The New York herald., 1921-11-20
Heavy Falls of Snow
Hamper Further Exploration

The approach up the eastern branch OF the
Rongbuk glacier to the col Everest ap-
peared practicable, but very long, but be-
fore it was possible to make any genuine
attempt 10 penetrate this valley the
weather broke and heavy falls of snow
down as low as 5000 feet made further
work impossible.
After waiting for few days, hoping that
the weather would improve, the Alpine
climbers came down and Joined the base at
Choebuk, as il was being moved on its way
round TO Kharta, which is situated to the
east of Everest on the next big glacier
stream.
From here il was possible to investigate
the eastern and northeastern faces of Ever
est. The only approach to Everest known
to the local inhabitants was that from the
neighboring valley of Kamachu, or, as IT
is called higher up, Shinchu. They knew
of no approach directly up the Kharta Val
ley. and, indeed, they themselves never
went up there as the shepherds who Craze
yaks on its alps in the summer do not be
long to them, but are nomads, living near
Shekar Dzong during the winter.
Kamachu is a most beautiful valley, and
afforded a magnificent and easy approach
enormous precipices of Makalu, the north
ern peak. After short visit however,
to this valley. and a careful examination
of the eastern face and the great southeast
ern ridge of Everest. the climbers found no
possible means of getting up the formida-
BILE cliffs which surrounded the Kamgshung
glacier. or the ice cliffs overhanging them.
The northern ridge sweeping down to the
north col is unapproachable from this val
ley. but they saw that there must be an
other, intermediate. valley between the
north ridge and the northeast spur, so they
crossed the intervening ridge back again
into the Kharta Valley. and then followed
the Kharta Valley TO its source.
Here Major Morshead Joined the party
and following up the glacier at the head
of the valley they found gentle snow slopes
covered with spotless fresh snow nearly
knee deep. Thereupon they proceeded
with great difficulty over the snow covered
glacier until they reached col nearly
$4,000 feet up looking on to the north ridge
of Everest about mile further on across
another glacier
Having seen that it was possible to reach
the northern ridge Of Everest from this
valley they started to lay plans for the
future attack from this direction. With
soft snow and warm weather II is quite
impossible TO take laden coolies by this
route, so the only thing to do was TO
prepare everything at the base, collect
stores. firewood and rations for coolies,
get these carried up as high as possible.
and then wait till the monsoon conditions
abate and the snow, becoming frozen hard,
enables a further advance
With this end in view an advanced base
camp was established about eighteen miles
up the Kharta Valley at an approximate
height Of 1880 feet, and second camp
was formed on the rocks further up the
glacier just under the 10000 feet mark TO
which thirteen loads Of stores and fuel
we're carried.
From this point arrangements we're at
once made to establish a camp somewhere
between the $4,000 feet and $4,000 feet
levels on the slopes of Everest itself.
The route the only one at all practicable
had been found, Everest. after centuries
was in danger OF losing its secret!
Yes, n way up had been found. On