Yalungkang. A very strong team of the German and Austrian Alpine Clubs made a new route and the second ascent of Yalungkang or Kangchenjunga West (27,625 feet). The first ascent had been by the Japanese via the west ridge in 1973. (See A.A.J., 1974, 19:1, pages 202-3.) The members were Siegfried Aeberli, leader, Gunter Sturm, deputy, Gerhard Baur, Michael Dacher, Erich Lackner, Sepp Mayerl, Peter Vogler, Helmut Wagner, Rolf Walter, Dr. Roman Zink and Fritz Zintl. After some porter troubles during the 3½-week approach, they established Base Camp at 18,000 feet on the Yalung Glacier on April 11. They followed the route the British had used on the main peak of Kangchenjunga up to Camp III at 23,500 feet. Camp I was at 20,350 feet and Camp II at 21,650 feet. Just below Camp III there was the most difficult spot on the climb, a 50-foot vertical section of ice. Camp IV was at 25,600 feet at the foot of a 2000-foot, 45° couloir that led nearly to the summit up the south face. Although they were worried about windslab conditions, it did not avalanche with them. They used oxygen only above Camp IV. On May 9 Dacher, Lackner and Walter reached the top, on May 12 Baur, Wagner and Vogler and on May 13 Mayerl, Sturm and Zintl. Of the nine who got to the top, five were Germans and four Austrians.

Jannu. A New Zealand expedition led by Peter Farrell made an unsuccessful attempt on Jannu (25,294 feet) by a new route on the north face. On October 22 Farrell and Brian Pooley reached 24,000 feet.

Kamal K. Guha, Himalayan Club