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| From the archive, 21 May 1963: Editorial: Everest by the West Ridge | From the archive, 21 May 1963: Editorial: Everest by the West Ridge |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The American ascent of Everest by the West Ridge wholly deserves the comment made by Charles Wylie, a member of the 1953 British expedition - " the most remarkable feat I have heard of in high-altitude mountaineering." It was remarkable in three respects. The American pair, Unsoeld and Hornbeim, achieved a major climb by what was undoubtedly a very difficult route which no previous party had explored at all. In 1953, the British party stood on the shoulders of the Swiss party of 1952, and the Swiss to some extent on Shipton's reconnaissance of the Khumbu Icefall in 1951. The Americans were on virgin ground for more than 9,000 feet. Second, these two made the first traverse of a great Himalayan peak, ascending on one side and descending another. Third, two American parties reached the summit on one day by different routes. A wonderful day! | The American ascent of Everest by the West Ridge wholly deserves the comment made by Charles Wylie, a member of the 1953 British expedition - " the most remarkable feat I have heard of in high-altitude mountaineering." It was remarkable in three respects. The American pair, Unsoeld and Hornbeim, achieved a major climb by what was undoubtedly a very difficult route which no previous party had explored at all. In 1953, the British party stood on the shoulders of the Swiss party of 1952, and the Swiss to some extent on Shipton's reconnaissance of the Khumbu Icefall in 1951. The Americans were on virgin ground for more than 9,000 feet. Second, these two made the first traverse of a great Himalayan peak, ascending on one side and descending another. Third, two American parties reached the summit on one day by different routes. A wonderful day! |
| It is not surprising that the West Ridge has hardly been considered in the past. It requires a longer high-level effort than any other approach. From the South Col, the rise is about 3,000 feet in one mile; from the North Col, the jumping-off point of the pre-war British parties and of the Chinese, it is 6,000 feet in two miles; from the Khumbu La, where the West Ridge begins, more than 9,000 feet in more than three miles. The middle section of the ridge seems to be gently inclined, but the upper part to be rocky and steep. (The climbers ran out of pitons.) Ever since the Nepal approach was open, climbers have concentrated on the Khumbu icefall and the South Col. Yet, oddly enough, the Khumbu La was the first of the possible jumping-off places reached by man. Mallory got there in the first reconnaissance in 1921, but in thick mist, and could see nothing beyond. From lower down, he had enjoyed good views of the North Ridge, and its obvious approach attracted all subsequent parties on that side. If he had reached the pass on a clear day, would the West Ridge have received earlier attention? In 1955 a party led by Norman Dyhrenfurth, leader of this year's expedition, reached the Khumbu La from the south side. The idea of a West Ridge route may have sprung from that visit. | It is not surprising that the West Ridge has hardly been considered in the past. It requires a longer high-level effort than any other approach. From the South Col, the rise is about 3,000 feet in one mile; from the North Col, the jumping-off point of the pre-war British parties and of the Chinese, it is 6,000 feet in two miles; from the Khumbu La, where the West Ridge begins, more than 9,000 feet in more than three miles. The middle section of the ridge seems to be gently inclined, but the upper part to be rocky and steep. (The climbers ran out of pitons.) Ever since the Nepal approach was open, climbers have concentrated on the Khumbu icefall and the South Col. Yet, oddly enough, the Khumbu La was the first of the possible jumping-off places reached by man. Mallory got there in the first reconnaissance in 1921, but in thick mist, and could see nothing beyond. From lower down, he had enjoyed good views of the North Ridge, and its obvious approach attracted all subsequent parties on that side. If he had reached the pass on a clear day, would the West Ridge have received earlier attention? In 1955 a party led by Norman Dyhrenfurth, leader of this year's expedition, reached the Khumbu La from the south side. The idea of a West Ridge route may have sprung from that visit. |
| No more has been heard of the original American objective, which was to climb the three great peaks, Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse, in one visit. Probably this ambitious plan was dropped when the fresher and even more exciting prospect of the West Ridge opened up. If so, the party made the right choice, and its enterprise had the happiest of endings. Clearly it was hoped that the two parties would meet on the top. But Unsoeld and Hornbeim took so long on the climb that their colleagues, thinking that they were not coming, began to descend. On their way down, they saw the others on the mountain behind them, and with heart-warming promptitude turned back to join them; and they all spent the night together, at 28,000 feet, without sleeping bags or oxygen or tent. They are all safely off the mountain now. A very wonderful day! /> />More articles like this can be found in the Guardian Book of Mountains. |