Region: Himalaya - India

Sandy Allan with John Lyall from UK and Carlos Buhler from USA (May-June 2004)

Several previous attempts to climb the North Face of Kalanka (6991m) in the Garhwal Himalaya had failed, but with the previous experience of Buhler, this team was hopeful of success. Unfortunately they were delayed by 7 days due to bureaucracy and heavy snow. The snow continued after they had established their basecamp, which was promptly destroyed by a sérac fall. At this stage Buhler left the expedition, but the two Brits continued heading up, and found a site for Camp 2 at 6180m. Then the snow hit them again, with both powder and slab avalanches making further progress impossible.