THE FIRST ASCENT OF TIRSULI

CHANCHAL MITRA

Tirsuli (23,210 feet), at the head of Milam Glacier in the Zaskar Range in the Kumaon Himalaya, has been a challenge to mountaineers all over the world ever since the first attempt by the Poles in 1939 ended tragically in the loss of two lives in an avalanche. The second attempt, made by an Indian pre-Everest expedition led by Lt.-Comdr. M. S. Kohli, had also to be abandoned after reaching a height of 18,000 feet when most of their equipment was buried under a huge avalanche. Last year we, too, came back unsuccessful from about the same height due to our limited resources and against heavy odds.

Undaunted by last year's failure, the Himalayan Association decided to send a stronger team this year. A three-pronged scientific programme of high-altitude physiology, glaciology and physics was also undertaken as far as compatible with the climbing programme and the limitations imposed by time and field conditions.

After the 36-hour train journey by broad- and metre-gauge from Calcutta via Lucknow, our team of ten members was joined by ten high-altitude Sherpas from Darjeeling, headed once again by young Tashi. We arrived at the bus-head of Tejam on the afternoon of September 10, 1966, via Bagheswar and Thai (where we got our ⁴ inner Line' permits). As per previous arrangement with the District Magistrate, Pithoragarh, our contractor reported with his caravan of mules and porters.

Trekking to Base Camp commenced on September 11 and our caravan of ten members, ten Sherpas, 45 mules and 20 muleteers carrying 3-1- tonnes of stores was quite a sight. We arrived at the site of our Base Camp on September 17 after covering about 70 miles in seven days. The camp was located on the alp of Nital Thaur at an altitude of 14,000 feet, about a quarter of a mile south of Billanlari Glacier. A light snow-fall in the afternoon greeted us. During our approach marches we had to face a heavy downpour on September 11 and 12 in leech- infested areas, after which the weather gradually cleared up. Marching by the side of the picturesque Goriganga Gorge was delightful. We had a glorious view of Nanda Devi East and Nanda Kot from Martoli where the religious preacher of the team.

Manik Bannerjee, offered homage to the Nandamayee Temple, a deity named after Nanda Devi, regarded as the holiest of the Holy Himalaya in these areas. Magnificent views of the entire Nanda Devi massif were also obtained from Burfu.

From the first we had decided to acclimatize on the mountain itself. We proceeded to establish Camp I 011 September 19 and spend the whole of September 18 in repacking loads and organizing the Base Camp.

The only approach to Tirsuli is up its east face rising above a vast ice basin at about 18,600 feet which can be reached only by forging open a route through a 3,000-foot ice-fall in which the Milam Glacier plunges down from this upper basin to a snow-field down at 15,500 feet, where it is met by the Iklualari Glacier. The western boundary of this snow-field is formed by a mighty rock spur rising along the left of the ice- fall supporting a snow and ice ridge that rises in three leaps to join the south-east summit ridge of Tirsuli. This snow-field at 15,500 feet encircled by an unnamed peak of 19,890 feet on the east was our objective for Camp I. The problem was much steeper than anticipated as, shortly after crossing the Billanlari Glacier, the main Milam Glacier was found to be completely fractured out from the rock-face on the right to which we were clinging so long. A transit camp had to be erected at this place to dump the loads carried by our support team, who returned from there while we moved down to the Milam Glacier which forms a small ice-fall at the turning point. Making a compromise between the objective hazards of the dreadful avalanche zone from the neve connecting Hardeol and Tirsuli and falling for 4,000 feet to the south on the left and numerous crevasses on the right, we worked our way across after fixing a hand-rail of 100 feet. Then chopping out overhanging seracs and cutting steps in hard ice we finally succeeded in selecting a site for Camp I at 15,550 feet on the snow-field on a medial moraine, overlooking the beautiful amphitheatre joining Hardeol and an unnamed peak of 22,940 feet on the south-west. Camp I was occupied on September 20 from the transit camp. A further manicuring of the route on September 21 made it finally negotiable to porters.

