DEOTIBBA, 1969

(THE MOUNTAINEERING EXPEDITIONS OF THE FUTURE—THE FIRST GROUP ASCENT OF A HIMALAYAN PEAK)

GIUSEPPE TENTI

AN August 1969 a group of 24 climbers from Turin ascended Deo Tibba (6,004 m.) in Himachal Pradesh, in the Himalayan range. This is an important event because it marks the beginning of a new kind of expedition to the Himalayan mountains.

The idea of carrying out a group ascent to the wonderful mountains of India and Nepal was conceived in 1967 when I organized the largest expedition in the history of Kilimanjaro: 48 persons out of 49 reached the peak at the same time.

A further expedition was arranged to Mexico in 1968, on the peaks of Popocatepetl, Ixtaciuati and Pico de Orizaba. In 1969 we were at last ready to face the Himalayas. The climbers, thanks to their good training on the Italian Alps and to the weather condi¬tions, very similar to the Himalayas, managed to attain complete success and this was also due to their mutual understanding, friendship and team spirit.

Nine women took part in the expedition and they impressed all of us and particularly the Sherpas with their technical ability and strong will.

The age of the climbers is also to be noted. Out of 24 persons, two were in their fifties, one in his late thirties and 21 of them were between 20 and 35 years of age. This, too, can be considered an unusual record.

The 39 low-altitude porters who carried the loads from Manali as far as Jagatsukh (2,000 m.), our Base, performed their work perfectly. No load was either damaged or lost. The nine high- altitude porters also proved very strong and technically pre¬pared.

Nima Choma, the head instructor of the Mountaineering Institute at Manali, besides being an efficient chief of all Sherpas and a skilful guide, was a dear friend . . . much contended by the ladies of the expedition.

The Mountaineering Institute proved efficient from every point of view especially in providing the Sherpas and in organizing the caravan.

Mr. Banon of Manali, the honorary local secretary of the Himalayan Club, Calcutta, gave us all information we needed to arrange the expedition during a preliminary reconnaissance in December 1968.

The New Delhi ‘Sita World Travel' and the Turin 'Robotti Transatlantic Agency' arranged the land services and granted us the reduced air charges of the ⁶ Inclusive Tours \ which were in force in August 1969.

The Italian Embassy in New Delhi and the Indian Embassy in Rome provided the permits for a journey to India.

All these preparations were made by myself, with the help of Miss Betty Bogianchini and Mr. Alberto Risso who co-operated also in the formation of a large group of tourists who visited Kashmir and Nepal during the same period.

I have not begun with the real mountaineering report because I think that the above information may be useful to others who would like to organize similar expeditions.

The members of the expedition ‘Deo Tibba, 1969' provided the funds themselves. Dividing the total charges into equal parts, each person contributed $625 to cover air fares, board, lodging, porters, etc.

Approach from New Delhi

Leaving New Delhi by bus, after about 300 km., one reaches Chandigarh and then, through a meandering road, one arrives at Mandi. Here one must change buses and an adventurous journey begins on the road Mandi-Kulu-Manali (106 km.). The road winds along a wild valley and is flanked with precipices. At Kulu the valley widens into a wonderful plain and after 38 km. one reaches Manali, a pretty village on the right side of the river Beas. Charming little temples are scattered among the forest of conifers and among the groups of houses along the valley.

1st day

A road open to heavy traffic (9 km.) goes from Manali (where you meet the high-altitude porters) to Jagatsukh (where you meet the low-altitude porters). On the right of the wonderful small temple in the middle of the village there is a beaten path leading to a camp site. The ground is open and smooth and is not difficult. For the whole time the path goes uphill and ends amongst a tangle of low vegetation, in a wide grassy space under a tall tree (3 hours from Jagatsukh). The spot is Khanuri, 2,480 m. Water is very near.

2nd day

Leaving Khanuri early in the morning we climb a steep path. The rocky cliff that towers all the way long is on the left. After a few hundreds of metres on stony ground there is a very steep path running through a forest of conifers and leading to a plain that one must cross. Here, there are no more conifers, but low- trunked trees. The camp is placed on a grassy meadow, near the stream. There are good rocky shelters for the porters. The spot is Chikka, 3,160 m. (4-5 hrs.).

