Langtang Himal. The famous Swiss climber, Raymond Lambert, and the noted Belgian scientist, Canon Jules Détry, in early April 1955 made a nine-day march from Kathmandu to the Langtang Gompa monastery where at about 13,000 feet on the Nepalese-Tibetan frontier they established their base camp. While Détry carried on his ethnological research, Lambert turned with his Sherpas to the Langtang Himal. Although plagued by bad weather, they established Camp 2 at 17,400 feet and Camp 3 at 18,900 below some large snow blocks. Notwithstanding the protection of these, in the early morning of May 14 an avalanche which fell across the area but which was parted by the blocks, left the whole camp under

a considerable covering of snow. Lambert and the Sherpas Angorbu, Kamitsering, Pasang, and Pemba Gyaltzen set off immediately for the summit of a 22,000-foot peak which the Swiss called the “White Dome.” The ascent was made difficult by crevasses, but they were rewarded on top by a magnificent view of Everest, Makalu, Lhotse and Gaurisankar. They reported that they did not attempt the highest point of the Langtang Himal, 23,400-foot Lining, which seems impossible from the Nepalese side. There may be a route on the Tibetan side.