EXERCISE SASER VENTURE, 1987

An expedition to Saser Kangri

COLONEL IVAR HELLBERG

SASER KANGRI literally means the 'Yellow Mountain' and it derives its name from the bright yellow granite rock which can clearly be seen on the summit ridges. The Survey of India lists the mountain as K22 at 7672 m. The mountain is situated in the Eastern Karakoram range. It is the highest peak amongst a group of 7000 m peaks which constitute the Saser range. This range is bounded by the Nubra river to the west and the Shyok river to the east and south. The mountain itself is surrounded by seven main glaciers and defended by precipitous rock and ice-faces. The area is particularly rugged and has developed a culture of its own as a result of being cut off from the rest of the world for most of the year by high passes and heavy snowfalls. Early reconnaissance expeditions considered the peak to be impregnable.

The first person to have recorded the mountain was Arthur Neve who, in 1899, climbed a peak near Panamik and photographed the Saser range. Dr Tom Longstaff led an expedition to the area in 19.09 and reached a height of 5486 m on the Phukpoche glacier to the west of Saser I. He recorded the difficulties of a western approach in an article for the Geographical Journal published in June 1910. Other visitors to the area were the Vissers who mapped the area in 1922 and Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Roberts, who made the first attempf on the mountain in 1946. Although unsuccessful, Jimmy Roberts' thorough reconnaissance of the western approaches, added, immeasurably to our knowledge of the mountain. Another attempt from the west was made by an Indian team led by Major N. D. Jayal. This team counted no less than 20 avalanches hurtling down the west face of Saser I in one day (14 June 1956). Again they could find no way up. Another Indian expedition in 1970 attempted the west side of Saser I. It was led by the late Major Harsh Bahuguna, who, with Captain Alok Chandola directed this main effort towards an approach via the North Phukpoche glacier and up the northwest ridge of Saser IV (7416 m). Again the sustained difficulty of the route turned them back reaching a high point of approximately 6600 m. No other serious attempt was made from the west and attention was drawn to an easterly approach (advocated by Jimmy Roberts). In 1973, the mountain was at last climbed from the east by a team led by Commander Joginder Singh after an epic approach march via the Shyok river from the east and the North Kunchang glacier.1 The western side of the mountain remained unvanquished.

The route to Base Camp

We were much delayed from leaving Leh at the start of the expedition by heavy snowfalls on the Khardung la which prevented any movement north into the Nubra valley. The valley base was established at Panamik (3200 m) in the Nubra. The route to base camp followed the line of the precipitous gorge of the turbulent Phukpoche nala. The intention had been to use a large number of locally recruited porters to help shift the 30 odd tons of expedition supplies and equipment over the two day march from Panamik to base camp. However very few porters could be recruited from amongst the local people as most of the able-bodied men were ploughing the fields with oxen and planting seed. The consequence of this was that, for the most part, expedition climbers had to carry 20 kg loads everyday for about 2 weeks (oneday'srestinthree). This caused a good deal of anguish for some who felt that they were expending needless energy and wearing themselves out for the climb. In reality they were undergoing rigorous acclimatization! The nala was a magnificent route, secured by ropes in the more dangerous places, leading to an intermediate camp established on uncomfortable boulders at 4270 m. Base camp was only another 3 hours march beyond this camp and as people acclimatized it was possible to make the whole journey from Panamik to base camp in one day. Base camp was. fully operational by 11 May and by this time the Indian team members had miraculously grown from 19 to 36 in number! It was also readily apparent to the relatively inexperienced British team that their Indian collegues were both super-fit and extremely experienced Himalayan mountaineers with anything up to 12 major expeditions to their credit. With only a few minor exceptions, the Indians came from hill regiments — Gurkhas, Dogras, Garhwalis etc. — and therefore had been born at altitudes of at least 3000 m which had the effect of giving them miraculous speed in the mountains causing both admiration, incredulity and depression amongst the British team!

