Arjuna Attempt. The British Himalayan Expedition, Kishtwar: Tom Henderson, American, Peter Melling, Linda and Ron Rutland and I, made an unsuccessful attempt on unclimbed Arjuna (20,440 feet). We approached the peak along the Chenab valley through the villages of Athole and Chishote. Base Camp was established above the Bhazun Nala under the peak of Sundar Pahar, six days after leaving the town of Kishtwar. We ferried equipment over a 16,200-foot col to Advanced Base on a moraine a mile from the foot of the mountain. Starting on September 9 we spent two days gaining a col on the east ridge of Arjuna, which buttresses onto the east face. We used two routes; Ron and Lin Rutland followed a line mainly on steep ice whilst we others climbed a series of broken grooves. From the col we traversed the rock ridge, keeping to the south of the gendarmes to gain an upper ice arête. Beyond this, the rock led onto the face of the mountain, which contained steep ice walls and séracs and was heavily crevassed. After a bivouac on the face, we set out for the summit on September 14, reaching by early afternoon a high point about 300 feet below the top. Deteriorating weather forced a retreat to the bivouac site. Continuous snow fell and the descent commenced two days later. Deep powder slowed progress and at the top of the ice arête we witnessed a spectacular avalanche as the upper mountain rid itself of its new cloak of snow. Advanced Base Camp was reached on September 18 and abandoned the following day. The major climbing problems of the mountain have been solved. Technical difficulties on rock were up to UIAA V and on ice up to Scottish IV.

J. Richard Toon, St. Helens Mountaineering Club, England