HIMALAYAN TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY

DAVE NICHOLLS

STANDING BESIDE the grave at advance base camp looking at the lifeless red bivouac bag which acted as a shroud, a deep sadness enveloped me. I thought of Garry, now stiff and cold, and his lonely wife and two young children.. Yet inside me was a suppressed bubbling jubilance of triumph at having achieved our goal. A mixture of grief caused by the loss of a friend and elation caused by success is a strange experience.Our story is of a 12-man Himalayan expedition, based on the Hoyal Navy and Royal Marines Mountaineering Club to Lahul, Himachal Pradesh. We had two objectives. A 20,040 ft peak called Tent Peak which was to be climbed during our acclimatization period and the previously unclimbed 6000 foot NW face of a 20,250 ft peak called Phabrang. This was our main objective.

The mountainous area which feeds by the Kulu valley was elected because it is easily accessible; there are numerous unclimbed peaks of medium height, up to 23,000 ft; the climbing season is long (May to October) : difficult or easy routes can be tackled depending on the expertise of the party; alpine tactics can be employed; the weather, beyond the grasp of the monsoon (north of the Chandra-Bhaga river), is settled. All in all it is an ideal area for a light-weight low-budget expedition.

The beautiful Kulu valley, translated the Valley of the Gods, is approximately 60 km long containing luscious green pastures, towering pine forests and endless fruit orchards. At the head of the valley nestles a little town called Manali, a typical Indian town of wooden houses centred around a market. Access to Manali from Delhi is by road. The journey takes between 18 and 24 hours either way.. The route follows narrow roads winding tortuously along valley bottoms, across ridges and alongside precipitous gorges. It is an exciting and interesting trip, its hazardous nature being dramatically illustrated by the number of vehicles that! He shattered on the beds of the various valleys. Uncomfortable daily buses with hard wooden seats causing battered posteriors and packed with passengers are available at little cost.1

The mountainous area to the north of Manali across the Rohtang pass is divided into a number of ranges. Kulu to the SE of the Rohtang pass; Spiti adjacent to Tibet, a largely prohibited area; Lahul to the NNW of the Rohtang; Zanskar far to the NW lies on the southern edge of Ladakh.

From Manali daily buses grind over the Rohtang pass (13,040 ft, open May to October) and then clatter along the track beside the Chenab fiver to Udaipur, a 12-hour journey. The Chenab (Chandra- Bhaga) valley contrasts to the Kulu valley. The region is not blessed by the monsoon thus it is dry and dusty. Small villages of mud, stone and wood houses are plentiful, their architecture being dictated by geography.

Photo 17

The valley is a major potato-producing area for India, the picking season is in October. Mules transporting sacks of potatoes from high terraced fields are a common sight. Lorries then transport the crop to Manali for sorting and distribution. The local inhabitants, a mountain folk, are very friendly but differ in looks and life-style from those to the south. Tibetan and Nepalese characteristics are common. Many are working on the planned new road from Udaipur to the west which will give new access.

The first objective was Tent Peak. The 15 days planned to climb this peak were to be an acclimatization period before moving on to Phabrang. From the base camp near Arat two teams departed for the mountain. One approached from the west and the other from the east. During the assaults constant daily storms prevailed so much so that the eastern team was confined to its two-man tents for six days at the high point of 18,000 ft. Once the storms had abated Tent Peak was plastered in snow and dripping with avalanches so retreat was the only sensible option. Sadly the western team suffered an additional blow. John Patchett was struck by a large rockfall and severely injured. Two others, Pat Parsons and Derek Wilson, carried him down 1000 ft to their advance base camp (13,500 ft) and administered first aid. He stayed there in considerable pain for three days before being flown out by helicopter.

Morale was low because of lack of success as both teams returned to base camp. It was time to move on to the main objective, and 35 mules arrived to carry stores to Phabrang. Despite a lively disagreement with the muleteers, the consequence being a night on a dusty football pitch at Udaipur, a new base camp was established two days after departure from Arat. The site was near the little village of Karpat in the steep-sided Miyar nullah valley.

