Jankho Laya. Our expedition was made up of Pierre Faussurier, Daniel Barrera, Dr. Patrick Mure, my wife Francine and me as leader. We climbed northeast of Laguna Khara Kkota from May 18 to 31. We left La Paz on May 16 on the road to the Mina Fabulosa, went past the lakes, Khara Kkota and Jankho Kkota and left the vehicles at the foot of Cerro Wila Llojeta. We had to cross two passes (16,275 and 16,750 feet) between Jankho Huyo and Wila Llojeta to reach the Vinohuara plain at the southern foot of Jankho Laya (climbed by Austrians in 1973), where we placed Base Camp at 15,900 feet on May 18. The central spur of the south face of Jankho Laya rose majestically for 2500 feet. On May 19, while the rest of us reconnoitered, Faussurier and Barreras climbed the southeast ridge of Jankho Laya (5545 meters or 18,192 feet), a mixed route which took them seven hours. On May 20 Dr. Mure, my wife Francine and I climbed without too many technical problems to the west col and up the north face, the route by which the others had descended. At the end of 6½ hours we were on top. On May 22 all the men climbed the central spur of the south face. The rock was an excellent compact granite. The difficulties were concentrated in the upper third where we had some 70° ice. On May 24 we all ascended a satellite summit, Jalli Huaykunka (5392 meters or 17,090 feet) (also climbed by the Austrians in 1973). Two days of bad weather tied us in Base Camp before we could leave it to be picked up on the road on May 30.

Jean-Paul Chassagne, Gendarmerie Haute Montagne, Chamonix