Everest Attempt. Our members were German Michel Dacher, Frenchwoman Chantal Mauduit, Swiss Pierino Giuliani, Louis Deuber, Hans Kessler and I as leader. We joined a number of other expeditions at Base Camp on April 8. On April 11, we climbed the Khumbu Icefall to leave a depot at the site of Camp I at 6500 meters. On the 14th, we occupied Camp I but high winds and cold drove us back. On April 18, Kessler and I established Camp II at 7200 meters, while the others went to Camp I. We were aided by the ropes fixed by the Sherpa expedition on the steep, icy Lhotse Face. Again wind and cold drove us back to Base Camp. Again on April 24, Kessler and I spent the night at Camp II, but wind, cold and stomach troubles forced us back. On May 5, Kessler and I set out again and reached the South Col the next afternoon. Our companions climbed to Camp II. With extreme temperatures and wind, we saw that we had no chance and luckily were able to descend to Base Camp. We are convinced that the only way to climb Everest is by “fair means,” namely without supplementary oxygen, which essentially degrades the peak to a 6000er. The 250 or 300 discarded oxygen bottles litter the South Col. After five more fruitless days at Base Camp, we wanted to climb back up the icefall to retrieve our gear, but conditions were too unfavorable. After our departure on May 15, the Sherpas with an American expedition evacuated our material.

Norbert Joos, Schweizer Alpen Club