After acclimatizing on Chekigo Sano, a two-person team made a spirited attempt on the magnificent southwest face of Drangnag Ri (6,757m). Starting slightly right of center from the glacier basin at 5,400m, they climbed rock to French 5, vertical ice (WI5 or 5+), and mixed terrain to reach the south ridge, where they stopped for their third bivouac (6,500m). Bad weather forced them to retreat the following day. To that point they had climbed 1,100m at TD+/ED1.

This difficult peak is awaiting a third ascent. The first, in 1995 via the east ridge, was made by Chris Bonington, Ralph Hoibakk, Bjorn Meyer-Lund, and Sherpas Lhakpa Gyalu and Pema Dorje. Bruce Normand reached the summit alone in 2005 via the west face and southwest ridge.

Lindsay Griffin