LANGTANG LIRUNG, 1964

PETER TAYLOR

As the number of unclimbed peaks in the Himalaya dwindle year by year, no doubt those who still look forward to a ^k first ascent' read the results of climbing expeditions with a little anxiety. If the reader can be counted among these yearning souls, then let me put his mind at ease: Lirung is still unclimbed and is likely to remain so for quite a few seasons yet.

Let's go up to Camp II at 21,500 feet and have a look at the brute. It's 7 a.m., October 6, and the weather is superb. Sirdar Ang Temba is getting our climbing gear ready. Pasang Sherpa—my saviour on the Langtang II expedition in 1963—and Pasang Kami are anxious to be off. Every now and then we all stop what we are doing and have a look up at the virgin South-West Ridge. The near side is in heavy shadow but we are able to pick out a few discouraging features: steep rock towers, gendarmes and powder snow being blown off ridges like steam.

I wonder if the other members of the expedition are up and about yet. Mary Boyle is holding the fort at Camp I (18,500 feet) and Graham Homan at Base (16,500 feet) is the supply man. Keeping us operational at Camp II are porters Ang Dawa and Ang Nima. They will be coming up again this morning to bring more food. George Petley will probably be with them. After an early bout of mountain sickness George is now climbing with 50-lb. loads. An Australian of the ‘let's 'ave a go' school, George is a great favourite with the Sherpas.

7.30 a.m. and we're away at last, formidable in appearance if not in numbers. With ropes, rappel line, prusik loops and a bagful of ' ironmongery' we clank and rattle up the first few snow slopes and then grind to a halt at the foot of the first difficult tower. It looks to be about 500 feet high, so if we climb up this we'll be over 22,000 feet—higher than anyone has been on Lirung to date. Previous expeditions have approached the mountain from the south-east. All were chased off by avalanche and a few casualties have been left behind. Ang Temba was on the south-east route before the monsoon. He didn't think much of it. So here we are on the South-West Ridge—for it is my bright idea that despite the difficult rock work involved and the distance to the summit (3 to 4 miles), this is the only safe way to the top. There might be a way up on the Tibet side, but in the year 1964 there's no point in even thinking about it.

The rock tower is not going to be easy. The rock is laminated and looks like stacks of plates, some of them not quite tottering over. Soft snow is sprinkled over all this. Every now and then a rock comes rattling down and whizzes by in the direction of the Langtang Valley some 12,000 feet below.

There is a division of opinion about the safest route up the tower. For a couple of hours or more we climb as two separate teams before we finally join forces again, more, I feel, for moral support than anything else.

All the time I am thinking: how on earth can we get supplies up this thing to the higher camps? Here we are, with small loads, perfect weather and still physically fresh, stretched to the utmost and hoping not to get clouted by a falling rock. Maybe when we get to the top we can have a look around for an easier route. The nagging fear is that the return might be even nastier. There'll be no rappel of this face—there is no place for a piton and the few prominent rocks we have scrambled around don't look safe.

We reach the top by 1 p.m. If there is an easier route we fail to see it. From the top of the tower the sides fall away steeply. The ridge ahead looks easy enough but higher up I see a lot of knife-edges and ice-cliffs. Also the wind is increasing and cloud is starting to drift down the south face. What a frightening face this is! There's about 10,000 feet of it and all completely iced up. H. W. Tilman has a good description of it in his book on the Langtang Himal (1950). It was no exaggeration,

As I sit on top of the tower it becomes clear that we are too small an expedition for Lirung. We are simply not equipped to deal with the problems on the ridge. Two days of bad weather and we could be marooned. Even now I dread the thought of the descent and keep putting it off by unnecessarily checking our gear, discussing the order of descent and peering down at the face and the route back to Camp II. If only we could all sprout wings!

The west shoulder of Lirung from camp I (18,500 ft.) Foreground figures, left to right: Mary Boyle hands out mugs of tea to George Petley and Graham Homan who have just come up from base. The South-west ridge is the right skyline. For highest point reached see arrow on photograph overleaf identification

So far and no further! This is taken from near the top of the tower at 22,000 plus. The arrow identifies the location of previous photograph. The top of the west shoulder can be seen in the cloud bank beyond the arrow

(We finally eased over the brink at 2 p.m. with Ang Temba leading and clearing away as much loose stuff as possible, belaying him as best he could, the safe and sure Pasang Kami. Next, myself and, last, the physically powerful Pasang Sherpa. After a lot of discussion we finally decided to descend on two separate ropes, with one rope and one man moving at a time.)

4 p.m. and we are off the tower—with a sigh of relief. The weather has changed: gusts of wind blow the powder snow in our faces and we are glad to crawl back into our tents at Camp II.

The weather keeps us pinned down at Camp II for four days. During this time we consume most of our high-altitude rations. What does it matter? Tire attempt to climb Lirung was over when we returned from the tower.

* * *

Can Lirung be climbed via the South-West Ridge? I think so. It will require a lot of skill, men and artificial aids. Of course, if you want to run the gauntlet of avalanche, you might try the south-east approach. It's an easier route technically and it leads directly to the summit. Even assuming the South- West Ridge is mastered, this will only put you near the west shoulder of Lirung. The true summit is still about three miles away. From the profile seen from the south this will be a fairly easy three miles. There will be exposure to wind, of course, and the route will have to be well marked. At least one more camp between the west shoulder and the summit will be required. Still, if your desire for a first ascent of a difficult peak is strong enough, you'll push on despite the risks.

Lirung, anyone? Not me, thanks just the same . . . ! I'll come up to Camp II and cheer you on from there if you wish. And, of course, I'll help choose your gear, your high-altitude rations and give you all the friendly advice you can possibly use.

The rest will be up to you!

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