Mount Everest Expedition

Hokitika Guardian, 1 March 1922, Page 1

Mount Everest Expedition

CAN TUB PEAK BE CLIMBED?

WELLINGTON, Feb. 25. A letter recently received here from a members of the Mount Everest expedition, a noted alpine climber expressed doubts if the mountain would be climbed iu his day though lie believed it rtould some day be climbed By thus week’s mail came another letter from a prominent member of the Alpine Club who has tsken a keen interest in the arrangements in connexion with the Everest Expedition. In the course, of some general remarks, the writes says: “It was splendid of your club (the New Zealand Alpine Club) to send that subscription to the Everest Fund The Canadian Club, the Ladies’ Alpine Club, and one or two of the British climbing clubs did the same, and I can’t tell you h°w greatly it was appreciated. People 1 here seem to be excessively optimistic as to the prospects of this year’s expedition. I still think the odds are quite three to one on (Everest, but there is very little doubt that this party will, at all events, get a good deal higher than anyone else lias ever been yet, and that in itself will be a very interesting result.” The latest news from London states that this year’s expedition, under General Bruce’s leadership, will include

eight other climbers, a medical officer, a photographic officer, and a painter. Of the first party only Mr Mallory, who was a, master at Charterhouse, and Major Morshead, from the Survey or India, will go again. Lieut.-Colonel I E. L. Strutt, D. 5.0., will he second |in command Mr George Finch and IMr T. Howard Somervill had already [ been selected as members of the climbing party, and Captain J. B. L. Noel had been appointed photographic officer. By the end of next month the whole expedition should be in the Chumbi Valley on the way to its base in Tibet. It is impossible to go by way of Nepal, as travellers are still not allowed to cross its borders. This year’s early start is to the advantage of the climbers, for they will, with ordinary luck, be able to attack the final peak of Everest in the good weather, before the monsoon sets in. The big climb by the last expedition was stopped by the bad weather, though it wa's not intended to attempt the full climb on that occasion. It appears that after the monsoon cold, furious gales rage at heights of 23,000 feet and over, driving clouds of snow from the higher summits till they appear to be “ smoking.” This makes breathing at such high altitudes extremely difficult. From a purely mountaineering point of view the experience of the high climbing party, which last year got to 23,000 feet, went to prove that there... are probably no difficulties that would deter a strong party", if the difficulties were met with in the Alps; but it is far different when they are met with in the Himalayas. There is the great difficulty of carrying loads above a certain elevation. It is believed that it would have been possible to carry to a height of 24,000 feet, but if the mountain is to be climbed at all it will be essential to relay a camp to 26,000 feet. Three converging aretes lead to the summit, and apparently there is only one possible line of ascent—namely, that by the north-east arete. The lower part of the arete is impracticable, but between Everest and the north peak is a high snow column about 23,200 feet, and it seems possible to get up from there. Mallory, who was one of the high climbers, and who will go'again this year, found that there was even more rapid acclimatisnion to the ra rifled air than, there was in the Alps. Little relief was obtained j when descending, and on easy slopes it was an effort to breathe, even .when descending. After prolonged exertion, it was found that a long-rest was required—a full two days. Any mental effort led to sleeplessness, With Bui-