Kangchungtse. After an 11-day approach from Tumlingtar up the Arun and Barun valleys, we got to Base Camp at 16,000 feet on October 1. Following the route pioneered in 1955 by Couzy and Terray, we installed Camp I at 17,400 feet under the west ridge of Makalu on October 10 despite a heavy snowfall from October 5 to 7. Camp II was placed at 20,350 feet after we had climbed the central spur from the Chago Glacier. Camp III was at 23,000 feet. A first attempt was turned back by wind and a second by lack of Sherpa cooperation. On October 21 Jean Etienne Henault, Bernard Banafoux and I got to the Makalu col at 24,275 feet, but quit because of the late hour and fatigue. On October 22 Christian LaVergne and Dominique Chaix also got to the col but no further. Jean François Manificat went on and got to the summit of Kangchungtse (25,066 feet).

Bernard Ferrier, Club Alpin Français