Thalay Sagar Attempts by Spaniards. Two Spanish expeditions were unable to complete the ascent of Thalay Sagar (6904 meters, 22,650 feet). On the night of August 20, Carlos Suárez and Alfonso Vizán started up the north face. They climbed through much of the day but could find no place to bivouac on the precipitous slopes, which were being swept by avalanches. They descended in 15 rappels from 6450 meters. Another group, principally Basque, attempted the mountain via the col between it and Bhrigupanth. They were Juan Carlos (Txingu) Arreita, the brothers Patxi and Juan Lasarte, Lucio Egiguren and Jaca Chiro Sánchez. From the col they hoped to climb the Polish-Norwegian route on the northeast ridge, but they gave up below the col at 5900 meters because of the great quantity of loose snow, which avalanched and carried Juan Lasarte 400 meters down the couloir. Luckily, he escaped with a broken ankle, but he had to be helicoptered out.