Nanga Parbat, Ski Attempt. Our expedition, organized by Dr. Karl Maria Herrligkoffer, had as members Rudolf Bilgram, Josef Stiller, Marianne Walter and me as leader. We were on the mountain from May 12 to June 28. Our objective was to reconnoiter a route from the Diamir Valley up the Diama Glacier and to use skis as much as possible. We hoped to traverse the north summit into the Bazhin Basin but only reached the Diama Col. After leaving the usual Camp I of the “German Route,” we crossed the Diama Glacier below the gigantic lower icefall. We were also able to pass the middle and upper icefalls on the Ganalo side. The middle one was troublesome with one possibility on a rock step or better on the glacier close to the rocks. Camp I at 5200 meters was placed in the middle of the glacier below the first icefall. Camp II at 5800 meters was an hour above the upper icefall. From there we gained the ridge that connects Nanga Parbat and Ganalo Peak at 6300 meters west of the Diama Col. Unusually dangerous snow caused difficulties. There was a meter-and-a-half of new snow with daily snowfall in the form of hailstones. Further progress toward Nanga Parbat on skis would seem possible.

Josef Walter, Deutsches Institut für Auslandsforschung