Attempt on Ausangate, Cordillera Vilcanota. John Cady, Kep Stone, and Chuck Kroger made an attempt in late July on the northeast ridge of Ausangate. From a camp at 18,500 feet they set out to try for the top, but made slow progress in rotten snow and on a steep rock step. Bad weather forced them back from 18,850 feet. Time prevented a second try.

Chainapuerto, Cordillera Urubamba. On July 12 the Irish Andean Expedition set up Base at 13,500 feet in the Quebrada Huamanchoque. Members were S. Billane, E. Goulding, T. Ingram, M. Lunt, P. McDermott, N. Rice and myself as leader. Descriptions of the assault on Chainapuerto by a Scots expedition in 1964 (A.A.J., 1965, 14:2, pp. 446-7) led us to believe that they had not reached the very summit and so the ascent of this 18,954-foot peak was our main objective. The cornice which the Scots Bryan and Bennet saw through the mist in 1964 and beneath which they turned back does not sit on the summit but on a tower 100 feet away and 15 to 20 feet lower. When seen from below and from many points on the ridge, this tower appears higher than the summit and must account for the Scots’ error in thinking they had nearly reached the top. We established two camps and on July 19 Ingram and I climbed to the top. Goulding and McDermott got to the summit on July 21. Other peaks climbed were Punta Urco (17,500 feet) on July 18, Punta Rosaleen (17,600 feet; first ascent) on July 19 and Nevado Can Can (18,000 feet) on July 22, all ascended by Rice and Billane. We then moved to the Quebrada Cosnoriti beneath Padre Eterno’s northern flank. Huacratanca Este (17,800 feet) was climbed by Ingram and me on July 31 and by Rice and Billane on August 1. Rice, Billane and Lunt climbed both summits of Chucullani (16,800 feet) on July 31. Rice and Billane on August 4 also made the first ascent of the rock peak (c. 16,500 feet) which is linked to Padre Eterno by the latter’s northeast ridge. Attempts were made, mainly by Goulding and McDermott, on the north and northeast ridges of Padre Eterno but lack of time forced abandonment of both routes.

Patrick O’Leary, Irish Mountaineering Club