Baihili Jot, Duphao Jot, Chamba-Lahul. Five British mountaineers, all past or present Outward Bound Instructors, joined five Indian climbers sponsored by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation to climb in the Chamba-Lahul Himalaya flanking the Myar Nullah, a northern tributary of the Chandra-Bhaga River. We were Major H. V. Bahuguna and I as co-leaders; Captains D. K. Khullar and A. L. Sharma, Pranesh Chakraborty, Ramdas Prabhu, Indians; Alan J. Smith, Martin Sinker, Randall Williams, Dr. Nicholas Allen, British; with Sherpas Chinsing, Nima Dorje, Nima Tensing and Pasang Lakpa. At the beginning of May we approached the climbing area from Manali via the 13,000-foot Rohtang Pass, after being delayed by the bad weather affecting most of the western Himalaya at the time. Successful first ascents were made of Baihili Jot (20,602 feet) and Duphao Jot (20,011 feet). We approached from Arat above the Chandra- Bhaga valley via Ur Gad with a Base Camp, Advance Base and Camp I. On May 27 Bahuguna, Sinker, Williams, Sharma and Chinsing climbed Baihili Jot. On Duphao Jot we had a separate Advance Base and Camp I. Allen, Smith, Chakraborty, Prabhu and Pasang Lakpa made the ascent on May 25. In the second phase of the programme Khullar, Sherpa Nima Dorje and I reconnoitred Menthosa (21,140 feet) and Phabrang (20,250 feet) in rather rushed assaults, as a result of unsatisfactory weather. We regretfully abandoned Menthosa about 500 feet from the summit at the base of an annoying little ice wall, while the final 2000 feet of Phabrang presented difficulties we felt unjustifiable. We approached the latter from Karpat in Myar Nullah via Karpat Nullah and Base Camp and two high camps. We used these for the first ascent of P 18,977, climbed by all three on May 26. On June 11 everybody marched out over the little known 16,000-foot Chobia Pass to Chamba. Literally hundreds of interesting virgin peaks await mountaineers.

David H. Challis, Outward Bound, England