Broad Peak. Again this year there were a number of expeditions to Broad Peak (8047 meters, 26,400 feet), only three of which were successful. A Japanese expedition from Tokyo University led by Keijiro Hayasaka repeated the standard route. Leader Hayasaka, Toshimasa Yawata, Isao Ogasawara, Masanori Sato and Taro Tanikawa climbed to the summit on July 12. A 20-member international commercial expedition, organized by Himalayan Kingdoms and led by Stephen Bell, was formed of 13 Britons, two Finns, two Venezuelans, a Spaniard, a Norwegian and an American. Having followed the standard route, guides Alan Hinkes and Robin Beadle and client Ramón Blanco, a Spaniard resident in Venezuela, reached the top on July 16. This was Hinkes’ fourth 8000er, thus equalling the British record set by Doug Scott in 1983. At 58 years, Blanco becomes the oldest person to climb Broad Peak. Another Japanese expedition, led by Yasuyuki Kawashima, also managed to place Mrs. Taeko Nagao, Hirofumi Konishi, Tetsuaki Yoshimura, Masami Abe, and Yasushi Yamanoi on the summit on July 30. On the way back, Yamanoi and Atsushi Saito attempted the Trango Cathedral, but they had to give up low on the face because of Saito’s mountain sickness. A joint expedition composed of 18 German doctors and six members of the Pakistani army, under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Alfred, failed at 7000 meters. A Japanese group of two men and two women led by Haruyuki Endo could not get higher than 7400 meters. A six-member French expedition was led by Jean-Marc Robert. Their attempt ended on August 15 when the leader and another member, with three Spaniards of the party led by Ramón Rodríguez, reached 7450 meters. A Spanish expedition, composed of leader Ramón Rodríguez, Pablo González, Ana and Jorge Sese, Juanjo Garro and Areceli Segarra, failed to repeat the standard route due to excessive snow. Their high point was reached on August 15 by Rodríguez, González, Ana Sese with two of the above-mentioned French. After losing a porter who fell into a crevasse while crossing the Ghandagoro La during the approach from Hushe, a nine-member Mexican expedition was the last group active on the Godwin Austen Glacier this season. They were led by Ricardo Torres, the first Mexican atop Everest. By August 26, they had set all camps to 7400 meters and were ready for the final assault. Unfortunately, the continuous bad weather during the first half of September prevented their getting to the summit.

Xavier Eguskitza, Pyrenaica, Bilbao, Spain