Expedition Diary1957 – Nepal

Maurice Wilson

April 25

Events are now becoming rather dull.  We did the usual ferry trip from Base to Camp 1, today.  I had about 25 lbs up and found the going a good deal harder.  The snow still covered all the hillside and this slowed us up a bit.  Crosby and George stayed at Camp 1, which leaves Andy and me at Base Camp.  Spent the afternoon sorting out my kit for the coming week.  The overboots are too difficult to get off, so I am trying another pair.
Heavy snow after 4.00pm and into the evening has covered the ground to a depth of 2 inches.  Tonight, I am alone in the large tent.

April 26. Camp 1

A further three inches of snow fell during the night and everywhere was as white as a blanket, this morning.  Did not hurry getting up as we had to do the journey only one way, today.  Andy is busy photographing.
I left about 8.00 a.m.  Felt much more tired today and went slowly.  Waited for Pasang to come back to the couloir after he had dropped off his load, so as to see him across safely.  Returned to Camp 1 after mid-day.  Opened a High Altitude box ready for tomorrow’s splitting of loads and then crawled into the tent.  Rested a long time, but by 4.20 p.m. feel more lively.
Camp 1 is an eerie place.  It is pitched on the very edge of an ice-fall, with its attendant seracs on the one side and precipitous cliffs belching stones on the other.  Indeed, stone falls, crumbling seracs and avalanches provide a constant source of music here.
High Altitude Diet
Breakfast:    Porridge, Ryvita, Butter, Jam, Tea.
Lunch:    Bournvita, Ryvita, Butter, Cheese.
Dinner:    Pemmican, Ryvita, Butter, Jam, Shortbread, Bournvita.

The pemmican, without vegetables, is most unpalatable.  I think of Scott and his men, in the Antarctic, who, poor devils, seemed to subsist on little else.

April 27.  Camp1

We got off to a good start at 6.15 a.m. and, after returning for my snow goggles, soon got up the rock pitch which was sheeted in a film of snow.  On top we roped up and I took the lead, plodding along at my own pace up the glacier.  It is quite a long way, even to Camp 2, but the ice is set at an easy angle and we made it with only one stop.

We found the tents still erected and a note from Crosby to say that he and George were returning for another load.  So we thought we would strike camp for them.  This we did, though the canvas was firmly frozen into the ground in places.  Stones which had been placed on the sides to counter the wind were, also, difficult to dislodge.  Finally, we got packed up and decided to take what we could  up to Camp 3 and hand over to the others as they came down.  In due course, we met George coming down with ‘Myla’ and Mingma.  After a consultation, he decided to continue down for what little distance was left.

Andy and I then trudged on up to Camp 3, Andy taking the lead.  For this, I must confess, I was thankful as the snow was becoming soft.  (Rather surprising, as in the Alps the higher you get the harder the snow.)  It was tiring towards the end,  but we   reached Camp 3 at 11.00 a.m. and delivered the goods.  Crosby was rather surprised, but pleased, to see us.  The wind got up while we were there, so we soon set off down.  Fixed a ‘marker flag’ at the survey point.  Wind intensely cold and I was thankful for my anorak.  Retrieved sweater at Camp 2 and reached Camp 1 in the early afternoon.  Some of the crevasses opening above the ice-fall.  Soup.

Pasang

One of the better known characters about camp is Pasang, nicknamed ‘Solid’.  He was recommended to us in Khatmandu by Ron Barclay.  Quite early it was obvious that he was  a very strong lad.  He carried the
kitchen equipment (heaviest load) all the way up to Base and has stayed on.  To look at he is, as one member put it … ‘ugly’.  Yet, he is always ready, willing and likeable.  He married his brother’s widow.  (If  a married Sherpa dies the obligations and rights of marriage do not come to an end, but pass to the deceased’s younger brother if he is willing to take her on and she to accept.)
Pasang’s main claim to fame, however, is that he has seen a Yeti.  He says he saw it at close quarters.

He describes it as being like a man but hairy, sometimes on all fours, sometimes on two legs.  It has a voice like a man.  He did not see it near Thyangboche.  Four of the other Sherpas have seen footprints, but they say that there are not many Yeti to be seen, now.