[3][4] Unlike Nepal or Tibet, Pakistan allowed ready access to westerners and in 1953 it was possible to fly to Gilgit and then get by truck to within two days march of Base Camp.

At that time Nepal and Tibet were closed to Germany so Nanga Parbat, in the Indian Empire, became the focus of German attention.

He was due to leave the expedition at the beginning of July so Walter Frauenberger [de] (45), also Austrian, who was initially deputy climbing leader, took over at that time.

Otto Kempter (27) and Hermann Köllensperger (27) were from the Munich branch of the German Alpine Club and Albert Bitterling [de] (52) was a mountain guide.

[22][20] A team of five Sherpas, led by Pasang Dawa Lama, had been appointed but after being held up at for several weeks at the Pakistan–Kashmir frontier they were finally refused entry visas.

Boots were traditional leather reaching above the ankle and with a rubber sole without Tricouni nails and with a double removable felt lining.

[31] The team left Munich by train on 17 April 1953 and at Genoa boarded the Lloyd Triestino MV Victoria bound for Karachi via the Suez Canal.

Then, over the next days they drove in fleets of trucks up the Indus valley to Talichi[note 6] where they met 300 hill-peasant porters for the carry to Base Camp which commenced on 13 May.

Trekking up the Rakhiot valley they left the last habitation at Tato[note 12] and set up their interim base camp at 3,700 metres (12,000 ft) somewhat beyond Fairy Meadows.

[note 13][40] The permanent base camp was further up the valley beyond the snout of the Rakhiot Glacier and on a moraine mound at about 4,000 metres (13,000 ft).

[42][13] The intention was to establish Camp I at 4,494 metres (14,745 ft) at the foot of the Great Icefall on the Rakhiot Glacier, sheltered from avalanches by a large rock.

Aschenbrenner then seized on a spell of good weather to arrange for Buhl, Kempter, Köllensperger and Rainer to start to force a way rapidly up towards Rakhiot Peak and then to traverse to the East Arête, leaving the older team members to establish the camps.

[58] It was only on 18 June when the weather was fine, but the temperature was −21 °C (−6 °F)[note 15], Frauenberger, Rainer, Köllensperger and Buhl were able to struggle up to the site for Camp IV where they dug two snow holes for tents.

They would cross the 7,597-metre (24,925 ft) Silbersattel (or Silver Saddle), a broad snow-covered pass between the north and south Silberzacken peaks.

[61] The next few days were spent bringing up belaying rope and pitons preparing the way for Hunzas to climb to Camps IV and V but frequent storms delayed progress.

However Herrligkoffer wanted to attain success for the team, not for particular individuals, and was determined to control matters himself from Base Camp: "If I had to choose between the two I would always go for the collaborative expedition that didn't reach the summit".

However Frauenberger was able to persuade Aschenbrenner[note 19] to allow them to proceed and so he, along with Buhl, Kempter and Ertl climbed up to Camp IV in glorious weather on 1 July.

[44][62] The expedition's plan had been for one more higher camp, possibly at the Bazhin Gap, but they decided because of the good weather that Buhl and Kempter would try next day for the summit.

Once he reached the crest of the East Arête the soft snow gave way to firm and progress was good though he was already taking two breaths for every stride.

After about 30 minutes he took a small stone from the summit for his wife and started to descend using his ski poles but he soon regretted leaving his ice axe behind.

He knew he would not be able to traverse past the gendarme again so he went down a snow slope towards the top of the ridge called the Mummery Rib hoping to regain the East Arête before dark and reach camp V across the Silver Plateau in moonlight.

[73][74] At first light on 4 July he continued down a rocky slope eventually reaching just under the Diamir Gap at noon then climbing up to below the Fore Peak to retrieve his rucksack.

[78][note 22] Heated by the sun, the snow and ice conditions became dreadful so they had to stop at Camp II before starting off next day in the chill of the morning with Buhl in agony from his frostbite and inflamed throat.

On their journey to Gilgit large numbers of people who emerged to cheer them and in Karachi they were given a welcoming ceremony by the president of Pakistan and government ministers.

Buhl retaliated by publishing his book Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage and by giving public lectures without permission and so breaking his contract.

Those who Herrligkoffer felt had sacrificed their own personal ambitions he invited on his next expedition to Gasherbrum I then redirecting to Broad Peak but the summit attempt failed.

[83][84] Early in 1953, before departure from Munich, Herrligkoffer had arranged for five Sherpas based in Darjeeling, led by Pasang Dawa Lama, to join the party in Rawalpindi.

[87] In his book Herrligkoffer praises Madi, the sirdar, and a group led by Isa Khan but says that only twelve of the twenty-two Hunzas were willing and adaptable.

He had applied to join the expedition before it had left Germany but after he was turned down he had hitch-hiked to Karachi in Pakistan where he became ill and had to be hospitalised for a few weeks.

He then went along the Kaghan Valley to cross the Babusar Pass so arriving at Base Camp in early June, equipped with tent, ice axe and 27-kilogram (60 lb) rucksack, and asking to stay for a fortnight.