EVEREST REMAINS UNCONQUERED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLI, Issue 20446, 17 June 1936, Page 9

EVEREST REMAINS UNCONQUERED

MAN BEATEN BY BAD WEATHER

“NOT GIVEN A SINGLE CHANCE” EXPEDITION’S SPLENDID WORK United Press Association—By EJectrlß Telegraph—Copyright (Received June 16, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 15. A copyright message from Mr Hugh Ruttledge, Camp 1, on Monday, says: The expedition must now depart. Deep snow everywhere is rendering further effort useless, although Smythe and Wyn Harris discovered a route, which I am convinced will be of great value on future occasion. Unhappily it has been made in a season in which Everest has not given us a single chance. The seven climbers ascending the icefall on the west side of the North Col were prevented from examining the upper slope by clouds. Already there was evidence that the monsoon was so severe and the snow so deep that Everest was unclimbable this year. Smythe and Wyn Harris yesterday took advantage of a temporary lull, and took a light camp to a point previously attained, just out of reach of the avalanches pjouring off North CoL The rush of air from one nearly blew down their tent during the night. This morning they obtained a clear view of the slopes to the crest, and although the snow was too dangerous to make the ascent, they are satisfied that, given certain conditions, a safe and more direct route could be made on this side. Smith-Windham and I, with porters, went up halfway to the icefall and we formed a similar opinion of the expedition from a good viewpoint. Sympathy in England Sir Percy Cox (chairman of the Everest committee) commenting on the telegram says; The committee’s regret will be shared by Britons throughout the world, as the conquest of Everest has become a national enterprise, on which all hearts are set. The splendid composition of the expedition and its equipment justified every hope as far as human agencies were concerned, but the early monsoon and heavy snowfall preventing the reoccupation of the North Col which was originally occupied with unusual ease a week ahead of schedule, produced impassible conditions that no previous expedition had ever suffered. Leadership Praised The committee telegraphed to Mr Hugh Ruttledge sympathising w-ith the expedition’s lamentable ill fortune, recognising that no leadership and mountaineering skill could have averted the result, and congratulating the members on emerging from their critical experiences without a casualty.