Asia, China—Southeastern China, Kang Karpo (Meili) Attempt

Publication Year: 1990.

Kang Karpo (Meili) Attempt. Our expedition again attempted Kang Karpo, as it is known in the region, or Meili, as the Chinese call it. It was jointly organized by the Academic Alpine Club of Kyoto, the Chinese Mountaineering Associations of Beijing and Yünnan. The co-leaders were Dr. Kenji Soda and Yang Bi-Yu and I was deputy leader. There were 14 Japanese and 13 Chinese. We reached the village of Sinong on the west bank of the Langtsang Jiang (Mekong) at the beginning of October. Base Camp at 3850 meters was near the snout of the Shenchenbao Glacier. Abnormally bad weather, with heavy snowfalls, continued during most of October. It was only after 23 days that Camp I was established at 4660 meters. The following two weeks were spent in a struggle to find the way to the upper basin of the glacier. The terrible weather and a shortage of time forced us to give up and return on November 24.

Toshiaki Sakai, Academic Alpine Club of Kyoto