Abominable Snowmen
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
Hillary, Edmund Percival •fi Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Hillary, Edmund Percival – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/6h1/hillary-edmund-percival/print Hillary, Edmund Percival by Shaun Barnett Early life On 29 May 1953 New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepali Tenzing Norgay, as part of a British team, reached the 8,848-metre summit of Mt Everest, the world’s highest mountain. This was the culmination of 12 serious attempts since 1921, including nine British expeditions. It coincided with the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, adding to the media attention generated by the royal event. Family background Climbing Everest was a life-changing experience for a man with a humble background. Edmund Percival Hillary, born on 20 July 1919 at Auckland, was the second of three children of Percival Augustus Hillary and his wife, Gertrude Hillary, née Clark. The family lived in Tūākau, in rural South Auckland. Percy Hillary founded and edited the Tuakau District News, and as a sideline, took up beekeeping on land allotted to him after service in the First World War. He believed in healthy eating and exercise and had strong egalitarian beliefs. Percy was also a strict disciplinarian, and the young Edmund found his beatings for misdemeanours humiliating and often unjust. However, in his mother, Gertrude (a teacher), he found a more gentle and nurturing parent. Education After attending Tūākau Primary School Edmund went to Auckland Grammar School. Small and shy with a poor self-image, he nursed secret desires for adventure, and read books about mountains and the Antarctic on the long train journeys to and from school. -
Sir Edmund Hillary: a Reliable Hero
SIR EDMUND HILLARY The following article appeared in the Christchurch Press following Sir Edmund Hillary’s death on 11 January 2008. A Reliable Hero Philip Temple It was safe a very long time ago to put the image of Ed Hillary on our five dollar note. He is the only living person to have been so honoured because we knew we could risk putting our money on his reputation. He did not have to die first for us to be sure he would never let us down. From the moment he set foot on the summit of Mount Everest half a century ago Hillary has been New Zealand’s most reliable hero. Hillary grew up between the wars at Tuakau, south of Auckland. His father was editor of the local newspaper and later a bee-keeper. Hillary had a difficult, often confrontational relationship with him that reinforced an inborn determination never to give in or give up. Yet Hillary came to reflect his father’s ‘mixture of moral conservatism and fierce independence.’ The family was never flush with money and Hillary went barefoot to primary school summer or winter. There were few diversions save the local Tuakau flicks and he made his own entertainments with his brother and sister, or through reading and dreaming of adventure. Outside of his family, Hillary was socially isolated. He had to commute a long distance by train to high school and was treated as an awkward outsider. After his family moved into Auckland’s Remuera he spent two years at university and passed no exams and made no friends. -
A 1935 Yeti on the Rongbuk?
GEORGE BAND A 1935 Yeti on the Rongbuk? (Plate 51) local friend, Patsy Craven, was reading a review by Stephen Venables A in the Sunday Telegraph of 6 August 2000 on Reinhold Messner's recent book My Questfor the Yeti, when she remembered that she had a postcard size photograph of yeti footprints which on the reverse was pencilled 'Photo taken by Eric Shipton about 1935'. It had come from her stepfather Michae1 Roberts, who had married her mother in 1975, but died in 1977 in his 80s. He had commanded the 10th Gurkhas, retiring as a Brigadier. He had travelled widely in Nepal getting to know Eric Shipton quite well. He had been gassed in World War I, but attributed his recovery to breathing the high altitude Tibetan air. As he had a son also called Michae1, currently in his 70s, living in Oxford, I wondered whether he was related to another Michae1 Roberts, the late Janet Adam Smith's first husband, but apparently not. I tried to trace some reference to the footprints, but no book was ever written on the 1935 Everest Expedition led by Eric. Another friend Tony Astill is collecting material to remedy this deficiency. He tells me that no personal diary by Eric of the 1935 expedition has been recovered or is known to exist by the Royal Geographical Society, orby Peter Stee1e, his biographer, or by his son John. So we do not know precisely when or where Eric took this photograph (Plate 51) which shows a couple of rounded footprints together with the imprint of a booted foot and part of the shaft of an ice axe stuck in the snow, for comparison. -
14 DAY EVEREST BASE CAMP Ultimate Expeditions®
