원정 개요

Ron Rutland - 19 Nov 79

BC below Bonington BC at about 12,500 feet - then went past point 12,430 on Harka Gurung map.

All 6 went to C3 on 22 Oct and after that all moved up together and used bivs only after that. 4 reached 22,000 feet on 1 Nov (Whitham dropped out to BC because not acclimatizatizing [and Deakin dropped out earlier for same reason]). At 22,000 feet bivs = snowholes - progress slow because snow conditions bad didn't have enough food for 4 to summit, so on 1 Nov two strongest stayed up and Ron Rutland and Penman went down to C3.

Linda Rutland and Whittock rested at 22,000 feet to rest and acclimatize one day. Moved off on up on 3rd - biv 100 feet from summit on 5th (didn't realise were so close as was dark when stopped climbing). Arrived C3 10 Nov: slow descent because wind blew snow into snowholes and obliterated track. No fixed ropes on this high section of mountain and not eating well because no appetizing food with summiters.

Route not SE Ridge (with Peter's accident ,delayed a week waiting for his helicopter); actually on SW Face to NW Ridge because of this time loss because by 1st week of November had to be on summit and SE Ridge much longer route. In fact later stage of climb saw avalanche come down ridge so wasn't as safe as imagined. Ridge also averted by Americans last year as too problematical for small expedition.

At first tried to go through glacier above point 12,430 but huge crevasses required ladders expedition didn't have; switched to a rock buttress on SW Face which Americans climbed and used same of their ropes above C3 at 19,000 feet.

After rock buttress, Americans and British diverged (at about 20,000 feet); British went straight onto West Ridge while Americans went off right up a couloir onto ridge for the night, more directly closer to summit.

Summiters both have frost-nipped toes from biv of 5th night; nothing to eat and drink then having left equipment at previous biv at top of col at 23,000 feet at start of ridge having emerged from face.


Ron Rutland - 4 Oct 79

BC about 14,000 feet (with LO lower probably), maybe really just dump. Maybe ABC with tents or snowholes, no idea how high really but guess around 20,000 feet.

Want to back end Nov in KTM so no more then 5 weeks on mountain.
No Sherpas on mountain; one at LO's base only.
Route = SE Ridge from west side of ridge; approach march via Modi Khola to Annapurna Sanctuary.


Melling - 2 Oct 79

Route= SE Ridge from west side of ridge.
Approach route up Modi Khola into Sanctuary.

3 members leave 4th and rest on 7th by bus to Pokhara. 1st party will go ahead and make BC.

BC site and altitude not decided but probably on East Annapurna glacier.
No fixed camps, no Sherpas, no oxygen; a few fixed ropes perhaps, depend on what we came across.

3-4 weeks on the mountain, but this too depends on what we find.