Koa Rong II, rare ascent, west ridge. A 12-member team from West Bengal led by Govinda Mondal and employing high-altitude Sherpa support established base camp, on August 21, at 5,100m on the banks of Panchi Nala. After placing two high camps, Sanjay Bhowmik, Bikramjit Debnath, Sonam Lama, and Amiya Sarkar reached the 6,187m summit of Koa Rong II on the 28th from Camp 2 (5,895m). The climbers followed the west ridge. [This peak was first climbed by a Polish expedition in 1984 by the southeast ridge. It has received very few subsequent ascents, and it is not clear if any of these has been by the west ridge—Ed.]. The Koa Rong is a range of peaks that are the centerpiece of Lahaul. They can be approached from Pachi Nala.

Harish Kapadia, Honorary Editor, The Himalayan Journal