Manaslu Attempt and Tragedy. In March, China cancelled my Shisha Pangma permission and I obtained a permit for the northeast face of Manaslu. We were Jim Sutton and I from the United States and Spaniards Javier Iraola, Albino Quinteiro, José Melón and Santiago Suarez. Having departed on April 4 from the roadhead town of Gurkha, we arrived on April 10 at Base Camp at 3850 meters. Camp I was established on April 14 at 5000 meters on the glacial snowfield below Manaslu’s northeast face and the north peak. Camp II was placed on April 17 at 5500 meters on the lower north peak slopes and Camp III on May 1 just past the avalanche-prone traverse of the mid-height north-peak slopes. On May 6 and 7, Camps IV and V were set up at 6300 and 7280 meters just above Naike Col and at the lower edge of the great summit plateau. On May 7, Iraola, Quinteiro and Suarez were traversing under the plateau at 7100 meters when Suarez fell to his death. After locating and burying the body at 6400 meters, the surviving Spaniards and I descended to Base Camp. No further summit attempts were made.

Keith Brown