Attempt on Tirich Mir from the South. The Carinthian Hindu Kush Expedition was made up of Hans Thomaser, leader, Fritz Samonigg, Peter Brabeck, and Gerhard Neuwirth. They went to the northern part of the Dir Gol. In 1966 the southern part was explored by the Admont expedition. Their photographs indicated a route from the northern Dir Gol onto the south ridge and main summit of Tirich Mir. This year’s group was to investigate this unexplored region and reconnoiter the route, which would finally join the 1950 Norwegian route in the upper part of the south ridge. They approached via the Arkari valley and Dir Gol, reaching Base Camp at 14,275 feet on August 4. After a difficult time in the icefall of the North Dir Gol Glacier, they set up Camp I at 17,225 feet in a glacial basin below a south col in the ridge which divides the North Dir Gol and the South Barum glaciers. The route was to continue up the more northerly of the two rather big spurs that led to this divide and Camp II was set up on August 15 at 19,350 feet on this spur. They climbed a 20,500-foot shoulder from there and after a bivouac continued up the adjacent ice slope to 22,000 feet before being forced back by the weather. Thomaser and Samonigg made a second attempt and probably reached the south ridge but never returned. Before this Samonigg and Neuwirth had climbed on August 18 P 5579 (18,304 feet) in the northern edge and next day Glacier Peak (20,342 feet), the dividing point of the South Barum, the Owir and the North Dir Gol glaciers.

Adolf Diemberger, Österreichischer Alpenklub