HIMALAYAN EXPEDITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20536, 10 April 1930, Page 8

HIMALAYAN EXPEDITION.

ASCENT OF KANCHENJUNGA;

JHREE EARLIER ATTEMPTS*

MOUNTAIN CLAIMS VICTIMS*

Ifc was not until 1905 that a direct at, tempt was made to climb Kanchenjunga, by a party consisting of three Swiss—Dr* Jacot'-Guillarmod, M. Raymond, Lieuten* ant Pache —and an Italian hotelkeeper from Darjeeling named De Righi, who pub themselves under the leadership of Mr„ Aleister Crowley. The expedition at* tacked the great curtain of icy slopes which falls from the .base of the cliffs o£ the south-west face of Kanchenjunga., They succeeded in establishing a camp ab 20,343 ft., and some of them climbed 1000 ft. higher. On tho afternoon of September 1 Dr* Guillarmod, Lieutenant Pache, and Da Righi, with three natives., started to descend the glacier to the lower camp, leaving Crowley and Raymond at tlia higher. Crowley states that he warned them of the danger that they were in* curring in descending so late in the day with a large party. While' traversing a snow-slope the two coolies, who wejre in the middle, slipped, dragging with them Pacha and the third coolie, who were be* hind, and tho doctor and De Righi, who were in front. The doctor and De Righi escaped with a severe shaking, but thpir four companions were buried in the avalanche of snow brought down by the fall., Thus ended tho first attempt on Kancheni junga. Neighbouring Peaks Scaled, In 1911 and 1912 Dr. A. M. Kellas, wh<* died during the second Mount Everesfi expedition, made two bold and successful expeditions on the peaks to the north and north-wesl> of Kanchenjunga and on the ridges of the massif itself. Though hii expeditions, which were made with only native assistance, included no actual attempt on the mountain, he accomplished much valuable pioneer work. In 1911 ha reached the Nepal Gap, 21,000 ft., on the north-west ridge of Kanchenjunga, and the Zemu Gap, 19,300 ft., on the east) ridge; and climbed the Langpo Peak* 22.100 ft., and the Chumiom'o, 22,430 ft., tq the north-west of the Kanchenjunga ma3< sif. In 1912 he climbed Kanchenjhau„ 22,700 ft., to the north-west of Kanchen* junga.

Owing to the war no furtbe* attempt 3 were made on Kanchenjunga until 1929, when the mountain was twice attacked by two separate parties, one going before and the other after the monsoon. Tha first effort can hardly as an "attempt," for it was one of the maddest) pieces of bad mountaineering that can ba imagined. An American, Sir. E. Farmer, started from Darjeeling on April 27 withi a small banderbast of porters. He left

Tseram, a village on the Nepalese flanks of Kanchenjunga, with three porters and four days' food and proceeded up tha Yalung Glacier, presumably following the route of the ill-fated Crowley expedition. Be established three camps and finally, on May 26, set off with his porters,' unequipped witlj either rope or rucksack* The snow conditions .proved dangerous—« probably like those encountered by Crowley and the Swiss—and the porters refused to advance farther. Mr. Farmer, however, insisted on going on alone and wag last seen by his porters climbing upward toward the jFalung Saddle at about 22,000 ft. He never returned. First Organised Expedition.

The second attempt in 1929 was a very different affair. Kanchenjunga was ati last attacked by a properly equipped and exceptionally strong party of expert) Bavarian mountaineers. This party, which was led by Dr. Bauer, included some o£ the most brilliant young climbers from the Munich section of the German and Austrian Alpine Club, and was additionally fortunate in securing the services of Mr. E. O. Shebbeiare, transport officer of the last Everest expedition, and many of the porters who accomplished great feats of endurance on Everest. Leaving Darjeeling they went by way of Gantok and Lachen to the Zemu Glacier on the eastern side of Kanchenjunga, where they; made their base camp. They then attacked the long ico ridge which falls from the main north ridge of Kanchenjunga to the Zemu Glacier at an angle of about 45deg. The difficulties of the ridge proved terrific. Huge v towers of solid ice alternated with narrow edges, where the ridge thinned down to a mere unstable keblade. Almost every foot of their progress required toilsome hacking with tha ice axe; pitons had to be driven into the ice, ropes fixed to enable the laden porters to follow. Camps were made on ice ledges so narrow that there was scarcely room for more than two or three climbers at a time. It must hiwe been heartrending when a snowstorm forced them to retreat and obliterated the ice steps they had so laboriously cut. But heroically the party returned and recommencod their labours. Three weeks of work were necessary to gain 2500 ft. of altitude on the ice ridge, but they were rewarded at last by. getting to a point about 24.600 ft. high, where the difficulties dwindled away and the route to the summit appeared practicable.

Fortltudei and Skill. Bat Kaachenjunga had another weapon in store. A snowstorm, in which no less than 6ft. of snow /ell, forced them down again. No Himalayan party has ever encountered difficulties so great as did the Bavarians on the ice ridge, and that they were able to retreat safely in bad weather after undergoing terrible cold and hardships, which included a bivouac in the •open without tents or sleeping bngs, proves their fortitude and mountaineer* ing skill. Kanchenjunga is a relentless opponent, which will hit back with every weapon in its armoury, with storm, cold, avalanche ami the more insidious devices of sheer altitude. Yet it has been proved assailable by an expert party of mountaineers who neglect no preparations, observe all precautions, and it purposefully and methodically. Kanchenjunga is surely a mountain that can ana will be climbed, [Copyright reserved. Reproduction 11 whole or in part forbidden.]