Asia, Nepal, Ama Dablam, East Ridge
Ama Dablam, East Ridge. Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Club Alpin Belge, a joint Belgian-Swiss expedition climbed the previously unascended east ridge of Ama Dablam. Base Camp was at 17,225 feet. Camp I was on the glacier at 18,050 feet and Camps II, III and IV at 18,700, 20,500 and 20,675 feet on the east ridge. On April 22 Belgian Alain Hubert and Swiss André Georges set out from Camp IV for the summit. Ice mushrooms made route-finding difficult. On the second day Georges fell several dozen meters, losing his ice-axe and rucksack. They had bad weather and heavy snow. They bivouacked four times. On April 26 they reached the summit (6812 meters, 22,350 feet), exhausted and hungry. They descended the south ridge. The expedition was led by Nadine Hubert, mother of one of the summit pair and four other married siblings.
Jözef Nyka. Editor, Taternik, Poland