Pumori, Post-Monsoon Ascents, Attempts and Tragedy. A number of ascents of Pumori (7161 meters, 23,494 feet) were made in the post-monsoon period, all by the southeast face and east ridge except where noted. An expedition of 8 Swiss and 2 Germans was led by Norbert Joos. Leader Joos, Martin Zingg and Peter Marugg on October 21, Ernst Marti on the 23rd and Daniel Santschi on the 25th reached the summit; all were Swiss. Americans Scott Hartl and Tom Rosencrans of Haiti’s seven-member expedition climbed to the summit with the Swiss on October 21. Eight French climbers were led by Michel Richard. Along with Swiss Santschi, Richard and Sarki Nuru Lama Sherpa reached the top on October 25. All of another Swiss expedition led by Olivier Roduit ascended to the summit by the southwest and south ridge up and down the southeast face: Cédric Bersandi, Daniel Compte and Pierre de Mestral on October 27 and Paul-Victor Amoudruz and Roduit on October 29. Unsuccessful were 13 Canadians, an American and a Briton led by Stephen Adamson, who got to 6850 meters on October 16; 7 Netherlanders led by Kick van Koningsbrugge, who reached 6950 meters on October 16; and 4 Germans led by Christian Fütterer, whose high point was 6200 meters on September 19. Seven Koreans led by Lee Jae-Won were unable to get higher than 6100 meters on the southwest ridge, which they reached on September 30. Kim Jun-Ho, 19 years old, fell fatally ill on September 16, apparently a victim of altitude sickness, a day or so short of Base Camp. His Korean teammates went on with the climb, but their hearts were not in it.

Elizabeth Hawley