원정 개요

BC northwest of Lumding Kharka
ABC Tsho Og lake
Biv in icefall.

Arrived BC 8 days late because porters deserted them. Sirdar got onto track that didn't exist and had find the way through rhododendron forest. After BC did a recce of SE Ridge and found did not have time and resources for ridge with 300m rock step which was too formidable for present expedition, so turned attention to NE Ridge.

25th Oct recce icefall to 5000m. 27th Oct 4 left ABC and camped at 5450m, 28th on to col at foot of ridge at 5720m and started to find Swiss ropes and went on up 45-50 degrees steep ridge mostly snow, at first quite good snow but became unconsolidated sugar. Got to 6100m at 2:30 pm in slow going and no site for camping and slight chance of completing ridge to top next day, so down to ABC.

Another team went through icefall on 29th intending to put camp at col, which they reached on 30th and hacked out ice platform for a tent and spent night there. 31st on up ridge but encountered same problem when snow powdered and no protection possible; got to just little below 6100m and gave up. Climbing finished and all down to BC by 2 Nov. Very difficult ridge for alpine-style ascent.