had proved troublesome all the way from the South Col. Oxygen was used on all summit attempts and to carry loads from Camp III to Camp IV.

Austin Brookes, Australian Alpine Climbing Club