Savoia Kangri, southeast face, attempt. A seven member Japanese expedition led by Koichi Ezaki attempted unclimbed Savoia Kangri (a.k.a. Summa Ri, 7,263m), just west of K2. The peak had only been attempted twice. In 1982 a team of Czechoslovakians living in Switzerland reached 6,550m on the 1,800m southeast face above the Savoia Glacier, and in 1998 a British team climbed a bow-shaped couloir through the triangular rock buttress left of the Czech Route, then followed the right edge of the big south-facing ice slope above to gain the upper southeast ridge. They climbed the ridge to 7,000m, before retreating in deep unstable snow. The Japanese opted to attempt the British line.

They established base camp on the Baltoro below Angel Peak, at 5,100m, and an advanced base on the Savoia glacier, at 5,300m. On July 25 the team placed a temporary camp at the start of the bow-shaped snow couloir, and on August 7 situated Camp 1 high in the gully, at 6,100m. The same day members climbed another six pitches to 6,300m, close to the top of the couloir, but thereafter were unable to regain this high point.

Tamotsu Nakamura and the Japanese Alpine News