A recce party was sent early on September 22 to pioneer a route across the gigantic cascade ahead, which was in a more rotten stage this year, while the rest of us went for ferrying the loads still lying dumped at the site of the transit camp from Camp I. The pioneers returned at 3.30 p.m. amidst light snowfall. True to my apprehension they found the going very tough. After fixing ropes for 50 feet they crossed yawning crevasses across thin snow-bridges and were stopped at about 17,500 feet by a series of crevasses that ran perpendicular to their route. It was apparent that to open a route across the entire length of the ice-fall from Camp I would require a very long time and we were sure to arrive late at the upper basin starting laden from Camp I. This meant that with the regular weather pattern of snow and poor visibility in the afternoon we would never be able to gauge the depths of the hazards from avalanches from the hanging glaciers of the east face and the selection of a safe camp-site in the upper basin would be rather difficult. Weighing all the factors I decided to have our Camp II at about 17,400 feet, right inside the ice-fall, shortly below the crevasses zone, at least till the route to the upper basin was open.

Camp II was occupied on September 24 having been stocked on the 23rd. Camp I was fully organized by September 25 and I moved up on September 26 to Camp II to lead the expedition once again from the front. Near Camp II the ice-fall slightly levelled off and the entrance was through a very narrow snow-bridge which visibly sagged in the middle with our passage.

We had our Camp II exactly at the same spot as last year, but the site now had undergone considerable change. The gentle slope above it which used to run for a mile the previous year appeared to have gone completely down—as it were under the action of a huge suction pump—and took the appearance of a deeply furrowed field full of numerous cracks and fissures. It was evident that the feeding of this slope by avalanches from the hanging glaciers of the east face must have been rather low this year. Progress was not at all hopeful. The two scouting parties sent up from Camp II on September 25 and 26 tried very hard, though in vain, to reach the upper basin by forcing a passage through the ice-fall, when they were stopped by a huge crevasse that ran clear across the glacier.

The basin was reached the next day by an all-out effort lasting six hours and the big break through the ice-fall was made. Unfortunately the bridging material requisitioned from Darjeeling was not brought along and we had no other alternative but to get inside the crevasses and cross them by thin snow-bridges at their bottom and cramponing up their steep upper lips of old hard ice. These crevasses were so closely situated that we had virtually no belaying stances in between while some of us were working inside. The final obstacle was surmounted by a huge serac at least 90 feet high wedged in a deep crevasse. The serac itself was split in numerous horizontal and vertical cracks while the southernmost portion appeared to be almost on the verge of collapsing. Fixing ropes we cramponed up about 40 feet on the serac to gain a flat shelf hardly 14 inches wide running northwards along it. Traversing for 60 feet along the shelf, which was of rotten, honeycombed, brittle old ice, we arrived at the elevated bed of the crevasse that was running below parallel to the shelf and made a turn to the left. Continuing for two furlongs we cramponed up for 20 feet up the upper lip of the crevasse to emerge in the upper basin much to the south of our camp-site last year. It was calculated that any avalanche from the east face would get entrapped by numerous crevasses parallel to the thin long one and to the west of it, so that this particular place would be well protected.

We returned to Camp II at 3.30 p.m. exhausted but with the satisfaction that at long last the ice-fall had been overcome and a route had been forged across the icy labyrinth to the upper basin. All previous Indian expeditions had to return from this upper basin.

A ferry was sent up to the site of Camp III at 18,600 feet on September 28. The same night a crack opened up just beside my tent and huge rumbling sounds from all around finally made us decide to abandon Camp II on September 29 for Camp III. Henceforth Camp II was used as a dump camp only. Manik and Khanna with their gang of three Sherpas took up the assignment of keeping the ice-fall route open by regular low-level ferries from Camp I to Camp II, the loads from there being carried up by persons sent from Camp III.

