Chamlang. The Hokkaido University Mount Chamlang Expedition was composed of Dr. Seiki Nakano, leader; Takeo Okamoto, Susumu Koya-yashi, Toshi-kazu Nagamitsu, Hisashi Kukimura, Soh Anma and Yoshihiro Suzuki. We left Birathnagar on April 15, passed Dharan on April 17, Dankuta on April 19 and arrived at Gudel on April 26. Our caravan route from Gudel to Base Camp was a very difficult one and took until May 12, having five passes on the way which range from 13,000 to 14,000 feet, for we had deep snow. Since almost all of our coolies were not willing to continue with the caravan, the building of Base Camp was greatly delayed and consumed a lot of high ration food. Base Camp was at Mera Kharta at 14,500 feet. We took a route to the top of the glacier flowing west from the southern ridge and then followed this rugged ice ridge. Camp I (May 14) was on the moraine of the glacier at 15,800 feet, Camp II was pitched on May 16 on the icefall at 19,500 feet and Camp III was established on May 20 on the hard ice of the knife-edged southern ridge at the altitude of 20,500 feet. This ridge was very thin and covered with hard ice except for some places with bare rock. Camp IV (May 27) was on the ridge at 21,000 feet. Two members, Soh Anma and Pasang Putar III, the sirdar, were successful in attacking the top (24,012 feet) from a snow cave at 21,400 feet on May 31. The upper part was covered with hard ice. The total weight of the equipment was 2.8 tons. We consumed about 1000 meters of rope and 50 meters of rope ladder. Of course we did not use oxygen. We returned after a trip north across the Ambu Lapcha, east to Namche Bazar, south to Pankhomagaon and Gudel and thence to Birathnagar.

Seiki Nakano, Academic Alpine Club of Hokkaido