Ama Dablam, North Ridge. Paddy Freaney, Peter McInally, Graham Elder, Rob Hall, Bob Murie and I walked to our 17,000-foot Base Camp, covering 180 miles in 24 days, with a side trip to the Everest Base Camp for acclimatization. Starting on the north ridge on September 15, we reached Camp I at 19,500 feet eight days later. With the aid of fixed ropes it took five hours from Base Camp to Camp I. We then used 17 days to fix ropes to Camp II at 21,500 feet. We then spent four daysfixing rope to within 500 feet of the top. On October 18 Freaney and I reached the summit (6854 meters, 22,495 feet) at 11:30 A.M. On October 21 Elder, Hall and King reached the summit. During the next three days we removed the camps and all the fixed rope below Camp I. (This was the route of the French in 1979.—Editor.)

Russell Brice, New Zealand Alpine Club