Two of the four-man New Zealand climbing party attempting the previously unclimbed mountain Anidesha Chuli, or White Wave (6800m), in the Himalayas, hope to strike out for the summit in the next few days.
The party, which includes Ben Dare (29), of Queenstown, has set up base camp at 4800m (Aoraki-Mount Cook is 3754m) and is planning its route and tactics.
Some of the party have been as high as 5700m, where they have had their first good views of the mountain and according to their blog, updated on Tuesday, consider ''it doesn't look like there's an easy way up''.
The north ridge appeared ''far too dangerous'' and the focus is now on the east ridge.
It is planned to establish a camp high on the east ridge and two of the team will consider a summit attempt from there.
''Otherwise, the team say they have got just enough time for another one-two day rest at base camp, then a final summit attempt - only if they're satisfied that the risks are acceptable.''
The expedition is led by Rob Frost, of Christchurch, who told the Otago Daily Times before the party left New Zealand he expected it would be ''pretty strenuous'' but summiting ''looks achievable''.
Mr Dare is a structural engineer for Holmes Consulting Group in Queenstown and and other members are Andrei van Dusschoten and Scott Blackford Scheele.
