Ines Papert

And it was a first ascent at all! On 13 November Ines Papert was the first person who set foot on the 6718-meter-high Pig Pherado Shar in Nepal, also known as Likhu Chuli I. Billi Bierling, staff member of the legendary Himalayan chronicler Elizabeth Hawley, writes me that the Frenchwoman Cecile Barbezat and Nawang Dorje Sherpa on 21 October 1960 were at the top of Likhu Chuli II, “which conversely means that Ines made the first ascent of Likhu Chuli I.” This was the result of a research that her French colleague Rodolphe Popier made in the library of the French Alpine Club (Club Alpin Français).

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Likhu Chuli is on a 12-rupee-stamp

“It’s very clear they went to Likhu II by the west ridge and not to Likhu I”, says Rodolphe, who has reviewed the report of Barbezat, written more than half a century ago: “The text mentions a difficult climb up and no traverse at all between two summits. There are clear pictures taken under their claimed summit showing the Trakarding NW glacier straight down with the Tsho Rolpa lake (Gauri Shankar and Melungtse in the background) and from their summit showing South west ridge of Likhu 2 (still virgin and wrongly mentioned as south ridge). Even the picture of the summit taken from their Basecamp mentions their west ridge route on the right with no clear distinction of the both summits.” In other words: The informations in the text do not match the images. Barbezat and Nawang Dorje have claimed another summit than the one they really climbed. According to Billi Bierling the error in the database of Miss Hawley will be corrected immediately. And Ines Papert will be listed as the climber who made the first ascent of Likhu Chuli I. Congratulations, Ines!

P.S. While I’m at it: All the best, Miss Hawley! Sorry, I missed your 90th anniversary on 9 November.