Annapurna IV Attempt, 1979. We were Jaume Serrat, Kim Prunes and I, Catalans, Felipe Uriarte and Martín Zabaleta, Basques, Carlos Buhler, American, and others. We began our approach march from Dumre on the Kathmandu-Pokhara road on October 3, 1979 and continued all the way up the Marsyandi River to Base Camp on October 11 above Ongre (12,625 feet). We carried loads up the moraine and finally established Camp I at 16,100 feet on October 12. Heading south, we crossed the glacier, ascended rock, ice and mixed terrain to reach the snow ridge that descends to the northeast from the ridge that connects Annapurnas III and IV. We fixed rope in this section. Camp II was established at 17,725 feet on October 18. The ridge continued to be steep and had séracs and crevasses. We placed Camp III at 20,000 feet on October 21. After bypassing séracs, we reached the ridge between Annapurnas III and IV, where Camp IV was established on October 25 at 22,650 feet. The attack team, Buhler and a Sherpa, spent a cold night. The Sherpa fell seriously ill with vomiting and a strong headache. Two others of us came up from Camp III to help him down to Camp I that day, while the rest evacuated the camps.

Josep Aced, M.D., Club Muntanyenc de Terrassa, Spain