The 6000 ft NW face of Phabrang stood magnificently at the end of the valley which held the new base camp. The steep snow slopes, hanging glaciers and precipitous cliffs sparkled in the sunlight. On 22 September advance base camp was established using porters at 14,500 ft on a lovely grass ledge beside the glacier at the bottom of the NW face. From the camp the beautiful 21,140 ft mountain called Menthosa stood proudly on the western horizon dominating all around.

The expedition split into three climbing groups. Group one was to try a new route on the north ridge, group two was to attempt the NW face and group three was to climb the SW face and south ridge.

The north ridge team was first to start climbing, a camp was placed a third of the way up the ridge. The next day progress up difficult terrain ended in a bivouac on a snow ledge about two thirds up the ridge. The summit ridge was reached on the third day but access to the summit was barred by very unstable cornices on a steep tower. A quick descent landed them back down to the camp for the third night, by which time the other teams were tackling their respective routes. The following day, 28 September, at about 11.00 a.m. the team was descending in sticky snow a large snowfield that led to the glacier when suddenly Garry Thomas slipped and, unable to stop himself, fell 1500 ft to his death. After an unsuccessful evacuation attempt and once all team members had returned to camp, Garry was buried at noon on 2 October at the site of our advance base camp. He was given a grave of neatly piled stones lying in a small meadow.

The NW face team spent the day of 24 September sorting out equipment. The plan was to complete the climb in five days. Seven days* food and fuel, bivouac equipment including down sleeping-bags, Gortex bivouac bags, Gortex one-piece suits, quilted overtrousers and climbing gear were packed. Rucksacks weighed about 50 lb each. A crisp and clear night preceded the start of the climb.

Early morning 25 September a fine dusting of snow covering the tents gave slight concern but the sky was crystal clear. Breakfast of porridge and hot chocolate over, the first rays of sunshine broke over the summit of Phabrang as the team left advance base camp. A short 30-minute walk across the glacier brought them to the foot of the face. Climbing equipment donned and the two pairs, Dave Nicholls and John Mitchell, and Pat Parsons and Derek Wilson, moved off. The first 2000 ft went smoothly as the terrain was not too steep. By 10.30 a.m. a ledge was reached and a unanimous decision to stop for a nibble of chocolate and a drink of fruit juice was taken. The ground above steepened considerably so out came the ropes. The next 1000 ft involved unpleasant climbing up steep rocks with loose powdery snow covering them. The time now was 3.30 p.m. and a bivouac platform was required. The only possibility of a level platform was amongst hanging ice-cliffs on the left. A delicate traverse across steep hard ice followed. The whole time threatening and menacing blocks of fragile ice hundreds of feet high creaked directly above. Around the corner, clear of the danger, surprise and relief waited as a perfect snow ledge backed against a stable 150 ft ice-cliff offered a quadruple bed. An evening meal of soup and curry was swallowed in the fading light. Tired yet happy souls crawled into sleeping-bags, half the climb was complete in a day, thoughts of the summit tomorrow peeped around the corner. A beautiful panoramic sunset behind Menthosa and numerous other peaks was followed by sudden darkness. Lights flashed from advance base camp 3000 ft below, replies were made to them, then sleeping tablets swallowed which resulted in a comfortable dreamless sleep.

A fine stream of snow penetrated every orifice of the bivi bag and a sharp wind made the getting up process a grim reality in the first rays of dawn. Breakfast over, tent packed and climbing kit on a delicate traverse back under those menacing ice-blocks to regain the route was the first problem. About half-way across suddenly John Mitcheirs crampon on his left boot slipped off but remained attached to his ankle by a solitary strap. He received no encouragement from his companions, only abuse for not tying his crampon on properly. Ignoring the volley of obscenities he skilfully and delicately moved across the steep ice using his knee and one foot to reach a small ledge in order to replace his crampon.

