Draupadi-Ka-Danda and Jaonli Ascents and Tragedy. A 29-member Japanese team to Draupadi-Ka-Danda and Jaonli was led by Yoshiki Yamanaka. There were four instructors and the rest were divided into a basic course and an advanced one. Their original objective had been Satopanth and Chaturangi, but the road to Gangotri was blocked by heavy rains and landslides. They then turned to Draupadi-Ka-Danda and Jaonli, the basic group under the leadership of Kazuyoshi Kondo heading for the former. Eleven members climbed to the summit of Draupadi-Ka-Danda (6038 meters, 19,800 feet) on August 10, 14 and 16. The peak lies at the head of the Dokriani Glacier. Members of the advanced group also climbed the peak on the 15th to observe their route over P 6083 to ascend Jaonli. Some of the group then left. During the trip back to Uttarkashi, the bus was struck by rockfall. Miss Takamoto Nobuko was killed and two others were injured. She had been a member of the editorial staff of Iwa To Yuki for ten years and had joined the expedition as an instructor.

Tsunemichi Ikeda, Editor, Iwa To Yuki