The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-10-06
CLIMBERS AGAIN BEATEN
BY MASSIVE EVEREST
Expedition Finds Huge Precipices
Guard Heretofore UnexplOred En-
frances to Defiant Mountain


frances to Defiant Mountain
(For years scientists have been en-
deavoring to reach the top of Mt Ev-
crest in Asia, and following is the
latest story about IT'D
Another disappointment has befal-
len the Mount Everest expedition
The examination of the eastern ap-
proaches to the mountain has revealed
that it is guarded on that side, as on
its north and northwest sides, by
huge precipices, and the climbers of
the party have pronounced that there
lis no possible means of ascending
Everest in that direction.
They did not, however, abandon
their efforts, and when Colonel How
ard-Bury sent the following dispatch
from Kharta on Aug. II, Messrs. Bull
lock, Mallory and Morshead were en-
deavoring to trace a glacier river to
its source, doubtless in the hope that
it might reveal a practicable means
of ascending the mountain.
COLONEL HOWARD-BURY in Lon
don Times.
Kharta, Aug. 17.-Having moved to
Kharta from Tingri toward the end
of July, our work was now to investi-
gate and map the eastern valleys and
the approach to Everest.
Kharta, as far as we could make
out, is about 20 miles east of Everest,
but the information the people of the
place could give as to the best means
of approach was of the vaguest. They
agreed, however, that after crossing
some passes we should get into val
ley leading right to the mountain.
Mr. Bullock and Mr.. Mallory left
on August 2 to try this way, and I
followed in their tracks couple of
days later The path we followed
went up the Khartatsangpo valley
about seven miles. 1t has big gla-
cier river, about whose head waters
I could get no information. There
were many prosperous-looking vii
lagos and monasteries.
The first few miIes up the valley
we were surrounded by broad fields of
barley growing quite three feet, far
the best crops yet come across in
Tibet. One monastery, called Camden
Chhoefel, hidden among groves of an
cient gnarled juniper trees, seemed
exceptionally neat and we'll kept, so
1 promised myself to visit it later.
Soon after passing the monastery
we left the. main stream and struck
up side valley, where we camped the
night at 10000 ft among the highest
rhododendrons. Opposite was gla-
cier coming down from rocky peak.
The following morning, after a
steep ascent and passing turquoise
blue lake, we reached the summit of
Langmala, $4,000 it. All the Tibetan
coolies complained of headaches. The
climb was very steep, and they were
not in the best training.
The view from the pass was most
extensive with fine prospect east
wards far beyond the Arun valley to
distant snow ranges. Our immediate
prospect to the West was, however,
the most interesting and also the
most tantalizing, as clouds came
down low, covering up everything
above $4,000 ft.
Thus we were prevented from rec
ognizing the highest mountains. Be-
low the clouds, however, was won
derful panorama; three great glaciers,
each many miles long, swept down
majestically in grand curves almost
meeting 1000 fit below our feet.
One glacier came from Everest itself,
another from Makalu (28,800 ft.) the
third from high peaks to the north
east of Everest.
After passing another charming
turquoise lake, called Shurimtso, we
descended over pleasant grassy up
lands, covered with gentians and
mauve asters, for about 5000 feet.
Finding a shepherd camped on a shell
tered terrace some thousand feet
above the valley, we decided to pitch
our tents close to him, as fuel and
water were plentiful and we should
also get the benefit of fresh milk and
butter from him.
Towards evening the mists lifted,
giving wonderful and enhancing
glimpses of immense snowy peaks
towering to an incredible height.
That night there was slight frost, and
the morning broke absolutely cloud
less.
Never shall we forget the beauty of
that sunrise on the marvellous cliffs
of Makalu, which, not four miles
away, lowered some 1000 feet above
us. or the first rosy hue on the more
icto tat;,.inn Of Euaract