Mountaineers ‘like cavemen’

Press, 25 November 1981, Page 10

Mountaineers ‘like cavemen’

PA Auckland “We felt like a horde of caveman . . ." was an apt turn of phrase for the mountaineer. Peter Hillary, but for him it seemed to sum up his lifestyle for the 10 months and Graeme Dingle trekked across the Himalayas. After 4000 km of walking and a few thousand more of flying the two mountaineers, with their support team of Douglas Wilson, Ann Mitcaife, and Corrina Gage, arrived in Auckland on Monday evening - to a family welcome. Mr Hillary said. “It was a fantastic . experience. We were living incredibly simply for such a long time and getting used to it. Most of

the time we did without tents, we ran out of food, and had to eat rice and flour. It was very basic living in a beautiful environment." Mr Hillary said that the successful attempt to traverse the Himalayas “was a lot longer and tougher than expected . . . after three months of constantly driving ourselves I felt really exhausted but we still had seven months to go. “We felt like a horde of cavemen: i our maps were incredibly vague, we were sleeping ' under ■ overhanging rocks, and constantly running out of food.” As well as “a great experience" the trek had also brought danger and hardship top the adventurers., '■

Mr Dingle dislocated his shoulder. Mr Hillary damaged a shoulder and apart from the natural, dangers dysentery was an ever-pre-sent risk. ■ on-the ridge of the Amulaptsa, in the Mount Everest region, Mr Dingle and Mr Hillary decided to descend to avoid a storm. But as they moved-down the slope, so did the ground they were walking on. As if on a plate.sliding down the mountain the two managed to keep , their footing until the ground began to break tip, enabling them to get on to solid ground. In spite of the physical and mental hardship — at one time they trekked for about

four days and made 500 m of progress through dense alpine “bamboo" — they also had to contend with each other. Mr Hillary said. “There were times when we used to get on each other's nerves for the littlest of things, but when you lived like we did for 10 months it was not surprising. "Graeme and I and our Tibetan guide had to sleep in a two-man tent for most of the time and when you are crammed in like sardines it can be difficult.” . Mr Dingle and Mr Hillarv intend to write a book oh their exploits. After that thev intend to return to the Hima’lavas.