Cholatse, Tawoche, Ama Dablam and Tragedy on Ama Dablam. A Japanese expedition led by Naoe Sakashita had a very ambitious schedule. Masayuki Ariaki, Makoto Ishibashi and Hideaki Shibuya reached the summit of Cholatse (6440 meters, 21,128 feet) on April 19 via the south ridge. Sakashita, Kazuhiro Onomura, Haruo Toyoda and Kazuo Yagi meanwhile were on Tawoche. On April 24 they reached the summit (6501 meters, 21,327 feet) via the southeast face, the southeast ridge and the north face. Shibuya had become ill from cerebral edema and returned to Japan with Onomura, who had to be back on his job. On Ama Dablam, Sakashita and Ariaki made a new route on the west face, taking four days to reach the summit (6812 meters, 22,350 feet) on May 2. Yagi dropped out of the climb of the normal southwest ridge, leaving Ishibashi and Toyoda to complete the route, which they did in five days. They got to the top on May 3. During the descent, for unknown reasons, Ishibashi fell and was killed. They gave up the idea of continuing on to Cho Oyu.

Michael J. Cheney, Himalayan Club, and Elizabeth Hawley