The east face of Tirsuli is almost like an ice-wall about 2,000 feet high and continues north-west for about two miles. The only weak line in its formidable barrier was a rock rib about 1,000 feet high that ended in a hanging glacier beyond which another 1,000 feet of steep slope would take one up to the south-east summit ridge. This was the traditional route attempted by the Polish expedition of 1939 and preferred by the previous Indian expeditions. We first tried to climb up a steep slope of about 75 degrees on September 30, just to the left of the rib, with a view to gaining the top of the hanging glacier which appeared like a huge shelf by making a diagonal traverse up. Negotiation of this had to be postponed after fixing three lengths of 100 feet when we ran short of pitons. Pitons were brought from below on October 1 at about 1.30 p.m. Incessant snow-fall occurred for the whole night. In the morningwe took the decision to postpone the negotiation of the east face in view of heavily accumulated fresh snow on a slope facing east and a strong sun peeping out. Instead we decided to have a recce from the other side of the basin by climbing up a saddle in between the peaks of Chhalab and Kholi on the north of the basin. While nearing the saddle we were all startled by a thunderous sound from behind. Looking back we saw a huge avalanche hurtling down from above the bulging pieces near the summit ridge across the slope, taking down with it all the ropes that we had fixed on September 30. We were thankful for our fortunate decision. From the saddle we had a better view of the east face. The eastern face of the summit was visible for the first time as a rocky rampart 3,000 feet high, above the hanging glacier. The uppermost portion of the hanging glacier looked like a huge shelf continuing down north-west to meet another ice-fall at the uppermost terrace of the Milam Glacier at the junction of the north-east riidge of Tirsuli with the long north-west ridge of Chhalab. A party -comprising of Nirapada, Sherpas Tashi, Da Rinzing and Dorjee succeeded on October 3 in gaining the shelf across the ice-fall, after fixing ropes for another 250 feet, and scouted out a suitable camp-site just below the summit on the very edge of tMie hanging glacier at a height of 20,000 feet. Camp IV was occupied on October 4 and the support team of Sherpas was returned to Camp III. On October 5 we went up along the edge of the hanging glacier to the south-east. The slope was quite gentile, but the ice was hard and slippery. Skirting a deep crevasse on the way, we arrived at a broad ledge connecting the terrace with the east face at about 21,000 feet. Being stopped by a bergschrund and having thereby failed to cut across to the north-west to gain the summit ridge, we started climbing up the steep slope, fixing ropes. For the first time in the whole expedition I started to have the feeling that nothing could prevent us from gaining the summit ridge. To the north the entire Col between Chhalab and Kholi was clearly visible across the basin. Clouds started gathering from all sides, driven in by a very hiigh wind, when hardly 200 feet of rope was fixed. The wind rose to a terrific gale and visibility was almost reduced to nil. With great difficulty we succeeded in getting back to Camp IV. The blizzard rose to a very high intensity and at 4 p.m. the poles of the big tent housing Tashi and two Sherpas were dented and gave way. With almost superhuman effort it was replaced by a smaller tent we had been carrying for the highest camp. The special evening weather bulletin for us forecast the disturbance to continue for the next 48 hours. Clad in windproof suits inside the sleeping- bags, the flaps of the tent were hitting us like a pneumatic drill and we did not have a wink of sleep the whole night, being haunted by the feeling that the guy lines may get torn any moment and the tent may be blown down into the bergschrund below. Next morning the wind abated a bit. We took the painful decision of temporarily withdrawing to Camp III, which would at least be protected from the onslaught of the gale being covered on one side by the walls of th.e crevasse. With great trouble and determination we came down and learnt from the Sherpas there that the blizzard was sweeping down the lower reaches of the mountain also. Next morning the wind abated. Without waiting for a single day more Nirapada, Shyamal and Sherpas Tashi and Dorjee were sent up to form the first summit party supported by three Sherpas, who all moved up to support them from Camp IV. Everybody was rather surprised at my decision to drop out from the summit party at this stage, but as a leader I never had the illusion that I must. With the weather becoming so uncertain the long line of supply had also got to be steadied and Camp III had also to be abandoned at least temporarily as the stoves in Camp IV were damaged by the blizzard of October 5 and had to be replaced by others from Camp III. A first-hand appreciation of the stock below must be made as we were already delayed much by the ice-fall. As a matter of fact, a thorough reorganization of the supply line was essential to maintain the momentum of siege at this stage. On October 7 the summit party moved up with the support team and I moved down escorting a Sherpa who was not feeling up to the mark. I was met by Manik and Khanna, the two maintenance engineers of the ice-fall, who as usual came up to Camp II for their daily patrolling of the route. Manik, Khanna and Sherpa Lakpa Norbu were sent straight up to Camp III on October 8 from Camp I as a back-up with the dual objective of all-out assault for the summit on October 11 should the first party find it impossible and to support the first party down if they succeeded. They were supported by two Sherpas who returned the next day with the news that Manik's party was expected to leave for Camp IV the same day.

Meanwhile the summit party established Camp V on October 8 by scooping out a platform on the steep slope at about 21,500 feet, reoccupying Camp IV on October 7. They could hardly sleep that night, so excited were they. They started at 5.30 a.m. after a breakfast of hot soup, chicken noodles and tea. The ice-wall above was a veneered wall of fluted ice. It took them quite a long time to climb up the wall, fixing ropes all the way and hacking steps. When at long last they succeeded in getting to the top of the wall, to their horror they found it dropped to the other side in a sheer precipice of 1,500 feet. To their utter dismay they found their access to the actual summit ridge barred by a slender ice-wall on their west leading to the summit ridge. They had to make a very exposed traverse of 400 feet to cross this final obstacle and arrived on a steep slope of about 60 degrees. They could now kick up their steps on soft snow over hard ice and arrived at the top of it at 1 p.m. and saw another ridge continue gently to another hump.

