CLIMBING IN ANDES—II BROKE LEG RETURNING TO CAMP IN THE DARK

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30528, 25 August 1964, Page 13

CLIMBING IN ANDES—II BROKE LEG RETURNING TO CAMP IN THE DARK

This is the second of a series of five articles written by members of the New Zealand Andes Expedition. They are Messrs D. Mackay, of Christchurch, H. Jacobs, of Te Anau, and E. Cotter, of Gore, and Dr. Michael Nelson, a New Zealander working in the Argentine.

“I'm glad I came.” These icerds used so often by Don Mackay during our climbing in Bolivia had become .the expedition stock saying and :ame to my mind as I gazed it the Cordillera Blance (White range) for the first time. We were on the 13,000 ft Lonococha pass that crosses the Cordillera Negro or Black range looking across to where the 1964 New Zealand Andean Expedition was to do three weeks’ mountaineering. Because I suffered a broken leg, my part in the expedition was limited to 10 days in the Blance and as I write this in Christchurch, the expedition is only now drawing to a close. Not wishing to lose oui I ard-won acclimatisation tc altitude, we had made the transit from La Paz to Bolivia in Peru as swiftly as possible.

flying to Lima and then travel- j ling by car to Huaras. June to September is the climbing season in the Andes, and so we found other mountaineers in Lima. Four other expeditions were stationed at our hotel, and we exchanged plans with interest. Two American teams would be climbing in areas near us, a Mexican team would be doing exploratory

climbing in the Huayhuash and a Scottish expedition climbing elsewhere in the Andes. Attractive Country The Santa Valley, which contains the picturesque towns of Huaras, Yungay, and i Caras, is a gem. More attractive peaks would be difficult to find anywhere, steep and fluted with ice and giving the impression of rising straight above the towns.

We were now in one of the most attractive parts of Peru and having just come from Bolivia found it impossible not to make comparisons with (Bolivia. With people so (friendly, villages so much (cleaner, the general atmosphere was more orderly and (civilised. With much help ( from irrigation, the farms and (fields on the slopes and val(ley floor form an attractive (patchwork of colour. After our experience in 'Bolivia, we were delighted to ! have the organisation with 'the porters and transport go smoothly. With the ever-in-creasing number of expeditions in the area, pottering is becoming quite an occupation. The more experienced of our two porters, Hacinto, had accompanied the New Zealand expedition to Nevado Cayesh in 1960. Hacinto arranged for two reliable arrieros (male drivers) and nine burros to carry the expedition equipment and only two days after arriving in the valley, we set off on the two-day journey to base camp. First Objectives The valley, Santa Cruz, is guarded by an Impressive canvon, on the floor of which is a much used mule track. By June 27, 10 days after leaving altitude in Bolivia, we had established a comfortable base camp at approximately 13.000 ft on the valley floor. Our first two objectives were an unnamed ice virgin and a new route on Quitoraju, both lying to the north of the va"ey Santa Cruz.

Two days were spent establishing camps, one at the foot of the vast snow field in the valley head and the higher camp at 17.000 ft near a col under Quitoraju. On July 1 we set off on our first climb. Mike Nelson and Don Mackay decided to have a look at the northern approaches to Quitoraju while Ed Cotter and I were to try the east ridge. Climbing In Dark We left the camp at 8 a.m. and after encountering typical Andean cornices, bulges and lumps of ice, we were only halfway along the ridge by 4 pan. We decided to descend down the south face along a line of retreat we thought we had noticed. It was dark at 6.30, and at 9 p.m. we were carrying on a shouted conversation with Nelson and Mackay, who were back at camp. We had decided to spend a night out and advise icamp, but then the going (eased off so we decided to ,carry on. i I was belayed by Ed Cotter (from below when I came off (on a particularly hard patch (of ice. I knew I’d broken a

leg before the rope came tight. Ed handled the situation like the veteran he is. He tied us both to a good belay and then cut me a seat on the slope and himself a place to stand. Thinking of the possibilities of frostbite at 17,500 ft, Ed very generously sacrificed his own jacket and wrapped it around my immoblised leg. He stamped his feet all night to keep warm while I kept the toes of my good foot moving. Although we were only 300 ft above the glacier, Nelson and Mackay worked till 2.30 a.m. trying to force a way up a steep bank of snow to us, then called it off until daylight reached us at 8 a.m. An ice axe was used to form a temporary splint and I was lowered on ropes to the glacier. John Eirland, an English climber who had recently been climbing in New Zealand, was staying at base and was called in to assist with the carry down. Still four men are insufficient for a body on a sledge made of pack frames. The hauling party did a tremendous job hauling up a foot at a time in soft deep snow, with a tight rope to prevent the sledge falling back, and 1 lay wishing I could be of some use. Then we began to cross wide open crevases with only the speed of the haulers to stop the sledge sagging in the middle. Shoulder High

Once off the ice, the porters and two local natives who had been sent for took over. They carried the stretcher shoulder high down the screes and morraine; almost ran on the flats and one travelled all the way in bare feet. We next travelled by burro and horse. It took five, days from the accident to get to the road, and this cost the expedition seven days’ climbing it could ill afford. I was fortunate that there was a good hospital in Yungay. The 50-bed hospital was founded 16 years ago with the aim of serving the poorer person. With a staff of only one doctor, one nurse and eight others, including cooks and cleaners, it was a busy establishment. Many of the illnesses were caused through the poor water in the area. The cost per day is reasonable at 80 solos, or £1 Is 6d. A stranger, unaccustomed to Peruvian cooking, can order meals at a nearby restaurant. The staff were very friendly and although my 50 or so words of Spanish did not help a great deal, the nurses and the “Gringo” got along quite well.