AIRCREW MOUNTAIN CENTRE, 1945

J. A. JACKSON

Photos by C.W.F. Noyce

Ladakh peaks, from Glacier Three.

Photos by C.W.F. Noyce

Above Three of Thajiwas Valley: Valehead Peak on the left

(Note. An account of the beginnings and ideas of the Centre will be found in the Alpine Journal, No. 270, p. 74. It was started in August 1945 as a rehabilitation and physical training centre for aircrew. During the autumn months of that year climbing and trekking were based on Sonamarg. A number of the climbs done by instructors and pupils are described in A Climber's Guide to Sonamarg, Kashmir, published by the Himalayan Club. In the winter a skiing centre was started at Gulmarg, and, in collaboration with the Ski Club of India, the hut at Khillanmarg was used. The first Commanding Officer of the centre was Wing-Commander A.J. M. Smyth. It was thanks to him that this extremely profitable experiment in the training of men among mountains was carried out.—Ed.)

The A.M.C. continued with its programme of trekking and climbing for Aircrew in 1945; again concentrating on trekking in Ladakh as far as Khargil, and on mountaineering in Thajiwas.

In Thajiwas (Glacier valley) several ascents were, made of Umbrella peak (15,700 feet approx.), Mosquito peak, Lesser Thajiwas and Valehead peak (15,528 feet). The Glacier 3 route was again found interesting to work out, and a new north-west route (Valehead PK) to its summit was climbed.

In September, Glacier 2 gave a fine and interesting route to Greater Thajiwas (15,928 feet) (J. Waller, Everlasting Hills) on what is thought to be the second ascent of this peak.

The writer feels that the party had considerable good fortune in finding an unbroken sequence of snow and ice bridges by which to cross the glacier, for they must vary greatly in different seasons.

Four new peaks were ascended in the valley, two of them overlooking Glacier 2 and forming the flanking wall of its True Right. The first of these, named 'Cefn Carneth' (High Cairn), 15,750 feet, was ascended by Amphitheatre Gully and the rock wall on the right at the head of the gully to attain the saddle between Umbrella peak and this peak.

During the ascent of the second summit, named 'The Arrow', 15,800 feet, the same route was used to the saddle, then a traverse below the summit of 'Cefn Carneth' to the gully on its south-west. From the head of the gully a pleasant ridge led to the fine pinnacle peak which was named as above.

Kasim Pahalin Bal (16,200 feet approx.), the long ridge above Glacier 3, was traversed from the east end to a point named the West Pinnacle and was found to be an excellent ridge day giving nice exposures and fine panoramas. Six and seven pinnacles approximate to the same height, but three of them were thought outstanding because of position and were named the East, Central and West Pinnacles. The Cairn was built on the Central Pinnacle although doubt remains which is the highest of the three.

The final portion of the West Pinnacle to the col between Kasim Pahalin Bal and Umbrella peak was not traversed owing to storm clouds approaching rapidly, and the quick way off was found to be a descent into Basmai Nar.

The fourth peak approximating to 15,500 feet in height rising at the head of the glacier to the right of the head of Durin Nar, was ascended along the north-west ridge from the col between Kasim Pahalin Bal and Valehead. The climbers found numerous hexagonal- shaped crystals below the last pinnacle (named the 'Crumpled 'Horn' owing to its peculiar shape) and one over 1 lb. in weight near the summit, and thus it was named 'Crystal Peak' by members of A.M.C.

In the Zaiwan Area, Peak 15,118 feet (Sentinel Peak) was ascended on 22nd June from Zaiwan F. H., and provided a pleasing mixed day of snow and rock in this month. Route was via the Yam Har and along the East Pinnacle ridge. In August, Peak 15,404 feet, the sister peak of Peak 15,118 feet, was ascended by the West Pinnacle ridge.

The only peak ascended in Ladakh was 'Cumberland peak', 17,150 feet. This was from Matayan Rest House and entailed a somewhat different route from the one used on its first ascent from Suweke Nar in September 1944 (C. G. to Sonamarg, G. Whittle),

Beraz, 17,881 feet, was attempted, but unfortunately the climbers had to turn back at approximately 17,000 feet after a very fine attempt for pupils.

The last climb, an attempt at Nichinai peak, 16,141 feet, was unsuccessful but provided a very fine mountain day.

An attempt was made by the north-east face on 7th October with the rocks covered by fairly deep powdered snow. The north-east face was ascended and then traversed for a little way to the base of the East Pinnacle, which must be given at 600 feet below the summit. A traverse of the last few hundred feet by a pupil would have taken too long, and with the shortage of time the climbers turned and descended by the same route. There were no apparent difficulties along the rest of the ridge, and it is thought that two experienced people would have finished the climb.

One interesting observation during the year was that trekking alone did little to improve results in the A.M.C. Pack Test, but it was found that mountaineering, which usually entailed the crossing of glaciers and ascent of rock to attain a summit, improved the results considerably and equalled those of the skiing season.

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