MOUNT EVEREST PARTY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22086, 16 April 1935, Page 11

MOUNT EVEREST PARTY

DOMINION CLIMBER REALISING AMBITION PLANS OF THE EXPEDITION "1 consider myself very fortunate to have been asked to join the reconnaissance party of the Mount Everest expedition and to climb in the Himalayan regions will be the fulfilment of my greatest ambition," said L. V. Bryant, of Matnngi, yesterday. He is leaving Auckland to-day by the Niagara en route for India. Mr. Bryant recently returned from a trip to the/Continent, where ho did considerable alpine work in Switzerland. On his return to England he was elected a member of the Alpine Club (London) in recognition of his mountaineering achievements in the Swiss Alps and in New Zealand. "One of the main objectives of my trip abroad was to file an application in London for membership of the next Everest expedition," he said. "1 interviewed various members of the Everest committee, and they explained that there might not be another expedition for 20 years, as it was entirely dependent upon finance and permission being granted by the Tibetan Government for a party to travel through its territory. They also emphasised that preference was usually given to those applicants for membership in an expedition who had had Himalayan experience." Reconnaisance Party The New Zealand Alpine Club in 1932 nominated Mr. Bryant for membership of the 1933 Everest expedition, but the personnel of the party had already been decided upon. The actual attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest will not be made until early in 1936, the party which Mr. Bryant is to join at Darjeeling on May 20 being purely a reconnaissance one. One of its main aims is to give the cliosen mountaineers an opportunity to get acclimatised to the rarefied atmosphere. They will carry out work of a preparatory nature for the main expedition, probably establishing permanent camps at the base. A particularly careful study will be made of climatic conditions, and the party will undertake the exploration of various passes and climb some of the lesser-known peaks. "The chances of my inclusion in the main party actually to attempt the climb of Everest," said Mr. Bryant, "will probably depend upon my ability to acclimatise in comparison with the other members of the party. The ability of a man to acclimatise depends almost solely on his physical make-up. The classic example of this was the noted climber Odell, who did such fine work at the conclusion of the 1924 expedition. Provision of Equipment "Odell, considered one of the fittest and most experienced climbers of the expedition was, until almost the last, a failure, as he could not become acclimatised. After many short spells in the high regions hG improved until finally he proved himself by making two solo visits to the top camp at 27,000 ft. and was the last man to see Mallor.v and Irvine in their tragic attempt to conquer the peak." Practically all the equipment is provided by the expedition. Mr. Bryant having been requested to take only boots and an ice-axe. Mr. Bryant is to join Mr. E. E. Shipton at Darjeeling. Mr. Shipton, a noted Himalayan climber, was a member of the 1933 Everest expedition. An East African, he was probably the most prominent of Mr. E. S. Smythe's companions on the successful ascent of Mount Kamet.