Himalayan peak falls to N.Z.

Press, 27 May 1981, Page 2

Himalayan peak falls to N.Z.

NZPA-correspondent Hong Kong

Kight members of an 11strong New Zealand mountaineering team have conquered the previously unclimbed Mount Molamenqing (7703 m in the Himalayas.

First to the summit were Bruce Farmer, aged 34, of Invercargill, and Dick Price, aged 29, of Palmerston North

Mr Farmer, the deputy leader of the New Zealand Alpine Club expedition, and Dr Price, the expedition doctor. reached the summit at midnight on May 13. (New Zealand time), according to information released by the Chinese Mountaineering Association in Peking yesterday. They were followed three days later by Ron McLeod, of Invercargill, and Warwick Anderson, of Christchurch. A further four members of the expedition. Geoff Gabites. Bruce Clarke, both of Dunedin, and Paul Champman and Tony Charlton, both of Southland, made the ascent, on May 20. The other two members of the expedition are its leader, Austin Brookes, an Invercargill schoolteacher. and Beverley Noble, also from Southland and the base camp manager. News of the successful ascent was received by cable in Peking on Monday night. The final attempts were made from an advance base camp at 5500 m.

Mount Molamenqing is 100 km north-west of Mount Everest and just north of Tibet's border with Nepal. The New Zealand expedition, costing about $120,000. is one of a very few foreign groups which the Chinese have permitted to climb

from the Tibetan side of the Himalayan range. China occupied Tibet 30 years ago. Success on Mount Molamenqing should pave the way for more New Zealand expeditions in the area. The Alpine Club already has approval to climb Mount Xixabangma, a slightly higher sister peak of Mount Molamenqing. in 1983. and this year's expedition hoped to spend any spare time making a reconnaissance of possible routes for the attempt. Mount Xixabangma has been climbed previously. .

China has also given tentative approval for a New Zealand attempt on Mount Everest (which the Chinese call Mount Qomolungma) in 1985.

The New Zealand mountaineers at present on Mount Molamanqing are expected to return to their base camp on June 3, and reach the Tibetan capital. Lhasa, on June 6. They will then travel to Peking, arriving on June 10