Reconnaisance

On 12 May I departed for a recce of the mountain with Captain Steve Bell and Rana. We made the recce on skis with a view to determine the best route onto Saser IV and also to find a suitable place for advance base camp. The skis worked well in the deep fresh snows which exist early in the year. The recce confirmed that the SW ridge of Saser Kangri IV was a feasible if somewhat difficult route. However it failed to confirm whether it was possible to get onto the NW ridge from the direction of the North Phukpoche glacier. Clearly this route needed to be explored.further from the northerly glaciers as once onto the NW ridge, which started at a huge 'notch' on the col, the route looked good. It was decided to despatch a team to the North Phukpoche for a proper recce whilst a concerted start was made on the SW ridge. The start of the SW ridge was gained by 300 m of 70°ice-climbing on which fixed rope was installed. Morale was shattered when the Indian deputy leader Major Gash Gill and Steve Bell jumared up to the start of the ridge in a state of considerable exhaustion where they found the legendary N. D. Sherpa eating his lunch in a very relaxed mood having walked up from the other side, in mukluks !

 

Saser Kangri V

The northern team was led by Major Kit Spencer, the British deputy leader, and as with all teams on the mountain, was of a joint Indian-British composition. They set up their own advanced base camp at 5790 m at the head of the North Phukpoche glacier under another significant peak of 6640 m which was named 'Saser Kangri V. Fixed rope was put in place up a steep snowfield which led onto a col under Saser V where C3 was established. On 31 May the summit of Saser V was conquered by Kit Spencer with Surgeon Lieutenant Andy Hughes together with Lobsang and Mahavir. However the summit party reported back that the route to the NW ridge of Saser IV would be long and difficult and definitely not such a favourable proposition as the SW ridge.

On 2 June Captain Ashok Abhey of the Indian Army became critically ill with pulmonary oedema and nearly died at C3. Ashok was carefully lowered on a stretcher down 600 m of /ixed rope by Kit Spencer's joint team with Andy Hughes (the team's doctor) in close attendance administering life-saving oxygen. It was fortunate that Sgt Pete Kay, Royal Marines, had noticed the condition of his team mate as early as he did whilst in his sleeping bag early that morning. Ashok was delirious" and almost comatose at times. The speedy action of the team in getting Ashok off the mountain undoubtedly saved his life. The final evacuation was completed by a very skilful piece of flying by an Indian Army pilot on board a Cheetah (supercharged Alouette) helicopter which landed in cross winds in appalling visibility at 5800 m on the North Phukpoche glacier — a very notable achievement. This episode concluded the activities of Kits' team on the northern side of the mountain.

On the 10 June I returned to advanced base camp (north) with a selected team of some of the rather less experienced mountaineers and after an initial abortive attempt where I got benighted in the broken tents of C3 in a blizzard with Captain Sarah Dennis and Lieutenant Lincoln Rowe (our artist), I succeeded in making the summit of Saser V with Sarah at 1300 hours on 15 June after a most enjoyable climb. The weather, although rather blustery and cloudy, cleared to allow us to get good views from the summit. We arrived back at advanced base camp (north) at 1800 hours after a 14 hour climb. Sarah was, as far as we know, the first Service lady to have climbed a Himalayan peak above 6000 m.

The main assault

Early progress on the southern side of the mountain was good, although the scale and technical difficulty of the climb was daunting. C3 (6800 m) was established on the top of the SW shoulder of Saser IV on 23 May above 1000 m of very steep snow and ice climbing culminating in a gripping (and loose) rock band before safety could be found. On 6 June success was achieved on Saser IV (7410 m) when Captain Martin Bazire, RAOC, and Sergeant Dave Howie, RAF, reached the virgin summit followed by Nk Sub Thakur Dass, Hav Devi Singh and Nk Lait Kumar who reached the top about an hour later. The following day Staff Sergeant Dave Orange. Gunner Dave Torrington and Captain Jo Dhillon also reached the summit.

