원정 개요

Translated by Google from web site:

www.gianniroghi.it/Testi/l'europeo/5902%20.htm

The second valley was explored by the expedition that dell'Imja Khola, the river that flows from the huge glacier. It extends south to reach the foot of Everest and Lhotse. The convoy went up to the full, bypassing pinnacles of ice about eighty feet high. RNAi has been so far no one was on its upper basin, where glaciers flow into other minor stemming from the group of Lhotse which consists of three peaks joined by a long crust. Now the six men were divided: Pirovano and Cunningham, with some Sherpa, went up against a "seven thousand" of great name, Chopulu: Gregory, Ghiglione, Cook and Levene, with other carriers, they headed instead to the conquest of Island Peak. Alfred Gregory was busy shooting a film, and could not offer help to the consortium of Pirovano. A pity, because it would be enough support to allow a minimum of one of the first conquest of the highest peaks across the Himalayas.

Pirovano and Cunningham, with three Sherpas of Commons, through hard work the complicated Lhotse Shar Glacier. The weather turned for the worse on the very day on which attacked the ice wall that goes up the hill north of Chopulu. Heavy snowfall and the immense icy chute a mile high around became prohibitive. Pirovano forced the situation ("I have done things far beyond prudence," he says) and managed on a day to reach the hill, at 6300 meters. The next morning it snowed again. Always in the lead, Pirovano off again. The young Cunningham followed him willingly, with courage, but was no match to give him the change. The Italian-led steps carved into the ice, between six and seven thousand feet, for two days, almost without interruption. They went along the ridge, steep and treacherous for large frames hanging in the void. Some overcame the above, others below, to the wire on the brink of two thousand meters above the Barun glacier. In the early afternoon, the storm broke, but still advanced Pirovano and the summit of Chopulu at 7020 meters, was drawing closer. They arrived in 6900 meters, maybe more. The last part was entirely visible and did not present difficulties, but now the monsoon increased in strength every minute. Glasses covered with snow, his face caked with ice, Pirovano turned and said to his companion: "At the top we get there. But we will not return." Cunningham answered only: "Let's go." The descent was dramatic, however, without incident. The storm continued for days, threatened to tear the tent that the two men with nails anchored to the rock in different camps, and eventually covered the mountain with a mantle of fresh snow so often to take away all hope for another attempt. "If we had a field equipped higher," said Pirovano, "we could very well touch the top and down time. In only two is madness groped a "seven thousand" Himalaya ".

The two groups found themselves on the glacier of the postage dell'Imja.

Gregory and Ghiglione, in six hours of climbing, had taken over the white top of Island Peak. What remains now is to tackle the third valley, the further south, Hongu Mera. Pirovano and Cunningham, from the Chopulu, had looked long: a peak above it soared the Ama Dablam, the vertiginous pyramid of ice and granite, "Matterhorn of the Himalayas", which would be their next opponent.