Istor-o-Nal. On June 5 Zvone Kofler and Janko Ažman of the Third Yugoslav Hindu Kush Expedition made the second ascent of Istor-o-Nal (24,271 feet) by a new, direct route on the south side. The route ascended the southwest buttress and ridge. (First ascent by Spaniards Anglada, Cerda, Civis, Pons on August 12, 1969. A.A.J., 1970, 17:1, pp. 189-90.) Our ten members flew from Rawalpindi to Chitral on May 16, from where we were accompanied by a liaison officer. We continued to Charun by jeep, then across the Zani or Tirich Pass (c. 13,125 feet) to the village of Shagrom and to Base Camp at a place called Nalagut at 14,750 feet on the Upper Tirich Glacier. Our porters, whom we used only this far, were excellent. We did not hire high-altitude porters, only two couriers. We established Base Camp on May 22, Camp I on May 24 at 17,400 feet, Camp II on May 30 at 19,000 feet and Camp III on June 4 at 21,650 feet. It was from here that the ascent was made across the col to the main summit. Between Camps I and II there was rock climbing of up to UIAA IV to V difficulty; just above Camp II we fixed 1650 feet of rope. Some of the slopes were of 60° or more. With the exception of two days on the return the weather was excellent, only rather windy above 19,700 feet. The return to Chitral took five days. The weather being miserable, we had to leave for Rawalpindi by jeep after the authorities had issued special permission.

IVO VALIC, Planinska Zveza Jugoslavije