ASSAULT ON MT. EVEREST

Taranaki Daily News, 4 May 1933, Page 7

ASSAULT ON MT. EVEREST

CLIMBERS REACH NORTH COL CAMP AT HEIGHT OF 23,000 FEET. SHELTERED BY GREAT ICE WALL. TWO HIGHER CAMPS NECESSARY. By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright Rec. 9.20 p.m. London, May 3. The expedition led by Mr. Hugh Ruttledge which is to attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest has, says the Daily Mail’s special correspondent at Gangtok, reached Camp No. 4 on the North Col at an altitude of 23,000 feet. The climbers are sheltered by a great ice wall and are.waiting for the weather to improve before beginning the increasingly precipitous climb to the summit, which is at present obliterated by a raging blizzard. Two higher camps will be essential before the climbers can get to the North Ridge, from which the final assault will be made over the last and most perilous 2000 feet, which must be covered in one day, as their unsheltered- nature means certain death to climbers at this altitude if they are overcome by snows at night time.

A wireless message from the base camp, via Gangtok, dated Rongbuk, May 2, describes the expedition’s movements' since the beginning. The message refers to the arival at Rongbuk Valley, with its desolate scenery. The party camped at the monastery where the head lama had been extremely sympathetic with previous expeditions. “We arrived at the base camp on Easter Monday,” the message says, “Mount Everest is only 12 miles away. All members are in the best of spirits and the weather, except for a few/ flays has- been better than it was for previous expeditions. “Although we are travelling earlier in the year we are now beside a frozen lake. The neighbourhood is devoid of life, with the exception of a hermit existing in. solitude on the moraine behind the camp. He has been here for two years and he intends to stay for the rest of his life; A memorial cairn built in 1924 in memory of the three previous expeditions is now in ruins but we managed to piece together a part of the inscription. “The personnel is now busy sorting rations, overhauling tents and tending the wireless apparatus.”