The 1982 Canadian Everest Expedition

Corporate body

The 1982 Canadian Everest Expedition

1978-1982

In 1978, a Canadian team of climbers was granted permission for an autumn 1982 expedition to climb Mt. Everest via the Nepal side of the mountain. The objective was to put a Canadian team on the summit for the first time, via a new route on the mountain’s South Spur. In 1981, the Montreal-based company CanEverEx was formed to facilitate the marketing, promotional, and licensing aspects of the expedition. Montreal-based Programmed Communications Limited was subsequently contracted by CanEverEx and the Canadian Mount Everest Society to further act as an administrator and curator of the photographs and other media produced during the expedition. Air Canada joined as a primary sponsor for the expedition, and extensive press coverage and promotional opportunities were planned. In 1979 The Calgary Herald and Southam News bought the newspaper rights for the expedition coverage and the television rights were acquired by the CBC and ABC. Teleglobe Canada was engaged to provide a satellite configuration that would provide the first-ever live video links between Everest and Canada, and further video and photographic documentation was enabled through sponsorships from Hitachi, Leica and Kodak.

A specially-chartered Air Canada cargo plane delivered expedition supplies to Nepal via India in April 1982, accompanied by a small advance party of climbers and photographers. The full team departed for Nepal in July 1982, under the leadership of expedition leader Bill March. Several months in to the expedition, on August 31, an avalanche hit in the Khumbu Icefall, killing 3 of the expedition’s Sherpa team members, including Ang Chuldim Sherpa (age 18), Pasang Sona Sherpa (age 40), and Dawa Dorje Sherpa (age 40). A second Icefall accident occurred on September 2, killing expedition cameraman Blair Griffiths (age 33). Following this, 6 climbers left the expedition, including Tim Auger, Rusty Baillie, James Blench, Jim Elzinga, Dave McNab, and Don Serl. Team doctor David Jones also left due to health reasons. The planned South Spur route was changed to the South Col route, and on October 5, 1982, Laurie Skreslet became the first Canadian to summit Mount Everest with Sherpa team members Sungdare Sherpa and Lhakpa Dorje. Two days later, on October 7, team member Pat Morrow reached the summit with Lhakpa Tshering and Pema Dorje. Upon their return to Calgary, Programmed Communications Limited greeted the team and members of the press with a welcome home slideshow presentation, using photographs that the team members had taken along the way. The team was subsequently honoured in Ottawa by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

TEAM MEMBERS AND AFFILIATES:

John Amatt, expedition business manager (36 at time of climb, based in Canmore, AB)
Timothy Auger (36 at time of climb, based in Canmore, AB)
Stephen Bezruchka, High altitude physician (38 at time of climb, based in Seattle, WA)
Rusty Baillie, climber (41 at time of climb, based in Calgary, AB)
James Blench, climber (26 at time of climb, based in Canmore, AB)
Alan Burgess, climber (33 at time of climb, based in Kathmandu, Nepal)
Dwayne Congdon, climber (25 at time of climb, based in Invermere, BC)
Jim Elzinga, climber (27 at time of climb, based in Calgary, AB)
Lloyd Gallagher, deputy leader (42 at time of climbed, based in Canmore, AB)
Blair Griffiths, expedition cameraman (33 at time of climb, based in North Vancouver, BC)
David Jones, Base Camp physician (50 at time of climb, based in Calgary, AB)
Bill March, expedition leader (40 at time of climb, based in Calgary, AB)
David McNab, climber (26 at the time of climb, based in Invermere, BC)
Pat Morrow, climber (29 at time of climb, based in Kimberley, BC)
Dave Read, climber (33 at time of climb, based in Calgary, AB)
Don Serl, climber (34 at time of climb, based in Vancouver, BC)
Laurie Skreslet, climber (32 at time of climb, based in Calgary, AB)
Gordon Smith, climber (36 at time of climb, based in Golden, BC)
Peter Spear, Base Camp manager (age 41 at time of climb, based in Calgary, AB)

Kurt Fuhrich, Base Camp cook (33 at time of climb, based in Banff)

Gyaljen Sherpa and Nawang Karma Sherpa, expedition sirdars
Sungdare Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Nuru Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Tenzing Tashi Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
An Rinzing Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Lhawa Nima Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Pasang Tenzing Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Pema Dorje Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Sonam Chottar Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Namgyal Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Ang Chuldim Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Lhakpa Tshering Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Pasang Sona Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Ang Chumbi Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Pasang Nuru Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Dawa Dorjee Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Dawa Nuru Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Gyaljen Sherpa (Phortse), high altitude Sherpa
Ang Lhakpa Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Lhakpa Dorje Sherpa (Phortse), high altitude Sherpa
Ang Nima Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Ang Rita Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Ang Phurba Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Mingma Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Ang Pemba Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Pemba Tshering Sherpa, high altitude cook
Dendu Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Chewang Sherpa, high altitude Sherpa
Phuri Sherpa, kitchen
Palden Chosang Sherpa, Base Camp cook
Lhakpa Sona Sherpa, mail runner
Sona Dendu Sherpa, mail runner
Ang Gyaljen Sherpa, mail runner

Bruce Patterson, expedition press officer
Andy Bako, photographer hired by PCL
Jean Becq, photographer hired by PCL
Bob Warren, photographer hired by PCL

Jim Muir, President, Programmed Communications Limited (PCL) (Montreal)
Brian Smith, Partner at PCL
Lynn Muir, Jim Muir’s daughter, worked at PCL during the summer of 1982
Lynn Huntley, PCL

Nevil Pike, president of CanEverEx
Robin Palin, CanEverEx
Michael Breckon, director of advertising at Air Canada and executive producer of Everest radio serial

Bobby Chettri, Mountain Travel in Nepal

2018

Amatt, John. "Everest 1982: The Story of the Climb." Retrieved August 13, 2018 from http://www.adventureattitude.com/ev82soc.htm
Morrow, Pat and Sharon Wood. "Everest: High Expectations." Bungalo Books, 2012. EPUB.
Patterson, Bruce. "Canadians on Everest." Calgary: Detselig Enterprises, 1990.