Qionglai Shan 2006

Unseasonably heavy snowfall one week before this team arrived in Sichuan Province created high-risk avalanche conditions on the approach to Peak 5,609m, one of their prime objectives, so they turned their attention to other peaks. They made the first ascent of Dorsal Peak (5,050m) via its NW ridge (PD+), and what they thought was the first ascent of Ding Ding Peak (5,202m) via its SW ridge (AD) - until they found signs of an unknown previous visitor on the summit. An attempt on Peak 5,260m via its south flank/west ridge had reached c5,000m when a sudden deterioration in the weather prompted a rapid retreat.