Expedition Diary
1957 Nepal
Maurice Wilson
The previous extract left Maurice searching for a site for camp one.
April 17
Much better night and kept warm throughout. Up at 5.30 a.m. and the usual activity. Left camp at 7.00 a.m. probably carrying about 30 lbs. Went quite well. Crossed the Pass and eventually found the others peering into an enormous snow couloir, the first of three running parallel to each other. I was for taking a low route well below the line of fire, on the glacier. However the general feeling was to cross higher, so we ascended over rather tricky snow. High up on the flank of the gully a rope was fixed as a hand-rail. Two more gullies were crossed before we were able to descend the snow slopes to a reasonable site for camp one. We had some lunch and then set off on the return journey. Having erected the tents, Crosby and Arthur with two Sherpas stayed there the night. It was a bit of a pull coming back in the soft snow, but got back to base about 3.00 p.m. At high altitude, my cold does not bother me but I feel it immediately I get back to a lower level.
April 18
George was to have gone up to Camp One today with Dan, but was too unwell. I too stayed at Base Camp and went up to Base West with Andy to do some plotting. We found certain discrepancies in the position of Base. Andy went down to tell George, who later came up and confirmed the correct position. I tried to work out the height of Base from a known mountain across the valley. I have the angle of elevation, and from it deduced the height of 12,839 feet for Base West. Surely, we are living higher than that! In the evening the Sherpas taught me two of their songs, which I have tried to write down.
April 19 (Good Friday)
George and Andy set out for Camp One this morning in good weather. Both seemed a good deal better. I went up to the top camp and retrieved the various oddments of food lying there, brought it down and made it up into a High Altitude box. It was a day-off for Dan and I and we spent most of it in our tents until Crosby and Arthur arrived from Camp One. They both seemed very pleased with themselves and after some soup we drew up some plans for the future. Put on a good menu for the evening meal pemmican, corned beef and vegetables, jelly, coffee. Unfortunately the jelly had not been allowed to set!
April 20
Up at normal time but with rather more activity. Dan and I with Pemba and Ang Temba left camp at 7.20 a.m. It was a nice morning and we took things leisurely. However I soon found the going hard, although my sack only weighed 28 lbs. Getting up to the highest point on the hump took more energy than ever and I had to stop every few minutes. I must do better than this. The weather deteriorated, clouds came over and it got cold. Arrived at Camp One about 11.30 a.m., having taken more than four hours.
Crawled at once into tent and lay for a long time. Had lunch of pemmican and biscuits. Read a bit, dozed a bit, and then had pemmican again for dinner. Started to snow about 6.00 p.m. My watch is wrong again. Trying to read Van Loon’s ‘Story of Mankind’, but not getting on too well with it.
April 21 (Easter Day)
We were a bit slow off the mark this morning and did not get away until7.20a.m. I roped up in front so that I could go at my own speed. We were soon on to the rock pitch which, in spite of the fixed rope, was a bit awkward near the top when carrying a heavy load. We were then faced with the ice fall which was quite impressive. After crossing one or two snow bridges we landed out on to the broad glacier and the grind was on. I think we stopped twice before reaching Camp Two. To our surprise the tents were still standing, though sleeping bags had been taken. This perplexed us, until Ang Temba suggested that they were probably returning for the lilos and tents. This proved to be the case as George and two Sherpas turned up to collect the tents, paraffin and other gear. It is cold and windy up here. The wind buffets the tent canvas and the sleeve entrance balloons inwards. Wish I had something to read. The boys periodically make mugs of Bournvita and pass some in to us. Small things become important.