14 DAY EVEREST BASE CAMP 14 DAY EVEREST BASE CAMP Trip Duration: 14 days Trip Difficulty: Destination: Nepal Begins in: Kathmandu Activities: INCLUDED • Airport transfers • 2 nights hotel in Kathmandu before/after trek ® • Ground transportation Ultimate Expeditions • Flights to/from Kathmandu The Best Adventures on Earth. - Lukla • National Park fees Ultimate Expeditions® was born out of our need for movement, our • Expert guides & porters • Accommodations during connection with nature, and our passion for adventure. trek, double occupancy • Meals & beverages during We Know Travel. Our staff has traveled extensively to 40-50 countries trek each and have more than 10 years of experience organizing and leading adventures in all corners of the globe through the world's most unique, EXCLUDED remote, beautiful and exhilarating places. We want to share these • Airfare • Lunch or dinner at hotel destinations with you. • Beverages at hotel ® • Personal gear & equipment Why Ultimate Expeditions ? We provide high quality service without • Tips the inflated cost. Our goal is to work with you to create the ideal itinerary based on your needs, abilities and desires. We can help you plan every Ultimate Expeditions® aspect of your trip, providing everything you need for an enjoyable PH: (702) 570-4983 experience. FAX: (702) 570-4986 [email protected] www.UltimateExpeditions.com 14 DAY EVEREST BASE CAMP Itinerary DAY 1 Arrive Kathmandu Our friendly Ultimate Expeditions representative will meet you at the airport and drive you to your hotel in Kathmandu. During this meet and greet your guide will discuss the daily activities of your trip. DAY 2 Flight to Lukla - Trek to Phak Ding (8,713 ft / 2,656 m) Enjoy an exciting flight from Kathmandu to Lukla – this flight is roughly 45 minutes and offers great views of the Everest region if you can secure a seat on the left of the plane. -
Mount Everest, the Reconnaissance, It Was, Claimed Eric Shipton
The Forgotten Adventure: Mount Everest, The Reconnaissance, 1935. T o n y A s t i l l . F o r e w o r d b y L o r d H u n t . I ntroduction b y S i r E d m u n d H i l l a r y . S outhhampton : L e s A l p e s L i v r e , 2005. 359 PAGES, NUMEROUS BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS, AND 2 FOLDING MAPS PLUS A UNIQUE DOUBLE DUST-JACKET OF A 1 9 3 5 c o l o r topographic c o u n t o u r m a p o f Mt. E v e r e s t ’ s n o r t h f a c e i n T i b e t b y M i c h a e l S p e n d e r . £ 3 0 . It was, claimed Eric Shipton famously, “a veritable orgy of moun tain climbing.” In May 1935, Britain’s best mountaineers, including Shipton, longtime climbing partner Bill Tilman, plus 15 Sherpas, among them a 19-year-old novice, Tenzing Norgay, embarked from Darjeeling on the fourth-ever Mt. Everest expedition. In large part because no expedition book was later penned by Shipton, their 27-year-old leader, the 1935 Everest Reconnaissance Expedi tion has remained largely unknown and unlauded. No more! Seven decades later, The Forgotten Adventure reveals the never-before-told climbing adventures of three of the twentieth-century mountaineerings most revered icons reveling in the Himalayan glory of their youth. -
Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek 15 Days
MT. EVEREST BASE CAMP TREK 15 DAYS TRIP HIGHLIGHTS Trekking Destination: Everest Base Camp, Nepal Maximum Altitude: 5,364m/17,594ft Duration of Trek: 15 Days Group Size: 1 People Or Above Mode of Trekking Tour: Tea House/Lodge Trekking Hour: Approx 5-7 Hours Best Season: March/April/May/Sept/Oct/Nov TRIP INTRODUCTION Everest Base Camp Trek is an opportunity to embark on an epic journey that Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay set off on in 1953. If you like adventure and you like to walk then it is once in a lifetime experience that takes you through the beautiful Khumbhu valley, spectacular Everest High Passes and stunning Sherpa village ultimately leading you to the foot of the Mighty Everest at 5430 meters. Trekking through the Everest also offers the opportunities to go sightseeing around Sagarmatha National Park (a world heritage site) and get a closer look at the sacred Buddhist monasteries. The stunning landscapes and the breathtaking views of the Himalayan giants including Everest, Lhotse, Cho Oyu and Ama Dablam are the highlights of the trek. Other major highlights include beautiful Rhododendron forest, glacial moraines, foothills, rare species of birds and animals, sunrise from Kala Patthar, the legendary Sherpas village their culture, tradition, festivals, and dances. We serve you with the best trekking adventure with our finest services. Our experienced guides will make your adventure enjoyable as well as memorable. Since your safety is our utmost concern we have tailored our itinerary accordingly. DETAIL PROGRAM ITINERARY Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu City (1300m). After a thrilling flight experience through the Himalayas, observing magnificent views of snow-topped peaks, you land in this beautiful and culturally rich city of Kathmandu. -
Sherpa Expedition and Trekking Pvt.Ltd
