• Manaslu 2008
• Dhaulagiri 2006
• Gasherbrum 1 2004
• Ama Dablam 2003
• Mount Everest 1999
• Cho Oyu 1998

Mount Everest 1999

Mount Everest (8,848 m), Nepal -1999 Expedition: participation in a large international, commercial expedition via OTT (Great Britain) Expedition leader: John Tinker Team: 19 climbers (9 nationalities) + Sherpa’s Route: regular route (South Col and Southeast Ridge) Top: 13 May 1999, together with 7 teammates + 2 teamsherpa's

 

Chomolungma
The success on Cho Oyu and the breathtaking view from the top towards Mount Everest started her thinking about climbing “the highest mountain”. Although Katja had her doubts about joining a major commercial expedition, she nevertheless chose for this option. After all, she did not yet have sufficient experience for setting up an independent expedition. And none of her Dutch counterparts had any plans involving Everest. So, despite the drawbacks, the participation in an organised Everest expedition still offered an opportunity. Katja mainly saw disadvantages in the size of the team (19 climbers) and the fact that the team members did not know each other personally beforehand.
Still, Katja had faith in climbing Chomolungma (Tibetan for "Goddess Mother of the World”), so she put her name down for participation in the OTT expedition planned for the spring of 1999.

Fundamental experience
The expedition was a fundamental experience in more than one sense. Shortly before the expedition, Katja got divorced and as soon as the expedition started, she started suffering from bronchitis. Moreover, the expedition was no great success in terms of team spirit - perhaps not so surprising for people who did not know each other beforehand.
Still, nine of the 19 climbers (using oxygen from Camp 4) eventually made it to the top – an excellent achievement from a statistical point of view. This success was however completely annihilated by the disappearance of one of the team members during the descent. A terrible turn of events. The body of the 22-year-old Michael Matthews has never been recovered to this day.

A probing personal recollection of the Everest expedition of 1999 can be read in the Dutch book entitled “Hoog spel” (High Stakes, not translated in English), which Katja wrote on returning from the expedition.