Jannu climb ‘frightening’

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33790, 12 March 1975, Page 2

Jannu climb ‘frightening’

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. March 11. The well-known mountaineer and explorer, Peter Mulgrew, describes the north face of Mount Jannu as “pretty frightening.”

“It could be a much harder climb than Everest, and there’s no doubt it will be hazardous,” he said today. Several members of the Christchurch based expedition arrived in Auckland today to take delivery of radio and electronic equipment to be used in the attempt on the Himalayan mountain peak this year.

They include the leader of the party, Mr P. Farrell, the chairman of the organising committee, Mr B. Ullrich, and

the climber, Graeme Dingie. Mount Jannu, in East Nepal, is 25,295 ft high. The north face has never been climbed, and the route includes a sheer wall which rises 10,500 ft above the Jannu Glacier. “I wouldn’t call it unclimbable, because I’ve seen too many unclimbable peaks scaled,” said Mr Mulgrew. “But there’s no doubt it is going to present some severe technical difficulties.”

If the expedition is successful it will be the first time a major Himalayan mountain has been climbed by a north face.

This is the side away from the sun, and sub-polar temperatures of about —4odeg C. prevail around 22,000 ft. The expedition is expected to leave in September. The cost will be about $BO,OOO. A $lO,OOO grant has been made by the Government toward the climb, and each of the 11 or 12 members is contributing about $lOOO. Another $20,000 is expected to come from commercial sponsors, and the balance has to be raised by the expedition.