Lhotse Shar Attempt. The members of our expedition were Filip Bence, Janez Benkovic, Vincenc Bercic, Tomo Cesen, Milan Gladek, Silvo Karo, Radivoj Nadvešnik, Janez Plevel, Marko Prezelj, Andrej Štremfelj, Janez Šušteršic, Dr. Peter Panjtar and I as leader. Hoping to climb the Austrian route, which ascends the southwest ridge from the col with Island Peak to 7200 meters and continues up the southeast ridge, we established Base Camp on March 14. Despite alternating high winds and heavy snowfalls, we fixed the route to 7200 meters and established three camps on the route. We were very surprised when on April 11 the leader of the French expedition and one other came to our Base Camp, proposing to climb the same route. Later it proved that they had permission for the east ridge. They established their Base Camp on the other side of Island Peak. We met them a few days later on our route, fixing ropes to 6600 meters and from there on proceeding only on our ropes. We found this behavior most extraordinary. After having been on the mountain for 60 days in miserable weather, food supplies were running low and the climbers were exhausted. The attempt was abandoned on May 12 although the weather was improving. The high point, which was to have been the site for Camp IV, was reached on April 20 by Bence.

Vincenc Griljc, Planinska Zveza Slovenije, Yugoslavia