Mukut Parvat (7,242m). Lionel Albrieux’s eight-member French team approached this high mountain from Ghastoli, establishing base camp at 4,800m on the Pachhimi (West) Kamet Glacier. After putting an advanced base at 5,300m, they climbed alpine-style up the south ridge. One member left for home early due to altitude problems, but Albrieux, Sébastien Bohin, Damine Cabane, Sébastien Giacobi, Didier Jourdain, Emmanuel Pellissier, and Marion Poitevin reached the summit on October 2 from a camp at 6,500m.

Mukut Parvat was first climbed in 1951 by Earle Riddiford’s New Zealand expedition, via the northwest ridge from the Dakhhini Chamrao Glacier. They had previously reconnoitered the West Kamet Glacier but found it too challenging. Edmund Hillary was a member of this team, and although he did not summit, his involvement was one of the reasons he was selected to join the next Everest expedition. The peak had a second ascent in 1992, by an expedition of the Indo-Tibet Border Police.

Harish Kapadia, Honorary Editor, The Himalayan Journal