Manaslu, Northeast Face (Normal Route). We were leader Hans Eitel, Peter Wömer, Germans, and Marcel Rüedi, Werner Burgener, Norbert Joos, Dr. Vinzenze Ullmann and I, Swiss. After a 12-day approach, we got to Base Camp at 3600 meters on March 28. We placed Camp I at 5300 meters on the 30th but had to descend until April 12 because of bad weather. We set up Camp II at 6300 meters on April 14 and Camp III at 7000 meters on April 15, where Rüedi and I had to wait on the 16th because of wind. On the 17th we two set up Camp IV at 7400 meters on the shoulder. Wind forced us back to Base Camp from April 18 to 26. On April 27 Rüedi, Joos, Burgener and I climbed to Camp II and on the 28th and 29th got to Camps III and IV. Despite the cold and wind, Rüedi, Burgener and I set out for the summit on April 30 but Burgener soon returned to Camp IV. Rüedi and I reached the summit (8163 meters, 26,780 feet) at 1:30 P.M. (This was the fifth 8000er for each of them!—Editor.) We had hoped to descend on skis but above 7500 meters it was blue ice. Joos continued climbing with the Germans mentioned below.

Erhard Loretan, Club Alpin Suisse