At the same time the route along the difficult and exposed NW ridge of Saser I was fixed by Magan Bissa's team of four Indian supermen. Magan was unusual in so much that he came from the Indian plains rather than .the Himalayan massif. It was a fantastic effort-which we watched through the Zeiss telescope with fascination, sadly the weather prevented them from going any further than the south summit of Saser I at about 7620 m. All seemed set for successful assaults on the main summit in the ensuing day. On 8 June N D Sherpa with Sonam, Dorgeh and IB made a determined- bid for the summit but were again defeated by the weather after having reached the south summit at 1000 hours. The weather pattern began to change for the worse and some of the worst continuous weather I have seen in the mountains prevented any further attempts for 16 days. Three times teams returned to C3 only to be driven back down the mountain in the face of high winds, blizzards and low temperatures.

It seemed that the Yellow Goddess of the Eastern Karakoram was calling on the weather god to come to her aid as every day the clouds and wind came racing-in to her protection. Time was running out for the British team who had a plane to catch at Delhi to return to the UK. On 22 June I accompanied the last of the British team down from advanced base camp believing that the weather would never change. Steve Bell and Simon Lowe arrived back at Panamik tired and dejected knowing that this last chance for the summit had finally gone. However the Indian team with Colonel Darshan Khullar decided to hold-out for just a few more days as they did not have the same deadline as us.

On 24 June the weather cleared again and allowed Lobsang's team to return to C3. On 25 June the weather was perfect and by 0400 hours Lobsang and his team of L/Nk Cherring Sonam, L/Nk Tashi Wangdus, L/Nk P L Angchuk, Hav Devi Singh, Hav Tashi, and Hav Umed Singh started to re-open the route up the NW ridge of Saser I, forcing their way through very deep snow and with great difficulty digging-out the fixed rope which was frozen under up, to 2 m of fresh snow. At approximately 1000 hours Lobsang and his team reached the south summit of Saser I and by 1040 hours they stood on the summit having conquered the western approach for the first time. At the same time that Lobsang and his team were forging up the western ridge another drama was unfolding. The back-up team consisting of N. D. Sherpa, Magan Bissa and Sonam who were positioned at advanced base asked permission to tackle Saser IV direct — a very daring and challenging enterprise which was only possible because of the colossal strength of these three climbers. Permission was granted and by 0900 hours these men reached the col between Saser IV and Saser I. After a short pause they asked permission to have a crack at Saser I rather than Saser IV and once again this was agreed. They then shot up the tracks of Lobsang *s group at an unbelievable speed considering the height, the wind and the absence of oxygen. They reached the summit of Saser I at approximately 1230 hours having covered a distance of about 5 km and gained a height of over 1830 m in 9&frac; hours and returned to a triumphant welcome at Cl before dark. This must surely be a Himalayan record — as a European I am left in awe and wonderment at the povyer of these mountain people. They have slender frames and meagre rations and yet they have seemingly endless power of speed and endurance.

Logistic planning

Any expedition of this magnitude is a very major administrative and logistic endeavour. The overall cost of the expedition for the British team was approximately £ 48,000 with the Indian Army matching this figure in cost and in kind. The basis of the joint agreement was that the British team would provide all the climbing equipment and clothing for both teams including high altitude rations, whilst the Indians provided for all in — country costs including transportation, accommodation and messing up to Cl. The arrangement was carefully worked out during a liaison visit to Delhi in January 1987 which proved to be vital to the success of the whole operation. The first benefit of this most fruitful liaison was that we passed through Delhi customs with all our 9000 kg of freight at the speed of light (normally an unheard of experience !) Within two days of arriving in Delhi on 4 April, all the equipment and stores had been sorted and we were airborne at Leh aboard an enormous Ilyushin 76 military transport plane.

