Polish-Austrian Everest Attempt. Poles Tadeusz Karolczak and Aleksander Lwow and Austrian Helmut Putz originally wanted to climb the south pillar of Everest, but the Japanese set unacceptable conditions for making the Khumbu Icefall accessible to them. (They also apparently had permission for the west ridge.) The Japanese finally agreed that this small team could go up the route after May 1. After climbing on the west ridge up to 7100 meters, the three descended to Base Camp on April 30. Putz had a problem with an old back injury and stopped climbing. The two Poles started up the normal route through the Western Cwm and reached 7800 meters on the Geneva Spur on May 13. They descended, intending to go for the west ridge. But now Karolczak became ill. Lwow, now entirely alone since the Japanese had gone home, went up the icefall to 6700 meters in the Cwm on May 24, but he was halted there by a two-day heavy snowfall. He descended to Base Camp through a greatly changed icefall on May 27 and the climb was finished.

Michael J. Cheney, Himalayan Club, and Elizabeth Hawley