원정 개요

Consiglio - 27 Nov 69

Bellini and Franzina in KTM, others in Pokhara.
In Dhorpatan 5 Sherpas and 600 kg baggage.

Rocky ridge very very difficult and strong wind - West Ridge - on other side helped snow and glacier - reached 6500m by Puissi and Gross. Slept C5 at 6350m wth 2 others ready to establish C6; wind very strong and 1 tent C1 blown away and 3 tents broken in C1, C2 and C5 on 13-14 Nov.

10 Nov snow all day
11 Nov snow all day but
11-12 strong wind
12 no closed but strong wind
12 put C5 at 6350m
13 wind all day and night
13 + Puissi and Gross at 6500m

14 Nov all returned because ridge impossible to climb; all in base on Nov 16; always strong wind from 11th.

Even without wind, difficulties of ridge.

9 Nov night - snow, not cold = avalanche danger.

All other members arrive KTM by RNAC 27 Nov except Marti and Alleto.


Letter from Giacomelli - 17 Oct

We reached the day before yesterday. The base camp and one team has actually placed today the first advance camp. So far so good, but Churen Himal is certainly not an easy mountain.


Letter from Giacomelli

Departure from Pokhara on the 10th of October. Arrival and establishment of Base Camp at the head of the Gustang Khola on the morning of the 15th October.

The trekking has been uneventful but for the crossing of the Gurja Khani Pass which was done under a heavy snowstorm with considerable difficulties for the coolies.

On the 17th one team has established the first high camp (15,600 ft) on the southwest side of the mountain without difficulties which start immediately above the first camp with a belt of steep rock and some danger of the icefall. The weather has been so far fine.

The base camp of the Japanese expedition to Gurja Himal is very close to ours and all the members (7) but the leader are at present at the first high camp and at the temporary second high camp so far established at roughly 16,000 ft.