April 25 will remain forever in our memories. We were at Manaslu base camp when the earth began to tremble, causing a national disaster. Rather than add to the confusion by attempting an untimely repatriation, we decided to remain in the mountains with our Nepalese team. The crevasses on Manaslu were destabilized by the earthquake, and most of our climbers turned around between camps 1 and 2; only two continued to the summit, in alpine style.

We then trekked to Larkya Pass. Just to the north of the pass, southeast of Panbari, is a group of mountains including unclimbed Chaar Baatsa Himal (6,621m). Frank Bonhomme, Christian Hurgon, Dhane Magar, Dhepeen Bothe, Jangbu Sherpa, Rajan Lama, and I headed up this peak from the pass with two tents and the minimum of equipment. Thanks to good acclimatization, weather, and snow conditions, we made rapid progress, and by midday had reached 5,800m and a suitable campsite. The following morning, May 9, we left at 4 a.m., making quick progress up fine snow slopes until the sun softened the snow. The summit ridge had no nasty cornices, and we were on top at 11 a.m. Our ascent route, via a hanging glacier to the south, up onto the east ridge, and so to the summit, was III/PD+.

Paulo Grobel, France