Langsisha Ri. Simon Cox, John Goulstone, Steve Upton, Kirsten Sorenson and I left Kathmandu on March 29 and after seven anxious days and one heavy snowstorm reached Base Camp at 4500 meters at the edge of the Langsisha Glacier. From there we carried equipment and food up the south face to the site of Camp I at 5700 meters. We moved up to Camp 1 on April 12. The route between these two camps was relatively straightforward but somewhat dangerous because the mountain was holding a lot of snow. The route to Camp I ascended 1000 meters of snow slope to gain a small col and another 200 meters to a large plateau below the final 725-meter face. The face above the plateau is spectacular. Four hundred meters of steep snow gully brought us to the final summit icefield. It was from 45° to 60° and in perfect condition. Nine pitches of superb climbing on good ice led to the summit (6427 meters, 21,086 feet). We had left Camp I at three A.M. and got to the summit at midday on April 14, being considerably slowed by deep snow in the gully. After spending two hours on the top, enjoying the views, especially into Tibet and across the Dorje Lhakpa group, we descended. Five 50-meter abseils brought us to the top of the snow gully and then an unroped descent took us back to the plateau. Kirsten Sorenson had remained at Camp I as she had intended, while the rest of us went to the summit.

Martin Hunter. New Zealand Alpine Club