The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-01-19
STORMS BALk
ASCENT OF PEAK.
Mountaineers Make Daring Al
tempt to Climb Giant Of
the HimaIayaS.
WILL RENEW ATTACK LATER
British Explorers Get 2t,ooo Feet Ur
Mount kinchinJunsa and Are Com
PEELED to Stop by Bad Weather.
Encounter Difficulties.

Manchester, England.--A Manches.
ter Guardian correspondent at Calcut'
Ia remarks that great interest has
been aroused by an attempt TO climb
Mount Knchinjunga, one of the giants
of the Hlmalayas.
Harold RaeLurn. editor Of Noun.
tainecring Art, and C. G. Crawford OF
the Assam civil seylce, both men,
bers Of the Alpine club, were known
to be conducting preliminary explora.
tons in the hope Of finding an easy
access TO the summit.
More than one skIrmlsh in the
vicinity of Kinchnjunga was made,
though the rains at the time were
heavy and the eyer-shifting ice fields
In the mountains were likely to come
down in terrific nyalanches, making
all climbing impossible without seri-
Gus risk to life.
Their explorations led the climbers
along the course OF the Talung river,
which takes its rise in the Talung
glacier. Here they crossed streams,
the bridges Of which had been washed
away, and passed impenetrable for
ests, through which they had to hew
their way for several days. I'm
daunted by the rainy weather, they
travelled almost straight north to
pamlonghi, across the Giuchu Pass,
16.430 feet, to the TaIung glacier,
which is almost Immediately to the
south Of Klnchinjunga, and there OBJ
tanned a glorious view Of the noun
tains
Encounter Great Difficulties.
The party returned TO DarJeeling
and made their final preparations. ELI
gaging coolies and large quantities OF
stores. The rains, however, were so
severe that it was not until September
. that the two explorers were able TO
get away. Travelling out by the Sin
gaIila ridge, they attacked Kinehin'
juuga on the southwest side aud ex-
plored the glaciers. Access to the
summit BY that direction was found
dtlieult hut the party persevered and
eventually camped out at level OF
20.006 feet
Hcraingre difficulties we're met and
bad weAtlcr vas. experienced Snow
began iosfa.lSand the expedition be
came. Increasingly hazardous A fur
,her it,6hsaad feet was overcome, but
az this point the attempt had TO be
aban6bred,
The return was made by new
sno* pass about $4,000 feet high The
weather WINS at first exceedingly bad
but conditions became better later.
There was no rain on lower level, Ill
though occasional Snow showers were
met higher up. Considerable difficulty
was experienced when returning, ow
ing 20 the depth Of new SHOWS on the
Sikkhim side, which were probably due
10 tie bad weather experienced in the
latter part Of September Finally the
party reached Darjeeling in the mid
de of October, having been away
over month. Both the explorers
were greatly impressed by the peaks,
but confident that given good wealth
or, the summit could be attained.
Attempt Made in 1899.
II Is interesting to recall that
similar attempt was made by Douglas
w. Freslheld in 1890. Mr.. Freshfeld
was led to- undertake the exploration
by the fact that owing, MS he savs,
partly to cost and the dificu9y OF
travel IN Siklihm and partly TO the
obstacle presented by the Nepalese
frontier, no European had up to tho
end Of the nineteenth century gone
around the mountain. Even sir
Joseph Hooker did not approach near
enough to explore the glaciers of the
giant. AS for official surveys, these.
according to Mr. Freshhed, have al
ternately ignored aud carlcatured the
glaciers.
Mr.. Freshfeld did not think much
of his tour from a climbing point of
view.
ut is, of course, impossible" he
writes, "to 60 up and down 10000
feet without some climbing in the pop
nlar sense Of the word, but in the
technically Alpine sense we had fnr
too little mountaineering for my taste
Rope and ice.ax played but. very
subordinate part in our journey"