Chapters XII The Assault and XIII The Third of June Summary and Analysis

Herzog and Lachenal meet Terray and Rebuffat on their way down to Camp II and ask them why they are descending. They reply that the climbing the previous day was very difficult, taking them all day to reach Camp IV, which they had to dig out from under avalanche snow. Herzog and Lachenal try to convince them to come back up to Camp III but they insist on going down to recuperate.

Herzog, Lachenal and the Sherpas Sarki and Ang-Tharkay continue on to Camp III where they stay that night. Their next day's goal is to reach Camp IV and re-establish it. The conditions are good, and they reach it sooner than they had expected. They take down the tents and climb a...