Istor-o-Nal North. The Salzburg section of the Austrian Alpine Club (ÖVA) was composed of Kurt Lapuch, leader, Manfred Oberegger and Max Friedwagner. They first reconnoitered the upper Lopar valley, east of Istor-o-Nal group, looking for a route onto those peaks. Base Camp was at 15,000 feet. They made three first ascents from there: a 17,000-foot peak on June 16 by all three, Shongolasht Zom (19,095 feet) on June 17 by all three and a porter and Lopar Joz Zom (18,700 feet) via the northeast ridge on June 21 by Lapuch and Oberegger. They failed to climb Lopar Zom (21,000 feet) and found the routes to Istor-o-Nal too dangerous objectively. They moved Base Camp to the northeast of the Upper Tirich Glacier at the foot of the Istor-o-Nal group at 16,850 feet. The route led up a secondary southern branch of the glacier and up the glacier on the north face of Istor-o-Nal. Camp I at 19,850 feet was established on June 27 and Camp II at 21,150 feet on a northern spur the next day. On June 29 Lapuch and Oberegger made the first ascents of Istor-o-Nal North I (23,780 feet) and, after an hour’s traverse of a corniced ridge, of slightly lower Istor-o-Nal II. On the descent at 22,300 feet Oberegger broke his leg and was evacuated with the help of porters from the Czech expedition. Lapuch joined Kurt Diemberger on the ascent of Nobaisum Zom as noted in the latter’s account.

Adolf Diemberger, Österreichischer Alpenklub