Climbers off to Himalayas

Press, 24 March 1988, Page 9

Climbers off to Himalayas

By

YVONNE MULDER

New ; Zealand’s first commercial climbing expedition to a major peak in the Himalayas will leave early next month. Five New Zealanders, two Americans and an Australian have j paid $6690 for the 40-day adventure, led by I Mike Perry, of Christchurch, and Shaun Norman, of Twizel.: 11'’ The cost was only 25 per cent more than a reasonable-quality bus tour of-Europe, said Mr Perry. :' >: The seven men and one 1 woman, aged between 26 and 54, all had some climbing experience, but did not i have the time, experience or connections to organise their own trips, he said. The group will spend about 12 days trekking in Nephi before it begins! the attempt on Mount Changtse. ; [ The trekking would give the team time to wind down, to acclimatise, and to get used to one.; another, said Mr Perry, f. i “It is a team-bonding exercise ... gives (them time to get their act together.” ! All would I attempt to reach the 7553 m sum-

mil of Mount Changtse, but naturally there were no guarantees (included in the! package, said Mr Perry. “What we offer is a real quality ( climbing experience (on well known peaks! ... not taking dangerous or weird In February Mr Norman took a party of 10 up; Mount Aconcagua, 6960 m, in Argentina, seven of whom reached the summit. It was an “excellent” result, said Mr Perry. j| ' ( 1(1 Messrs Norman and Perry have ((formed a company, High Country Expeditions, which will offer climbing expeditions throughout the world. They plan a climb of Mount Mustagata, 7546 m, in Sinkiang Province, an autonomous region in China, next year. )) {; The route |was easy, requiring participants to be* physically i fit rather than | have; indepth mountaineering experience, | and | a special feature would be the opportunity to ski from ttto summit, said! Mr Perry. j People wjishingi ! to join the expeditions are asked about their previous climbing experi-

ence, and must (pass a thorough H medical examination before setting off. J ! “We make it quite clear what they are getting into,” said Mr Perry. “Once (we start the climb it is just like an ordinary expedition, everyone working together. There is no sitting about in deck chairs.”

Most of the ; expeditions will be (to mountains overseas, (but the two men offei; a 15-day climb in New (Zealand at the end of (the; year, which includes ] a climb of Mount Hooker, and also a rafting trip;

Both men .were involved in the (1985 New Zealand expedition to Mount Everest,! and Mr Norman ft an , internationally j I qualified mountain and (ski guide. ; The response to the ccompany’s (first advertisements, I offering climbing expeditions throughout the (world, had been; “phenomenal,” said Mr Perry.

i In Europe there were many such ( trips offered, and groups were even : (taken up peaks more than 8000 m above sea : (level, he said. High J Country (Expeditions hoped to do ihat in 1990; i (