RISK ON EVEREST

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 129, 2 June 1936, Page 9

RISK ON EVEREST

310NS00N WEAKENS CLIMBERS' DASH TO SUMMIT FACING DOUBLE PERIL J LONDON, May 31. Mr. Hugh Ruttledge, leader of the Everest Expedition, in a wireless message to the "Daily Telegraph." from Camp 1, says: A report from the meteorologist at Alipore on Friday indicated a temporary weakening of the monsoon. Simultaneously the wind in the Mt. Everest region veered strongly to the northwest and began blowing snow in great sheets from the mountain. This is au opportunity not to be missed, and the climbing party is resuming its advanca up the East Rongbuk glacier. English experts point out that in the most favourable circumstances it will take the party from seven to eight days to reach the summit. They will face a double peril—a continuance ot north-west winds, in which, it'has been stated, no man can live, and a return of the monsoon snows, which bring avalanches and may cut off the climbers from their base. The climbers therefore can only succeed if the north-west winds now blowing th<! snow from the mountains drop before they reach the higher ridges, and if the lull in the monsoon lasts until they have safely descended. Mr. Norton, leader of the 1924 party, is of opinion that the climbers still have a chance of success. It will take two days, if conditions improve, to reach Camp 3, and another to Camp 4. They may push on to Camp 5 next morning, and make Camp 6 on the sixth day. It will take two days to climb the last pyramid, but it might be done in one with luck. Mr. Norton recalls that conditions are almost identical with those in 1924, but then there was no wireless and the party could not discover whether it was the monsoon or a local Disturbance. Mr. Ruttledge considers that if the monsoon arrives in earnest while the present climbers are high things will be black indeed.