3rd day

Through a charming path full of every kind of flowers one reaches a rocky ground easy to climb. Skirting the stream, one climbs a hill that marks the beginning of the real high mountain. Going from South to North one crosses the whole valley and reaches the plain, where one can camp near a small lake. If the weather is fine one can bathe under a waterfall. Spot Seri, 3,620 m. (6 hrs.).

4th day

The journey is not very long but it must start very early in the morning because at first it is necessary to cross the small lake and two impetuous streams. Then, after a steep ascent of 300 metres, one must ford two more streams which meet at the lake below. In the afternoon they are difficult to ford because of the great body of water. One reaches Taintah, 4,070 m. (3 hrs.), that is generally considered as the Base Camp. Here one leaves the low-altitude porters who will come back after 6 days to carry the loads again. It is an excellent observation post onto the whole of the south basin of Deo Tibba. You can get as much water as you like.

5th day

One carries equipment, provisions and all one needs for the ascent, to Camp I, at the foot of Deo Tibba ice-fall. One crosses a long moraine (direction west-east). Camp I, 4,500 m. (3 hrs.).

6th day

Going over the Duhangan Pass and along the right upper brim of the Malana glacier one reaches an easy rocky passage on the mountainous ridge which separates the Malana valley from the southern part of the Deo Tibba basin. With a fixed safety rope one goes down a couloir as far as a terrace situated on the ridge which comes down from the peak. Here one can place the second camp. There may be dangerous discharges from above, 5,200 m. (5 or 6 hours).

From Camp I after an easy slope one attacks the ridge of safe ice, then zigzagging among the crevasses one covers the first one- third of the way. Going along a very thin ice bridge which spans a large crevasse one begins a series of crossings under big walls of unstable ice up to a steep and dangerous passage dominated by huge blocks in precarious equilibrium. One climbs up along this passage, crosses a very steep ledge, and gets over the wall and the block coming out on the ridge. One goes on it perpendicularly to its lower brim and begins to wander again on unstable snow bridges until one reaches a solid wall of ice, about 150 metres high, which one climbs well roped. At the end of the wall one must turn to the right, passing large blocks of ice which have been recently discharged by the overhanging glacier; then going up an easy slope, avoiding wide crevasses one reaches the seat of Camp II, 5,200 metres (5 or 6 hours). (It is advisable to have 5 or 6 screw pitons for ice and two steel pegs.)

7th day

Early in the morning one begins to climb on the easy-sloping glacier (direction east-west). One reaches the large seracs which are easily got over. It is advisable to use a fixed rope for the descent (80 m.). Through the remains of fallen high wall of ice one passes the front of the serac and, along easy but steep slopes, reaches the pass of the ⁶ Stone Tower' turning to the left (direction north-south). After a long crossing, one must face the narrow pass of the peak, an ice band 40 metres high (a fixed rope is necessary for the descent). After this obstacle, one goes along a band which gets narrow and narrower and in little less than an hour reaches peak 6,004 metres (6-7 hours). There is a level open space and a magnificent view. It takes 3 hours for the descent which is made easier by the fixed ropes. [From the above descrip¬tion, Jagdish Nanavati and Lalit Chari have surmized that the route lay over the Duhangan Col onto the second ice-shelf, then through the De Graaf couloir onto the third ice-shelf and from there up the final slopes of the peak—EDITOR.]

8th day

One sites the camp and over the Duhangan Pass one reaches the Base Camp (4-5 hours.)

9th day

Leaving the Base early in the morning one can reach Manali before the day is over. If one has a good training, one can follow my example and conclude successfully the Himalayan adventure. At 6 a.m. I climbed, together with Nima and Chiado, a nameless peak on the opposite slope, because we wished to photograph Deo Tibba in all its height. At 11 a.m. we reached the peak (5,300 m.). Leaving at 12 noon, we arrived at the Base at 2 p.m. We had snacks and at 3 p.m. started for Manali. At 9 p.m. we were at Jagatsukh and 11 p.m. at Manali.

Besides my personal success, it was a great satisfaction for me that the 24 climbers (nine of whom were women) could reach a peak in the great Himalayan range. The members of the expedi¬tion who reached the peak are:

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