Nepal Peak Attempt. Our French-Nepalese expedition had six French members, M. and Mme Ansart, S. Lazizi, Dr. F. Tanery, my wife and me, and three Nepalese, Chewang Rinzee Sherpa, Lhakpa Sherpa and Jambia Sherpa. We hoped to climb the virgin south face of Nepal Peak (6910 meters, 22,670 feet). At the end of September we established Base Camp at 5000 meters at Pengpema and Advance Base at 5200 meters at the base of the south face. Despite snowfall, Camp I was set at 5700 meters in a small cwm at the right side of Nepal Gap. Snow conditions and weather were very poor. There were frequent avalanches on the south face. We chose a safe and direct route to the south ridge up a steep 300-meter-high gully. My tent was destroyed by the wind at our 6200-meter Camp II on the ridge. Lazizi, Chewang, Lhakpa and Jambia made three summit attempts. The first two were stopped by lack of visibility. The third on October 16 was conducted in better weather, but it was windy and cold. We had to stop at 6600 meters where our route met a very steep part of the ridge covered with brittle ice. We lacked equipment for this section. When I reached Advance Base, I had eight fingers and a foot badly frozen.

Dominique Hembise, Club Alpin Français