Shivling, West Ridge. Our expedition was composed of Shiro Kurau-chi, leader, Takao Kobayashi, Miss Kinuko Ihara, Yoshiyuki Inoue, Miss Hisako Adachi, Katsuji Yamasaki, Masatoshi Iwasa, Hiroshi Nishie, Miss Kazuko Minesaki, Yukitaka Inoue and me. Base Camp was established at 14,100 feet on May 27. We proceeded from Tapoban up the Meru Glacier around three ridges descending from Shivling and on June 6 established Camp I at 17,050 feet at the head of the glacier. We climbed the snow slope avoiding two big crevasses and placed Camp II on the rock col near the hanging glacier at 18,550 feet on June 10. We pitched Camp II at 19,350 feet on June 16 on the snow ridge 18 pitches up the rock-and-snow ridge above a 130-foot step. On a rock band between Camps II and III we found two snow pickets which the Indian party must have used for belays. Immediately above Camp III the ridge abutted a snow wall. We climbed this 50° wall for 500 feet to regain the ridge as it headed for a 200-foot-high hanging glacier. We climbed one pitch over the hanging glacier and over a schrund. After two more pitches there was another hanging glacier which we crossed to get to a snowfield leading to a col between Shivling and an unnamed peak at 20,500 feet. Kobayashi, Yoshiyuki Inoue, Nishie and Yukitaka Inoue bivouacked there. On June 20 they climbed 400 feet up from the right end of the 60° to 70° ice wall and reached the ridge crest. They came on a fixed line and recovered 200 feet of it. They climbed four more pitches and at last stood on the summit of Shivling (6543 meters, 21,467 feet) at two P.M.

Masayori Kaya, Japan Workers’ Alpine Federation