THE AFGHAN HINDU KUSH IN 1965 A RESEARCH EXPEDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL HYDROLOGICAL DECADE From the University of Newcastle upon Tyne Inter-disciplinary studies focused on climate variability, glaciology, and the environment in the Hindu Kush Based on the contemporary journals of Howard Horsley In conjunction with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development 1 THE AFGHAN HINDU KUSH IN 1965 A RESEARCH EXPEDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL HYDROLOGICAL DECADE From the University of Newcastle upon Tyne Inter-disciplinary studies focused on climate variability, glaciology, and the environment in the Hindu Kush Copyright © 2021 Howard Horsley and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial, No Derivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) Note This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or nonprofit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. ICIMOD would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source. No use of this publication may be made for resale or for any other commercial purpose whatsoever without prior permission in writing from ICIMOD. The views and interpretations in this publication are those of the author(s). They are not attributable to ICIMOD and do not imply the expression of any opinion concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries, or the endorsement of any product. This publication is available in electronic form at www.icimod.org/himaldoc Contents Making personal preparations 14 Equipping the expedition 16 Crossing Cold War Europe 18 Crossing into South-West Asia 20 Into Afghanistan 24 Destination Kabul 28 The journey along the Panjshir Valley 32 An overnight halt 38 Exploring the Upper Panjshir and Samir 39 The Samir Valley reconnoitre 41 Glacier hunt 45 Setting up home at the base camp 47 Starting work 48 The nomadic Pathans 50 Research in Kaujan 52 Return to the base camp 54 Glacier camp 55 Beyond routine 60 Return to Dasht 62 Life in Dasht 64 Return to the base camp 66 Research patterns and climbing trips 68 Unexpected arrivals 70 Heading for the summit 72 Epilogue: The journey home 77 Research analysis 78 The visionaries 80 Acknowledgments This publication would not have been a temporary intern at ICIMOD, who possible without important contributions meticulously ensured that all the material from numerous staff members within was successfully transferred in a readable ICIMOD whose work deserves to be form. This detailed work took several acknowledged. When I first contacted months and was brought to a halt only ICIMOD early in 2019 it was simply to when Kinley completed her internship. offer copies of photos and other material Thereafter, it took some time for others to to enhance historical records which might assemble and evaluate all the material. be relevant to current research. My email led to the initial interest and commitment Early in 2020 Rachana Chettri, the of David Molden, the Director General Publication Coordination Officer, of ICIMOD. Without his endorsement enthusiastically accepted the task of all records of the 1965 Expedition might organizing the material in preparation have been lost as the last of its members for publication. In doing so she was approached the end of their lives. Laurie assisted by Shanuj VC as editor and Vasily, Head of Knowledge Management Sudip Kumar Maharjan who created the and Communication, was then asked imaginative layout. Their judgements to take responsibility for securing an were important in sequencing material adequate record for preservation in the and in securing the highest quality images public domain. for illustrations. Unfortunately, this work was largely brought to a halt when safety While David and Laurie authorised concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic an initial trawl of the material it was required ICIMOD staff to work from members of the Media team, led by home for a protracted period. Despite Maxim Shrestha, who managed the many obstacles, the project has now been transfer and compilation of the material. brought through to publication. Grateful Particular thanks are due to Kinley Lham, thanks are now offered to all concerned. Howard Horsley An introduction to this account of the expedition In recent years the melting of polar ice caps and mountain glaciers has become a major source of concern. The rate of melting is increasing and is judged to be one effect of man-made global warming. The implications for human life are profound. Much of the focus in Europe has been on rising temperatures and rising sea levels. In some parts of the world, however, the threat is more visceral. In large parts of Asia, the major rivers and the irrigation agriculture that they support are largely, or partially, dependent upon abundant glacial meltwater. The retreat of the mountain glaciers in Asia has, however, only relatively recently been studied in detail. Dr Hal Lister, Reader in Geography at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, was Dr Hal Lister almost certainly the first person to study in detail the glaciers both in the polar regions and at a high altitude in a major and at South Ice. The scientific work mountain range. As long ago as 1965, an of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic expedition from the university studied the Expedition was interdisciplinary heat and water balance of a glacier in the and contributed to the International Hindu Kush. This was possibly the first Geophysical Year. Dr Lister embraced attempt to scientifically evaluate what was a similar interdisciplinary approach for happening to the glaciers in the Hindu- the 1965 expedition, contributing to the Kush–Karakoram–Himalaya region. International Hydrological Decade of the UN. Commenting much earlier upon the findings from his work on the Greenland Members of the expedition came from Ice Cap, Dr Lister had indicated his different university departments and commitment to studying the balance of deployed a range of expertise. Dr Hal the ice in both types of glaciers. Lister was the chief scientist of an expedition led by Dr Sam James of The Hindu-Kush expedition was informed the Civil Engineering Department. by Dr Lister’s extensive experience on An experienced mountaineer, Sam the British North Greenland Expedition had earlier led a climbing team to the and the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Karakoram. Sharing the challenges Expedition in the 1950s. As the Senior faced by the expedition, their leadership Glaciologist on each of these expeditions, achievements were very remarkable. Not he had pioneered the use of ice cores least of them was our safe return. How to investigate past climates. To study I contrived to join the expedition, as a the meteorology, he also overwintered raw 20-year-old undergraduate, will later in isolation on the ice caps at North Ice become clear. The context was very different from today. member of the team. Any errors are mine No detailed maps of the region were and most of the photographs are from my available to consult. There were no mobile collection. Several surviving expedition phones, no GPS, no helicopters offering members, including the leader, Sam rescue. Light and resilient mountain James, have been supportive in preparing clothing was not readily available, while this account. Derek Jamieson and Dave the tents for high-altitude use were basic Beynon have each made photographs in design. There were no solar panels to available. Sadly, in the intervening power experiments or to provide light. decades, Dr Lister and several other Lacking modular construction, all scientific members of the expedition have died. equipment had to be designed and built This account is a lasting tribute to them from scratch. There were no computers, and to the work of all who contributed even to record data. Every result had to to the expedition’s success. It would not be laboriously written up by hand. Air have been possible, however, without freight was prohibitively expensive and all the support and patience of my wife, equipment and support material had to be Margaret, my companion in that greatest transported overland. adventure in life, marriage. It was a different age. After many decades When the findings were first published, of peace, Afghanistan saw a quiet general they were met with a deafening silence. election take place in 1965. It was based Half a century later, their true significance upon universal adult male voting rights. The is beginning to emerge. We are grateful religious climate of the country was entirely to the International Centre for Integrated tolerant and I felt confident to hike between Mountain Development (ICIMOD) for villages all alone with no sense of fear. The its sponsorship of this account and for warmth with which we were welcomed the dedication of those among its staff was always humbling. That experience has who have carefully steered it towards informed and deeply influenced my life as publication. Most of all, we welcome a whole. It has also sustained my continued ICIMOD’s recognition of the importance interest in Afghan affairs. of this baseline of interdisciplinary mountain research in the Hindu-Kush– The story of the expedition is based on my Karakoram–Himalaya region. diaries and recollections as the youngest Howard Horsley Much Wenlock February 2020 The university crest on the students’ union building. This wing, new in 1965, has now been demolished. Origins of my participation In the 1960s before the beginning of the he would need two research assistants second year of our programme in geography for the donkey work. It was a bold ploy at Newcastle University, all students had to and not one that I would have dared to choose from a range of optional courses.