Ama Dablam, Winter Ascents and Attempt. There were four expeditions on Ama Dablam in December of 1993, all on the normal southwest ridge. A South Korean expedition led by Yoon Kwang may be punished by the Nepalese authorities for completing almost all of their ascent before the starting date of the winter season, December 1. The five-man group began its ascent on November 21 and it was on December 1 that Cho Kwang-Jae, Kim Dae-Young, Song Hoon-Jae and porter Ang Dawa Sherpa went to the top from Camp IV. Seven Americans put five members on the summit on December 6: Bill Crouse, leader, Todd McDougall, Kevin Lundy, Kathy Zaiser and Robert Ziegler. The Tourism Ministry raised another problem for them. They had permission for Ama Dablam and also Cholatse, and they had paid the peak fees for both. They were told by officials in Kathmandu that they would have to have separate liaison officers for the climbs and this meant an additional cost of $1500 or more. The self-financed party did not have the extra funds, so they dropped their plans for Cholatse, thereby forfeiting the fee they had already paid for that peak. All of another American party got to the summit: Jim Olson and Sean Sullivan on December 6 and leader Jim Williams and Mrs. Lily Leonard on the 8th. Five Japanese, led by Hiroshi Nakamura, reached a high point of 6300 meters on January 8, 1994.

Elizabeth Hawley