Asia, India, Second Ascent of Nanda Kot

Publication Year: 1960.

Second Ascent of Nanda Kot. An all-Naval expedition, consisting of Instr. Lt. M. S. Kohli, leader, Surgeon Lt. Y. C. Sharma, A. S. Pabreja, K. P. Sharma, and D. B. Ambastha, left Delhi on April 27. Sirdar Ang Tsering and Da Temba accompanied the party as high-altitude Sherpas. Passing through Tanakpur, Pithoragarh, Askote, Baram, Seraghat, Mansyari and Martoli, we established Base Camp at Narspanpati on May 7 at 13,500 feet. Following a new route through the junction of the Lwanl and Kuchela Glaciers, we established Advanced Base Camp (15,500 feet) on May 10 and Camp I (17,600 feet) on May 13. The camp site was safe, but the route to it passed through a difficult icefall and knee-deep soft snow. The next seven days it snowed and blew. Camp II was established on May 19 at 18,700 feet. The route from Camp II to Camp III was most difficult, a 100-foot ice wall and a steep gully full of soft snow being the chief obstacles. After four days of hard work in which we fixed 600 feet of rope, the party established Camp III (20,000 feet). An attempt to climb to the summit was made on May 24, but the party withdrew because of a strong blizzard. The next day, May 25, the weather was fine. K. P. Sharma and I left camp at 5 A.M. and reached the summit of the dome (21,900 feet) at 10 a.m. From there the route passed along a very steep ridge which fell sheer to the snout of the Nanda Kot Glacier, 5000 feet below. After three hours of strenuous and dangerous climbing, we set foot on the corniced summit of Nanda Kot (22,510 feet) at 2:20 p.m.

M. S. Kohli, Instr. Lt., Indian Navy