원정 개요

BC at Lunag (below Kangchung)
Depot only, on moraine on east side of Gyabrag Glacier (east of "c" of Glacier)
C2 below serac before normal C3
C2 at bottom of NW Face
High point on NW Face.

Wind a strange kind in Dec with unexpected very strong bursts out of calmness; could not put camp along main trail to Nangpa La because Tibetan officials passing that way. Put only deposit at 5450m under rocks for fear Tibetans would take any visable tent; came here on acclimatization climb on 7 Dec and again on 15 Dec. 16 Dec proceeded to C1 site which was 100m below normal C3 site and where made snow and left cache cave. 17 Dec back to BC because not yet acclimatized. Left BC 23 Dec and slept at C1 25 and 26 Dec, planning summit push from here, but this was impossible because of wind. Waited a day and wind still blowing and made descent difficult back to BC on 27th. Left BC again with sirdar (who had been with him on 23 Dec trip) 4 Jan. 5 Jan to depot site; 6 Jan rested. 7 Jan Walde alone to 7250m below normal C4 at end of big serac at beginning of NW Face. 8 Jan started early in morning in snowstorm (very strong wind) and turned back at 7500m and spent night in new cave at 6750m where had had tent at C1. 9 Jan down to BC. 15 Jan both men left BC (now no people on trail) but got only to 5700m, little beyond Nangpa La, where slept and 16th went only to 6800m, saw storm clouds coming and turned back and climb finished. Left BC 19 Jan; no food or no money to buy food again.

"Incredibly long way" from BC and depot - maybe 20 km.

Total at BC: Walde, two sirdars and cook; LO and cook stayed at BC, sirdar only on glacier, did no real climbing.