SHERPA EXPEDITION AND TREKKING PVT.LTD. GPO BOX NO: 20969, Chaksibari Marg, Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal Phone: +977–1–4701288 [email protected], Website: www.sherpaexpeditiontrekking.com Gov. Authorized Regd No. 1011/2034 ________________________________________________________________________ Lobuche Peak Climbing 6,119 m/(20,075 ft) During the pre and post-monsoon seasons, Sherpa Expedition and Trekking will operate expeditions to one of Nepal’s most popular trekking peaks, Lobuche East (6,119m/20,075ft), located in Nepal's stunning Khumbu Valley. This is an ideal first step into Himalayan climbing, offering unparalleled views of the surrounding mountains and valleys, culminating in the sight of the towering peaks of Nuptse and Mount Everest. This is a very doable expedition for anyone in good shape and with a desire for high adventure. It is a journey with many visual highlights, including stunning views of the surrounding Himalayan peaks of Everest, Cho Oyu, Nuptse, Lhotse, Makalu, Ama Dablam and many, many more. Participants should be in good physical shape and have a background in basic mountaineering and/or a history of physical exercise. Instruction in mountaineering skills relative to the climb will be provided prior to the climbing commencing, as the ascent requires the use of crampons, ice ax, and fixed rope climbing. Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu and transfer to hotel (1300m) Arrival at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, received by Sherpa Expedition and Trekking staff with a warm welcome and transfer to respective hotels with a briefing regarding Everest Base Camp trek, hotels, lodge on the route with do's and don’ts with evening group welcome dinner. -
Harold William Tilman (1898-1978) a Tribute Peter L10yd and Colin Putt
Harold William Tilman (1898-1978) a tribute Peter L10yd and Colin Putt On I November 1977 the Cutter 'En Avant', a converted seagoing tug, skipper Simon Richardson, in wh ich Tilman was sailing as a member ofa crew of6, left Rio de Janeiro for Port Stanley en route to Smith Island in the South Shetlands. They never J'eached the Falkland Islands and there has been no news of them since that day; it seems unlikely now that we shall ever know how they perished. The loss of his young companions was tragic, but for Bill Tilman this was perhaps a fitting end to a life of action and adventure. He had fought in both world wars, winning front line decorations in each. In the twenties he carved a farm and coffee plantation out of the bush in Kenya. The thirties were the heyday of his African and Asian journeys which continued in the first 5 years after the war. Finally there was the remaJ'kable period of his seafaring ventures in Polar waters starting in 1954 and continuing right up to the end. Had this final expedition reached its objective he would have spent his 80th birthday in the Anta~ctic. It is a unique record. Tilman won the MC in 1917 at the age of 19, bar to the MC later that year, both on the Western front where he was twice wounded; in the Second World War he served in France, Iraq and in the N African campaign before being parachuted into Albania and N Italy to serve with the partisans, for which he was awarded the DSO and made a Freeman of the city of Belluno. -
ASIAN ALPINE E-NEWS Issue No 73. August 2020
ASIAN ALPINE E-NEWS Issue No 73. August 2020 West face of Tengi Ragi Tau in Nepal's Rolwaling Himal.TENRAGIAU C CONTENTS THE PIOLETS D'OR 2020 AWARDS AT THE 25TH LADEK MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL Page 2 ~ 6 Dolpo – Far west Nepal Page 7 ~ 48 Introduction Inaba Kaori’s winter journey 2019-2020 Tamotsu Ohnishi’s 1999 & 2003 records. 1 Piolets d’Or 2020 An International Celebration of Grand Alpinism ©Lucyna Lewandowska Press Release # 3 - August 2020 THE PIOLETS D'OR 2020 AWARDS AT THE 25TH LADEK MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL Four remarkable ascents will be awarded Piolets d'Or in Ladek-Zdroj on September 19. The year 2019 turned out to be very rich for modern alpinism, with a substantial number of significant first ascents from all over the globe. The protagonists were alpinists of wide diversity. There were notable ascents by the "old guard" of highly-experienced high altitude climbers, but also fine achievements by a promising new generation of "young guns". Our eight-member international technical jury had the difficult task of making a choice, the intention being not to discard any remarkable climbs, but to choose a few significant ascents as "ambassadors" for modern, alpine style mountaineering. In the end the jury chose what we believe to be a consistent selection of four climbs. These will be awarded next month in Ladek. The four ascents comprise two from Nepal and two from Pakistan. Most had seen previous attempts and were on the radar of number of strong parties. All climbed to rarely visited, or in one case virgin, summits. -
Fate of Mountain Glaciers in the Anthropocene
