Koshtantau, Caucasus. Vera Watson led four climbers representing the American Alpine Club at the second session of the Inter-nation Camp Bezengi in August. The others were Margaret Young, Robert Summers and I. Thirty-nine climbers from six countries spent three and a half weeks at Camp Bezengi, a permanent facility located at the junction of the Mishirgi and Bezengi valleys in the central Caucasus. The camp will accommodate up to about three hundred climbers and staff (about 200 Russian climbers were there in addition to the international group); it is very well located as a base for climbing in this area. A large number of interesting and challenging climbs are available up to grade six, almost all requiring more than one day from base. All four U.S. climbers reached the summit of Koshtantau (16,900 feet) and between them reached five lesser summits.

Richard K. Irvin