Climbing up to the top of the hump they arrived on a small ice-field of the size of a football ground, slightly inclined towards the south-west. The ice-field gave way to a broad slope heavily corniced to the right. They had to cut down further to the left and their progress was hindered considerably by balling of their crampons, the laces of which were frozen stiff in soft snow of the thawing type. The slope gave way to a rocky spur and they cut down further to the north-west to avoid the necessity of rock-climbing at this stage. Climbing for another 200 feet they arrived at the foot of the final summit cone at 3.15 p.m. and took a little rest, eating some chocolate and drinking fruit juices. The final slope was moderate and was of hard ice and hardly 600 feet below the summit. They tried to crampon up, cutting steps only when necessary, as everyone was feeling the strain now. The final 30 feet was very gentle and they arrived upon the crest of the peak at 4.17 p.m., which was a ridge slightly raised in the middle about 3 feet wide and hardly 8 feet long beyond which there was a sharp drop of about 3,000 feet to Camp IV below, which was clearly visible. The ridge also dropped abruptly in the north-west. They saw a peak of 23,080 feet to their north-west which did not appear to them to be connected with either Tirsuli or Hardeol by any feasible route, contrary to the view from Nital Thaur. To their south of southwest they saw majestic Hardeol connected with Tirsuli by a long ridge which appeared a feasible route to it. To their south they saw the rugged rampart of the Nanda Devi Massif with its twin summits. To their south they could clearly distinguish the white dot of the mess tent by the side of Milam Glacier and the peak above, Martoli. From their south-east to the east they could see Nital Thaur Peak 19,890 feet and Kholi to the east-north-east. To the east they could see range after range with hundreds of peaks dwarfing down to plain lands beyond with brown patches of Tibet in the distance. For a few moments they could not speak—the thought of their Polish comrades came to their minds first, followed by later expeditions. They thought of all the other members of the expeditions but for whose tremendous amount of sacrifice they could never have reached up to this. Carefully they planted the National Flag and the Himalayan Association Flag on a tent-pole they were carrying with them.

They started the descent after half an hour. By the time they came to the traverse it was 7 p.m. and dusk gave way to darkness. It was with extreme difficulty that they succeeded in finding the fixed rope and they were wondering whether they would ever make Camp V that day. Finally they arrived back at Camp V at 10.30 p.m., more dead than alive, after being out a full 17 hours. They devoured quickly the hot drinking chocolate left inside the big flasks by two Sherpas who had come up from Camp IV at about 2 p.m.

The next morning it was cloudy to the south. They started down at 11.30 a.m. The higher tent was struck by the support party who decided to abandon their attempts and escorted the weary climbers down. They arrived at Base Camp on October 12.

Winter was fast setting in. Base Camp was finally evacuated on October 13.

The first success on Tirsuli may be attributed among other causes firstly to the wonderful teamwork of all members, Sherpas and porters alike. About weather we were neither lucky nor unlucky. At the vital moment when we required fair weather we had to evacuate down, but during the time of final assault the weather was excellent. The route, threaded through with dangers and difficulties from which it was itself largely free, was complex and full of variety. There were only two places where danger was unavoidable, one near the entrance to the upper basin and the other near the traverse to gain the summit ridge. Luckily the east face was negotiated surprisingly easily in our second approach by a new route not followed by any previous expedition, although the ice-fall proved to be nasty.

We approached the mountain in a spirit of pilgrimage and it had been kind to us in allowing us to pay our homage to the top. We are grateful to it. We are also grateful to all previous expeditions whose experience helped us tremendously in formulating our plan. It was like a relay race ; if we succeeded in carrying the baton past the final mark then we must be grateful to all the previous expeditions who ran the earlier laps.

Members of the Expedition: Chanchal Mitra, Leader ; N. Mallik, Deputy Leader; Dr. A. Sen, Medical Officer; Manik Bannerjee ; P. Sinha, Quartermaster ; Shyamal Chakravarty ; K. K. Khanna ; Marcopolo Srimal; S. Chakraborty; B. S. Jangapangi, Geologist.

Sherpas: N. Tashi, Sirdar ; Dawa Thondoop, Cook ; Da Rinzing ; Dorjee; Nima Tenzing; Lakpa Norbu; Nima Phutar; Macmay Nima ; Mingoor ; Wangchoo.

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