Annapurna IV. A German expedition under the leadership of Heinz Steinmetz, consisting of Dr. Manfred Bachmann, Harald Biller, Fritz Lobbichler and Jurgen Wellenkamp, successfully ascended 24,688-foot

Annapurna IV, which was climbed in 1950 by H. W. Tilman’s party to 24,000 feet and in 1952 by the Japanese to 19,000 feet. The Germans followed the same route as Tilman to the base of the mountain. On May 14, 1955, the actual attack on the peak started. Biller, Steinmetz and Wellenkamp found the going very difficult, but climbed to the summit on May 30 from Camp 4. Before the advent of the monsoon on July 2, Lobbichler, Steinmetz and Wellenkamp climbed 23,000-foot Kang Guru. The climbers climbed several 17,000- to 20,000-foot peaks in the doubtful weather at the beginning of the monsoon period before withdrawing from the Manangbhot area north to Mustangbhot. There in the Damodar Himal they reached the summits of Dam Kang (20,000 feet) on August 25, Julo Kang (21,000 feet) on August 29, and Kang Churi (19,000 feet) on August 31. On October 17 Steinmetz and Wellenkamp climbed 20,300- foot Lamjung, a very difficult peak. In all they ascended 11 mountains.