The New York herald., 1921-05-01
Ready to Climb Mount Everest
Members of Expedition Explain Plans of Organization
and the Difficulties to Be Overcome.

do not think anybody can live at such
enormous elevations for such long time
as would be necessary. i was privil-
eyed last year, by very kind permis-
sion of the authorities OF India and
Nepal. to make a reconnaissance OF
Kangchenjunga. and I think in studying
passages and probable conditions we can,
to a large extent, depend upon analogy.
Great snow mountains are great snow
mountains the world over.
These two great consultations OF
peaks. Everest and Kangchenjunga, at
no great distance apart. are separated
by an enormous river valley. the Arun.
but probably conditions are very much
the same. I think 1t very unfortunate
indeed that for political reasons alone
we are precluded from taking the easi-
est route from the south. We must find
some sheltered face route and believe
that the northeast will be the most IA
vorable. for this reason: that the north
west is probably much sleeper and It
has the cold aspect. Now altitude and
cold are the two great things we have
to struggle against. II we can get on
the northeastern side we shall be much
more likely to have sun early In the
morning. As regards the actual noun
taineering. everything will depend upon
the training of the coolies, for I do not
believe that Europeans can carry at
these heights. Above $1,000 feet one has
to have really well trained and young,
active men and support them in every
way"
G. +. Meade. member Of the commit
tee on stores and equipment, said that
he considered the most important enemy
to be combated was the sun:
The sun at high attitudes Is a very
formidable enemy indeed To cope with
this we are having sunproof material
to put over the tents. and we are using
Whymper tents, with double fly which
have been proved to be the best tent
for high attitudes. Another great diff
Guilty Is that at the same time you are
suffering, as 1t were, from chronic sun
stroke you are undergoing danger Of
frostbite, and the boots. therefore, are
by no means tho least important item
In the equipment The pattern Of ski
boot Is the best. as it gives plenty Of
room for the feet and for circulation.
Covers are used over the boots to pre-
vent them from coming into direct con-
tact with the snow.
"One of the most encouraging pieces
OF news is the account Of Captain Mors-
head and DR.. Kellas, who reached the
saddle of 23.500 feet on Kamet this year
without any suffering whatever and with
normal appetites and pulses. The Bho-
tias are certainly some OF the finest
climbing material in the world. Unfor-
tunately they are not Buddhists but
very strict Hindus and are limited by
their religious prejudices about diet
which makes them difficult to cater for
on the mountain. The question of food
for the coolies Is very important In
valid diet is the best way to feed them !;
diet suitable for convalescence. nour-
ishing and appetizing."
George Finch, member Of the climbing
committee. said that ION this expedition
remarkable difficulties are not likely to
be met with below 10000 feet. The
ascent. however, of the remaining 5000
feet to the summit OF Everest will. IL at
all, be carried out In ten days or even
less, and It seems to me those days will
be replete with concentrated effort and
strain such as no other expedition has
ever demanded. do not fear our in
ability to piece out an ultimate route
up the mountain. The question is
yU1n hat har 4hA
follow the route selected to the summit.
On mountain OF such an enormous
scale we shall be able to avoid difficult
rock climbing. But / think every one
OF us will have to call up all he ever
knew about snow conditions
These, to my mind, will prove one OF
our main difficulties / do not mean we
need fear avalanches coming down on
US. for no good mountaineer recklessly
ventures in their path. The great dan
ger will be that at attitudes such as we
hope to reach we may meet with con-
ditions of snow such as none OF us have
ever seen. Of such dry and powdery
nature that all our previous experience
OF the angle at which snow may be
s~oSN'faSo' oAhi 1888 SipSStu uidSOnally,
may go for nothing AS to the question
of altitude. Mr.. Meade actually camped
at 23,60O.
DIR. Kellas has recently carried out a.
valuable series of temperature obserya-
tons at attitudes varying from $4,000
to $4,000 feet. BY a process. of extra
polation one can calculate from these
data that temperatures OF so degrees
Fahrenheit are quite likely. indeed
highly probable, on the summit of Mount
Everest. In other words. the cold on
this expedition will in all probability
be arctic In its intensity. That in Itself
may not at first be considered a very
serious matter. but II must be borne in
mind that at high attitudes which must
be attained tho rate of evaporation of
moisture and the loss OF heat from the
human body will be far greater than
at sea level One other question, and
one which. as far as am aware, was
first recognized by Mr.. Meade, is of
great Importance. and that is the effect
OF the exposure OF the body to ultravio-
let light. At high attitudes there ars
large quantities of ultraviolet light not
kept back by the atmosphere. At low
sea level we are protected. Ultraviolet
rnys Infringing upon the skIp 1itaraft,,