In addition to the various studies we engaged the services of artists Lincoln Rowe, who was selected from quite a long list of aspirant painters. Because we were a service expedition and were visiting an Indian restricted area we 'recruited' him into the army as 2nd Lieutenant Lincoln Rowe in the record time of 3 days ! I will never forget Lincoln arriving at Buller Barracks with a short hair cut-and shaved beard only to be respectfully introduced to the art of 'drill' in the personal hands of the regimental Sergeant Major ! Lincoln did a magnificent job in recording the beauty of Ladakh in pastel paintings and sketches.

The expedition was a wonderful opportunity to meet the patient and gracious people of Ladakh with their timeless culture, Buddhist philosophy and generous and cheerful outlook to life. Their life was a hard one eked out of the cold and unforgiving soil with adze and oxen, it was a medieval scene with no sign of mechanisation. What they had they shared without complaint, they expected nothing inj-eturn except friendship. They were a very honest people who strongly adhered to the spirit and strengths of family life. Pressures of time had not reached them and watches and clocks seemed irrelevant. It was a refreshing lesson to those of us who had forgotten, or never known the joy of bowing to the force of nature and occasionally stopping to consider the beauty of the whole of God's creation.

The wildlife of the region was more prolific than I expected bearing in mind the barren desolation of a huge region with very little rainfall (50 mm - 2" per annum in the Nubra). Of particular note were the bharal (Blue Sheep) which seemed to be neither goat nor sheep but somewhere inbetween. The large wolves of the area hunting, not in packs, but in ones and twos, leaving huge paw marks the size of a tennis ball will not be forgotten. I had to admire the mighty birds of prey, the Lammergeir and the Himalayan Golden Eagle that take residence in the precipitous cliffs in the area. However, without doubt, the most lasting memory, was the excitement of seeing and photographing the magnificent Snow Leopard. A privilege none of us will ever forget.

Nocturia at altitude: A medical report :
(by Captain Sarah Dennis, RAMC)

The idea for this study came from an earlier expedition during which I noticed, subjectively, that getting up to pass urine at night (nocturia) seemed to occur more commonly at altitude than at sea level.

Method

Team members were asked each day whether they had woken to pass urine in the night. Urine passed before going to sleep and on waking first thing in the morning was not counted. Passing urine in combination with diarrhoea during the night was also not counted.

Results

The possible explanations for the apparent increase in the incidence of nocturia with increasing altitude are many.

(a) Fluid redistribution as part of acclimatization. This was the theory put forward by Dr Charles Clarke of the Mountain Medicine Data Centre, London (Personal correspondence).

(b) Altered drinking habits. Mornings at altitude are usually spent carrying loads which means that most of one's fluid intake does not occur until the afternoon and evening which would result in a correspondingly later diuresis. A hot drink last thing at night is usual on expeditions and can be assumed to cause nocturia at altitude as it does at sea level. In addition, every mountaineer knows that dehydration can lead to altitude sickness and it is possible that people are actually drinking more than they need to keep symptoms at bay. However, none of these explain the continued use in the incidence of nocturia above base camp after which one's intake follows a reasonably set daily pattern, the biggest variable being altitude.

 

(c) Altered sleep patterns. Long hours are spent in bed at night but sleeping is lighter and waking is common. It is difficult to know if people wake because of the urge to pass urine or pass urine as an automatic response to waking. However, the fact that good volumes of urine are passed each time (subjective assessment) would support the former.

(d) Cold diuresis. Good equipment meant that we rarely felt cold at night, once inside our sleeping bags.

(e) Alcohol. Evening alcohol was blamed by many of the team for the nocturia experienced at sea level and the lower altitudes, which is the only time it was available in any quantity.

Conclusion

Although not yet subjected to detailed statistic analysis the data collected on the expedition seems to show that the incidence of nocturia rose with increasing altitude. A number of factors may be contributory as discussed above.

The joint Indo-British armies expedition was led by Colonel D.K. Khullar and Colonel Ivar Hellberg. They made the first ascent of Saser Kangri IV (7416 m) and 'Saser Kangri V (6640 m). Saser Kangri I (7672 m) was climbed from the western approaches for the first time. Overall the third ascent of the peak.

 

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