Rakaposhi, Attempt on North Ridge. It was obvious that an ascent to the north ridge from Minapin or Pisan would be too dangerous for a porter column but that a steep glacial valley led up from Jul Ghulmat directly to our north ridge. On September 10 Base Camp was placed on a moraine hill at the upper end of this valley. The route to Camp I was almost entirely on broken icefall and a 1000-foot ice wall. Our advance party fixed ropes for the porters on the six-hour ascent to 15,425 feet. The route from there to Camp II at 16,750 feet over a number of dangerous gendarmes was difficult to secure and too risky for the porters. It was obvious that the route would require four camps. A sharp rock ridge was extremely difficult and on one day the advance party gained only 350 feet. On September 21, when they got up only two rope-lengths up a 70° ice slope, they established Camp III and reached the junction with the main ridge. The route up the north ridge was open and Camp IV would be at about 21,325 feet. However some of the team were sick; porters could not be used above Camp I.I decided to call the attempt off and return at the proper time to the gigantic north ridge of this lovely peak with a bigger team. (Included in the group were Michl Anderl, Wolf Bitterling, Gerd Mändl, Heinz Reiter, Leo Glasl, Wolf Schwarzbauer, Jürgen Vogt and Willi Hermann.)

KARLM. HERRLIGKOFFER, Deutsches Institut für Auslandsforschung