Fate of Mountain Glaciers in the Anthropocene A Report by the Working Group Commissioned by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences 1921 2007 Courtesy of the Royal Geographical Society Courtesy of GlacierWorks Main Rongbuk Glacier (see inside page) May 11, 2011 The working group consists of glaciologists, climate scientists, meteorologists, hydrologists, physicists, chemists, mountaineers, and lawyers organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences at the Vatican, to contemplate the observed retreat of the mountain glaciers, its causes and consequences. This report resulted from a workshop in April 2011 at the Vatican. Cover Image: Main Rongbuk Glacier Location: Mount Everest, 8848 m, Tibet Autonomous Region Range: Mahalangur Himal, Eastern Himalayas Coordinates: 27°59’15”N, 86°55’29”E Elevation of Glacier: 5,060 - 6,462 m Average Vertical Glacier Loss: 101 m, 1921 - 2008 1985 2007 Morteratsch glacier (Alps). Courtesy of J. Alean, SwissEduc Declaration by the Working Group e call on all people and nations to recognise the serious and potentially irreversible impacts of global warming caused Wby the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, and by changes in forests, wetlands, grasslands, and other land uses. We appeal to all nations to develop and implement, without delay, effective and fair policies to reduce the causes and impacts of climate change on communities and ecosystems, including mountain glaciers and their watersheds, aware that we all live in the same home. By acting now, in the spirit of common but differentiated responsibility, we accept our duty to one another and to the stewardship of a planet blessed with the gift of life. -
Australian Mountaineering in the Great Ranges of Asia, 1922–1990
Images Image 2.1. George Finch (right) and Geoffrey Bruce at base camp, following their attempt on Mt Everest in 1922. Photo courtesy of the Royal Geographical Society 185 HIMALAYAN DREAMING Image 2.2. The oxygen apparatus, invented by George Finch, used on the 1922 and subsequent Everest expeditions. Photo courtesy of the Royal Geographical Society 186 IMAGES Image 2.3. George Finch on the 1922 Everest expedition, wearing the down-filled jacket that he invented. Photo from the Finch collection, first published in Finch (1924) 187 HIMALAYAN DREAMING Image 3.1. Surveying on the southern source of the Lolofond Glacier, Imperial College Karakoram expedition, 1957. Grahame Budd (left) and Geoff Bratt, using the theodolite Photo by Keith Miller Image 3.2. Members of the Imperial College Karakoram expedition, 1957. From left, back row: Keith Miller, Brian Amos, Peter Grimley, Eric Shipton Front row: Geoff Bratt, Chris Gravina, Roger Cratchley Photo by Grahame Budd 188 IMAGES Image 3.3. Jon Stephenson surveying on the 1960 Saltoro expedition, Karakoram, accompanied by Ishmael, a Balti high altitude porter. Photo provided by Jon Stephenson 189 HIMALAYAN DREAMING Image 3.4. Descending K12, 1960 Saltoro expedition, Karakoram, Pakistan. Photo by Jon Stephenson 190 IMAGES Image 3.5. Geoff Wayatt traversing across the “Wall of Shadows”, north face of Jannu, Nepal,1975. Photo provided by Geoff Waya 191 HIMALAYAN DREAMING Image 3.6. Geoff Wayatt at camp three on the north face of Jannu, Nepal, 1975. Photo provided by Geoff Wayatt 192 IMAGES Image 4.1a. : Young Australian climbers on an instructional course in New Zealand in 1965 based at Ball Hut, near Mt Cook: practising (a) river crossing, and (b) crevasse rescue. -
The New Height of Mount Everest
The new height of Mount Everest December 9, 2020 In news Recently, the Foreign Ministers of Nepal and China jointly certified the elevation of Mount Everest at 8,848.86 meters above sea level — 86 cm higher than what was recognized since 1954 Earlier measurement In 1954 the Survey of India determined its height using instruments like theodolites and chains, with GPS still decades away. The elevation of 8,848 m came to be accepted in all references worldwide — except by China In 1999, a US team put the elevation at 29,035 feet (nearly 8,850 m). This survey was sponsored by the National Geographic Society, US The recent measurement of the mountain After the devastating earthquake of April 2015, the government of Nepal(with technical assistance from New Zealand) declared that it would measure the mountain on its own, instead of continuing to follow the Survey of India findings of 1954. Sir Edmund Hillary, the first climber on the peak along with Nepal’s Tenzing Norgay in May 1953, worked as the mountain’s undeclared brand ambassador to the world In May 2019, the New Zealand government provided Nepal’s Survey Department (Napi Bibhag) with a Global Navigation Satellite, and trained technicians. China’s measurement It conducted the measurement separately The team of 120 (field workers and data analysts) was processing the data and computing results Both China & Nepal had signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly make public their results. The Chinese side conducted its measurements early this year. The methodology used for the measurement Both countries, China and Nepal announced the new height, and appreciated the mutual cooperation Nepal Joint secretary of Department of Survey said that they have used the previous methods applied in ascertaining the height as well as the latest data as well Global Navigational Satellite System (GNSS).