A truly elite team of Mountaineers will go to Everest in a few weeks to honor the 50th anniversary of the Swiss 1952 Expedition. In 1952, Jean-Jacques Asper, Rene Dittert, Ernest Hofstetter, Gabriel Chevalley, Rene Aubert, Leon Flory, Andre Roch and Raymond Lambert all from Geneva attempted Everest via the Nepal side of the mountain. This expedition set the way for the Summit of Everest in 1953 by Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Raymond Lambert and Tenzing Norgay climbed to 8600 meters without oxygen! The frontiers these men journeyed were unknown at the time. Their achievement was incomparable at the time.

In 2002 Stephane Schaffter (Summit of K2 in 85 and more!), also from Geneva shall return to Everest with Tashi Tenzing, grandson of Tenzing Norgay, Apa Sherpa (11 times Summits of Everest !), Jean Troillet (the great one!), Guillaume Vallot, Yves Lambert (Raymond's son !), and Jean-Jacques Asper will form the core team to return to the mountain! Jean-Jacques Asper, now 72, was the youngest member of the 52 expedition. Philippe Arvis will be the expedition's doctor.

This expedition will follow the journey after 50 years of Raymond Lambert, his son will walk for the first time in his father's footsteps on Everest. Can you imagine the emotion for Jean-Jacques, if he makes it to the icefall, and finds the route in the icefall that he took 50 years ago on Everest !!!

Tashi Tenzing, will return to the mountain where he followed his grandfather's footsteps on May 23rd 1997 when he reached the Summit of Everest. He took the record for being the first time a third generation of one family climbed Everest. Tashi who lives in Australia leaves on March 8th to meet the Swiss team in Kathmandu.

The expedition is climbing the Southeast ridge and has no connection at all with either Peter Hillary or Jamling Tenzing Norgay. "Peter has been in Antartica, as has Tashi, so we are not sure of his exact plans on Everest as yet." states, Judy Tenzing. 

Tashi, now 37, guides some trips for Himalayan Kingdoms UK, but does not work for them. He has his own company in Australia - Tenzing's Journeys - and this is his major occupation. He also guides in Antarctica for Aurora Expeditions, Australia.

Tenzing Norgay had three wives and 6 children.... The first was Dawa Phuti from Thamey Teng who is the mother of Pem Pem (Tashi Tenzing's mother) and Nima. She died in Chitral in 1944. Tenzing Norgay then married Ang Lhamu who was with him throughout Everest and after. She was childless but is the one Pem Pem and Nima regarded as "mummy" and died in 1964 from cancer. Tenzing Norgay’s third wife was Daku, who worked as field staff for Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling. She was the mother of Norbu - born 1962, Jamling (now 36), Dhamey and Dikki (a daughter). Daku, was from Chanyakpa above Thamey and died in early 90s. Jamling, of course reached the Summit of Everest on May 23, 1996. 

"Tenzing desperately wanted to summit with Lambert and the Swiss. It was a great disappointment to him that they failed. He agreed rather half-heartedly to go again with the British in 1953. He and Hillary were then not close but Lambert pressed him to take the chance with the British. Those 2 were very close. Tenzing and Hillary became close friends late in life when Tenzing was ill in Delhi and Ed was NZ High Commissioner to India. By then Tenzing could speak quite good English and Sir Ed became somewhat of a confidante. But Lambert was the one for the summit as far as Tenzing was concerned. That is why this Swiss anniversary climb is so important to the family. Tashi and Yves Lambert (Raymond's son) will climb together. Pete Hillary is going to call tonight so we can check out things there. The Hillary's are good friends. Sir Ed wrote the foreword to our book and came to help us launch it last year." Judy Tenzing, Tashi Tenzing's wife. "That meant a great deal to us and the ties between us will always be close”

We talked with Tashi Tenzing last night by phone at his office in Australia. Much more on this expedition in the coming days, as well as Peter Hillary's 2002 expedition.

Dispatches