Climbing on the Himalaya and Other Mountain Ranges — John Shaqi
Climbing on the Himalaya and Other Mountain RangesCollie, Norman
History
Climbing on the Himalaya and Other Mountain Ranges
Collie, Norman
Himalaya Mountains; Mountaineering
Arriving at Darjeeling early in 1883, he and Imboden made their way
to Jongri just under Kanchenjunga on the south-west, and climbed a
peak, Kang La, 20,300 feet. The Guicho La (pass), 16,000 feet, between
Kanchenjunga and Pundim, was ascended, but as the end of March was
much too early in the year for climbing, they returned to Darjeeling,
and Imboden then went back to Europe. It was not till the end of June
that Graham was joined by Emil Boss and Ulrich Kauffmann, who came out
from Grindelwald. They started from Nynee Tal to attack Nanda Devi,
travelling to Rini on the Dhauli river, just to the westward of Nanda
Devi. From Rini they proceeded up the Rishiganga, which runs down from
the glaciers on the west of Nanda Devi, but they were stopped in the
valley by an impassable gorge that had been cut by a glacier descending
from the Trisuli peaks. Obliged to retreat, they next attacked
Dunagiri, 23,184 feet; after climbing over two peaks, 17,000 and 18,000
feet, they camped at 18,400 feet, and finally got to a point from which
they could see the top of A^{22}, 21,001 feet over the top of A^{21},
22,516 feet, and must therefore have been at least at a height of
22,700 feet. Unfortunately hail, wind, and snow drove Graham and Boss
off the peak within 500 feet of the top--Kauffmann had given in some
distance lower down--and it was only with difficulty that they were
able to return to their camp, which was reached in the dark.
The weather then obliged them to return to Rini, from which place they
again started for Nanda Devi. This time they went up the north bank
of the Rishiganga. After illness, the desertion of their coolies, and
all the sufferings produced by cold and wet weather, they reached
the glacier in four days, only to find that again they were cut off
from it by a perpendicular cliff of 200 feet, down which the glacier
torrent poured. Their attempt to cross the stream was also fruitless;
so, baffled for the second time, they were forced to return to
their camping-ground under Dunagiri at Dunassau, from which place
they climbed A^{21}, 22,516 feet, by the western ridge, calling it
Mount Monal. They then tried A^{22}, 21,001 feet, but were stopped
by difficult rocks after reaching a point about 20,000 feet. By the
middle of August Graham was back again in Sikkim and got to Jongri
by September 2. With Boss and Kauffmann he explored the west side of
Kabru and the glacier which comes down from Kanchenjunga. But the
weather was continuously bad; they started to climb Jubonu, but were
turned back. Then they crossed the Guicho La to ascend Pundim, but
found it impossible; more bad weather kept them idle till the end of
the month. They then managed to ascend Jubonu, 21,300 feet. A few days
later they went up the glacier which lies on the south-east of Kabru,
camping at 18,400 feet; and starting at 4.30 A.M. they succeeded, owing
to a favourable state of the mountain, in reaching the summit, 24,015
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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