Winter in the Karakoram. In February, Andrzej Zawada made a reconnaissance into the heart of the Karakoram. Accompanied by the Canadian Jacques Olek, he spent two weeks on the Baltoro Glacier, making meteorological observations. At 4000 meters, the predominating temperature was —30° C or colder. Winter conditions were much more severe than in the Everest region. At the beginning of March, heavy snowfall began, making the retreat of the two mountaineers exhaustive and hazardous. Winter expeditions will have trouble finding porters because they have no winter clothing and they have a horror of avalanches, cold and storms in the mountains. Zawada painfully engaged four men, but they all ran off, after seeing the first avalanche. With 110-pound loads the two climbers continued the approach—alone.

Józef Nyka, Editor, Taternik, Poland