EVERST EXPEDITION.

Waipa Post, Volume XXI, Issue 1212, 2 March 1922, Page 7

EVERST EXPEDITION.

NEW ZEALAND A CONTBIBUTOB.

CAN THE PEAK BE CLIMBED?

A letter recently received in Wellington from a member of the MounL Everest expedition, a noted alpine climber, expressed doubts if the mountain would be climbed in his day, though he believed it would some day be climbed Another leter from a prominent member of the Alpine Club who has taken a keen interest in the arrangements in connection with the Everest Expedition, says, "It was splendid of youi club (the New Zealand Alpine Club) to send that subscription to thr Everest iuud. The Canadian Club, the Ladies' Alpine Club, and one cr two of the British climbing r.iubs did the dame, and 1 can't tell you ho,v greatly it was ap°eopie here seem to be excessively optimistic as to the prospects of this year's expeditoin, I still think the odds are quite three to one on Everest, but there is very little doubt that thisi party will, at all events, get a good deal higher than anyone else has ever been yet, and that in itself wall be a very interesting result." The latest news from London states that this year's expedition, under General Bruce's leadership, will include eight other climbers, a medical officer, a photographic officer, and a painter. Of the first party only Mr Mallory, who wad master at Charterhouse, and Major Morshead, from the Survey of India, will go again. Lieut. Colonel E. L. Strutt, D. 5.0., will be second in command. Mr George Finch and Mr T. Howard Somerville had aLeady been .selected as members of the climbing party, and Captain J. B. L. Noel had been appointed photographic officer. By the end of next month the whole expedition should be dn the Chumbi Valley on the way to its base in Tibet. It is imimpossible to go by way of Nepal, as travellers are still not allowed to go across its borders. This yeai's early start is all to the advanatge of the climbers, as they will be able to attack the final peak of Everest dn the good weather, before the monsoon sets in. The big climb by the last expedition was stopped by the bad weather, though it was not intended to attempt the full climb on that occasion. I appears that after tne monsoon cold, furious gales rage at the height of 23,000 feet and over, driving cloudst of snow from the higher summits till they appear to be "smoking." This makes breathing at such high altitudes extremely difficult. From a purely mountaineering point of view the experience of the high climbing party, which last year got to 23,000 feet, went to prove that there are probably no difficulties that would deter a strong party, if the difficulties! were met with in the Alps; but it is far different when they are met with dn the Himalayas. There ia the great difficutly of carrying loads above a certain elevation/ It is believed that it would have been posible to carry to a height of 24,000 feet; but if the mountain is to be climbed at all it will be essential to relay a camp to 26,000 feet. Three converging aretes lead to the summit, and apparently there is only one possible line of ascent — namely, that by the north-east arete. The lower part of the arete is iinprac-

ticable, but between Everest and the north peak is a high snow column about 23,200 feet, and it seems possible to get up from there. Mallory, who was one of the high climbers, and who will go again this year, found that there was even more rapid acclimatization to the rarefied air than there was in the Alpsl Little relief was obtained when descending, and on easy slopes slopes it was on effort to breathe, even when descending. After prolonged exertion it was found that a long rest was required—a full two day® Any mental effort led to sleeplessness. With Bullock, who accompanied him on the high climb, Mallory believes that the chances of success in reaching the summit of Mount 'Everest, even with a well equipped expedition, are 50 to 1 against.