A SNOW-CLAD GODDESS

Evening Star, Issue 21220, 29 September 1932, Page 1

A SNOW-CLAD GODDESS

I assault on uncdnquered nanqa [ PARBAT 'though the points farthest north and farthest- south on the earth’s surface have been reached, the points highest up, the Himalayan giants, still continue to defy man’s efforts. Of the ‘‘ eight thousand metcrers,” as white men call those peaks above 26,240 ft, there arc between tea and twenty known none of them has yet been successfully challenged. But now a Gcrman-American Himalayan expedition is in India attacking a mountain higher than any that has as yet boon conquered, the goal being Nanga Parhat, 20,630 ft high, the seventh highest known mountain in altitude, and highest in the world from base to summit. It rises north-west of the A jdo of Kashmir, the monarch of the Western’ Himalayas. On its Indus Valley side, where it towers a clear 23,000 ft of rock and ice, it- is called finest mountain face in existence. Everest, Kancheujunga, all the other giants,” says an authority, “ rise from great mountain chains or high tablelands. Nanga Parhat, the incomparable, stands alone, a patent goddess.” Only once before has the tremendous peak been seriously attempted. Then it avenged itself well and quickly. In 1895 an Englishman, A. F. Mummery, one of the greatest names in the history of climbing, reached a height on it of over 20,01 )oft before being turned back by a porter’s illness. A few days later lie sot out with two porters along the side of Nanga Parhat en route to climb a pass. None of the three was over seen again, nor any_ trace of them found. All that is certain is that they never reached the pass. Before lie was lost, Mummery told his companions that the rock-climbing on Nanga Parhat was “ excessively difficult,” comparing it to Aiguilles of Chamonix. He had spoken also of the dangers peculiar to the Himalayas, due to the size of the avalanches. These his companion, Collie, describes us “ overwhelming cataclysms, shaking the solid buses of the hills, and capable with their breath alone of sweeping down forests.” To attack this formidable peak, an unusually strong group of climbers has been gathered together. Willy Merkl, of Munich, the leader, is wellknown for his brilliant achievements as leader of an expedition to the Caucasus. Rand Herron, of New York, the American climbing member of the group, has made x>robably more first ascents in the Alps and Dolomites than any other American, and has also taken part in successful mountaineering expeditions to the Caucasus and to the High Atlas, and a winter expedition to Lapland.

The achievements of the others are also notable. One of the first ascents of Fritz AVeissncr, of Dresden, an original organiser of the expedition, is generally called the most sensationally difficult rock climb that has ever been made. Peter Aschenhrenner, of Knfstein, Austria; Fritz Bechtold, of Trostberg, Bavaria, who will act as photographer; Herbert Knnigk, of Munich, and Felix Simon, of Leipzig, all have long lists of first ascents and super-difficult climbs. All except one of the mountaineers are about thirty years old, the best age for difficult liighaltitudc climbing. There are two non-climbing members of the party. One, Dr Hugo Hamherger, of Rosenheim, Bavaria, has taken over from the Bauer expeditious to the studies of the effect of high altitudes on the human system, and will continue their investigations. The other and second American member is the writer, Elizabeth Knowlton, of Springfield, Massachusetts, a former climber, who is acting ns correspondent for the London ‘ Times ’ and the ‘ New York Times ’ during the expedition. In spite of all the difficulties and dangers of Nanga Parhat, good hopes are entertained of success, partly because of the unusual climbing abilities of the party, and partly because Mummery reported that above the point he reached the technical difficulties appeared to grow less, hut especially because there is no monsoon. In the Eastern Himalayas the monsoon limits the possible climbing period to about a month, and so defeated the Everest and Kancheujunga attempts.

At the foot of Nanga Parhat the climbers will have about three months before the winter snows set in. This will give them time to become acclimatised. It will also enable them to lay elaborate siege to the mountain. If one route proves impossible, another and still another can ho tried. Should success come quickly, the expedition will then explore and climb among the neighbouring peaks. The base camp will he pitched on one of the glaciers at the foot of the mountain, probably at about the height of the top of Alont Blanc. Provisions and equipment will then ho carried higher and a scries of four or five higher camps established, the final one within striking distance of the summit. For this high-altitude porterage the expedition has arranged to bring across India six of the Everest “ tigers,” those famous coolies who followed their sahibs tirelessly and fearlessly up Everest and Kaiichenjunga. The expedition assembled in Munich and shipped from there over a ton of provisions and equipment. The food will include 4001 b of sugar and 301 b of bonbons, since sweets restore the heat and energy so rapidly consumed at high altitudes. Tu both food and equipment the expedition is closely following the precedents set by Bauer’s to Kanchoniiinga, which was considered the most efficiently and economically organised of all tho groat climbing parties. The members will use small individual tents, and down sleeping hags made on a combination of a Gorman and an American model, with spongy rubber mats to insulate the sleeping hags from ice. The fuel, benzine, and meat, must all ho carried, as even tho base camp will he above the timber line. Such mountaineering necessities, of course, as ice-axes, ropes, and crampons will bo taken. Temperature conditions are expected to he governed by a combination of Arctic air and tropic sun. The clothing, therefore, will he all-wool, except for light wind-proof outer garments and leather aviators’ helmets for storms. But sun helmets and dark snow glasses will also ho needed. Cotton shorts are expected to figure in the tropical heat on the wav in.