Ama Dablam, Autumn Ascents and Attempts. Ama Dablam (6812 meters, 22,349 feet) continues to be very popular. All climbs and attempts in this post-monsoon season were made on the southwest ridge with the exception of one unsuccessful attempt. A two-man Swiss team, Christian Hug and Christian- Pierre Portmann, made the 75th ascent of the mountain on October 23. German Rainier Bolesch’s group unsuccessfully tried to climb the south face, reachin 5700 meters on October 9. On October 23, Bolesch accompanied the Swiss to the summit. Peter Bolesch went with the Harper noted below the next day. Rainier Bolesch again, Frau Eva Bolesch and Jörg Zenerie completed the climb on October 27. A British group of six was led by Nicholas Harper. He and Bolesch made the summit on October 24. Geoffrey Allman, Alan Bristow, Kevin Wilson and a Nepalese from the Italian South Tirolean expedition, Tham Bahadur Magar, reached the top on October 25. The South Tiroleans were led by Roland Lasso. One of them, Kurt Fritz, got to the summit on October 26. Ten Italians and two Swiss led by Alberto Re found too much snow and failed at 6100 meters on October 4. Austrian Herbert Mayerhofer and two other Austrians were unable to get higher than 6200 meters on October 11. Americans Nicholas Yardley, Jerry Handren, Gregory McCausland, Briton David O’Dowd and Australian Mark Wilson failed, getting to 6600 meters on November 12.

Elizabeth Hawley