Page 12 - 2007/08 AMA Winter

tary and commercial funds for
an attem pt on Everest.
Support for the Philip Green
Memorial Fund, which helps
terminally ill children in Nepal,
provided a worthy cause. The
expedition comprised the summited previously on an same team for Cho Oyu with
day and stay at the many hos­
tels lining the route. Our accli­
matisation plan involves scenery with a sense of ascents of Pokalde (5800m) intrigue and awe. Rapid and Island Peak (6190m) -
these are not without techni­
cal interest and in addition to
enhancing high altitude expe­
rience and providing early
acclimatisation, reduces the
number of potential transits
through the dangerous
Khumbu Icefall. On the 15
April we arrive at Everest
Base Camp at 5200m situat­
ed in close proximity to the
impressive Khumbu Icefall.
After Molly McPherson
impresses the TA with a
dem onstration of Royal
Marines cultural peculiarities
(!) we bid our farewells to the
Development Team who infamous ‘Khumbu cough’ depart to subsequently suc­
cessfully climb Pokalde prior
to returning to the UK.
the addition of Captain Stuart
Macdonald RE, Captain Raj
Joshi RAMC (Expedition
Doctor) and LCpI Trevor
Jackson. The team com­
prised a spectrum of experi­
ence ranging from Stuart RM stepped in to take his Macdonald, an aspirant guide
High altitude climbing is a
long and sometimes painful
apprenticeship that necessi­
tates incremental exposure to
altitude with periods of recov­
ery at lower altitudes prior to
making a bid for the summit.
Our previous acclimatisation scene from ‘Last of the has given us a head start and
with an Alpine record second
to none, to the charismatic RE. Plans were made and
Trevor Jackson; an archetypal ‘strong man on the mountain’
without the burden of any freight we eventually depart-
we opt to miss out Camp 1 (6100m) and move directly to
Summer Wine’ and we descend to lower altitudes to recover. On return, a second
10 ARMY MOUNTAINEER
looking to add a fourth peak to Mont Blanc, Aconcagua and Howgill Fell (the latter is notoriously difficult after a night out in Newcastle!). Overall, six of the team has
and our descent down the Khumbu Icefall resembles the retreat from Moscow! We reach the sanctuary of Base Camp - Everest Is no longer a mountain where only others tread and our first acclimati­ sation cycle Is complete.
8000m peak. A further 16 members of the TA formed a Development Team with the objective of climbing Pokalde (5800m). When the leader had to drop out at short notice Captain ‘Molly’ Macpherson
place with further assistance
from Captain Kirk Wadsworth
l L
On the 28 March we arrive in Kathmandu and fly to Lukla which hosts what is per- haps the world’s most improbable airstrip. From here we trek to Namche Bazar and follow the
T olkienesque m ountain paths that wind through the Khumbu. Yaks are used to transport our heavy equipment whilst we trek all
Trevor Jackson climbing the Geneva Spur.
ed the UK for higher alti­ tudes....
Camp 2 at 6400m. We are in mixed health as we depart Base Camp at 4 o’clock in the morning to enter the complex and imposing maze of the Khumbu Icefall. The aim is to transit through the icefall in its most tranquil state, before the fierce heat accentuates the glaciers natural movement and triggers serac collapse - sadly this is not an exact sci­ ence. Several team members retch in the cold morning air and rib shattering coughing disturbs the morning silence. We weave through the glacial
progress is made and we pass Camp 1 and enter the im pressive am phitheatre of the Westerm Cwm. We reach Camp 2 at 6400m the worse for wear - dehydrated with loss of appetite and sleep is the only demand the body can muster. We remain at Camp 2 for five days and recce the bottom of the steep Lhotse Face - this area is not devoid of objective danger - a Sherpa with another expedi­ tion is killed by falling ice. Half of the team are afflicted by the dehabilitating effects of chest infection and the
Despite
Camp, we still resemble a
resting
at Base