Gyachung Kang, fourth ascent from Nepal, via variants to southwest spur. On October 17 Hiroshi Hanada, Eisuke Shigekawa, and Tamting Sherpa from a seven-member Japanese expedition (Fukuoka University) led by Mitsuo Uematsu, reached the summit of Gyachung Kang (7,952m) for the sixth overall ascent and fourth from Nepal. In 1988 an expedition that included Hanada and Uematsu attempted the southwest couloir, joining the 1986 French Route on the southwest spur at a height of 7,200m. Three members pushed this line to 7,800m but while descending to Camp 4 at 7,300m, one of the climbers fell to his death, and the expedition was abandoned. Last year the Japanese followed a similar route but, when close to the top, traversed right for several pitches over new ground before reaching the summit. It would appear the 1986 French Route has not been repeated in its entirety. The Korean expedition making the third ascent of the mountain in 1988 mostly climbed the southwest face between the French Route and the original 1964 Japanese Route on the northwest ridge.

Lindsay Griffin, Mountain INFO, CLIMB Magazine