The day's climbing continued, wandering up seemingly endless snow slopes to some rock steps high on the face. Conversation throughout the day was minimal as all our efforts were pitted towards overcoming the effects of altitude and the steepness of terrain. At 2.00 p.m. the lead climber reached the rock steps which proved to be very awkward.. Fatigued by the altitude and the day's climbing there followed a struggle, grunting and groaning, heaving and pushing up a tight chimney followed by an overhanging corner put the team below some vertical 1000 ft smooth granite cliffs which blocked the route. At 19,500 ft, balancing on small foot-holds, the four were insignificant dots on the vast face. The time was slipping by, it was 4.00 p.m. and no suitable bivouac ledge could be found. In desperation axes flew at a small snow ridge with the aim of producing a couple of ledges. After an hour's exhausting work with cold toes and fingers two ledges just big enough for all four to half sit/lie tied to the face by ice-pitons were carried out. Cooking was extremely difficult as the stove and pot had to be balanced between sleeping-bags on the slippery ice-ledge. The meal was slurped and gobbled in darkness with the moon creating eerie shadows on the face sweeping down 5000 ft to advance base camp. Sleep was difficult on those exposed ledges because of altitude, headaches, cramped positions and above all minds were actively concerned about the next day's climbing. The ground looked very steep and no likely exit was apparent. A retreat would have been very difficult and dangerous.

With perhaps masochistic relief a restless night was disturbed at 5.15 a.m. by an icy-blast of small chunks of ice, but the weather remained fine. Breakfast was cooked with cold fingers and delicate balance while the wind howled, making conversation almost impossible. In contrast a beautiful dawn over the western horizon of snow-capped peaks passed almost unnoticed. As the route above could not be identified, Dave Nicholls and Pat Parsons left for a reconnaissance at 7.00 a.m. while the other two burrowed deeper into their bags. An awkward and very exposed traverse below the steep granite cliffs was followed. Feet stuck out precariously over the 5000 ft drop. Disaster almost struck when one of Dave Nicholl's crampon posts snapped off. A fail would have left him dangling, admiring the view, under the overhangs below. Above, a steep ice-gully was negotiated after a quick repair with string to the damaged crampon. A shout of delight in icated an exit up a ramp above a snowfield had been sighted.

The pair gingerly returned to the bivouac ledges and kicked their slumbering comrades into action. The wind was still howling and the equivalent air temperature was about —25 °C. The four moved across the traverse, up the awkward gully and easily across the snowfield to the ramp.

The ramp slowed the proceedings as it was more difficult than expected, containing iron-hard ice. Heads throbbed, chests heaved, throats gasped and calf muscles ached while climbing the four rope- lengths of steep shining ice. Three rope-lengths followed to the sunlit and knife-edged north ridge just below the summit.

The summit of Phabrang was achieved at 4.30 p.m. on 28 September. Inevitably the most breath-taking view of endless mountain peaks stretching away in a clear blue sky to the east, north and west was witnessed. Spirits were sky high. A two-and-a-half-year ambition had been achieved, after a struggle. Four friends, all Royal Marine Mountain Leaders, stood proudly together on the 20,250 ft summit of Phabrang, forgetting for a moment their insecure position.

However, minds were soon concentrated towards descent by the sinking sun. Time was late, so a third bivouac position had to be established just below the summit. A comfortable ledge was hacked out of the snow on the southwest ridge. The fourth day on the mountain involved an easy descent to the col half way down the south ridge. A roped descent down the 2500 ft south face and a gentle walk to the snow saddle at the south of the mountain. Here the NW team spent their fourth and final bivouac in their company. The south face team climbed the previously descended route the next day to a bivouac on the col and then reached the top of Phabrang on 30 September.1

The expedition regrouped at base camp and returned to civilization with that strange feeling of sadness for Garry at the loss of a good friend but yet satisfaction of having achieved the main objective and having enjoyed a great experience.

Footnote

  1. For previous attempts on Phabrang see H.J. XXXIII, p. 149, H.J. 36, Illustrated Note 8.—Ed.

 

North Face of Phabrang---- 1: North ridge, 2: NW face. 3: South Face. A: Summit. B: Col. O: Bivouac, X: Accident.

North Face of Phabrang---- 1: North ridge, 2: NW face. 3: South Face. A: Summit. B: Col. O: Bivouac, X: Accident. (Photo: D. Nicholls)

 

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