Letters From Everest by George Lowe Huw Lewis-Jones Jan Morris Peter Hillary

Author:George Lowe, Huw Lewis-Jones, Jan Morris, Peter Hillary [George Lowe]
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780955525551
Publisher: Polarworld Ltd (Perseus)
Published: 2013-03-03T16:00:00+00:00

Camp VI, 23,500 ft

15th May 1953

Dear Betty,

There is such a lot to say and such a lot been doing in these five days that I’ll never be able to capture it all. Ed is going to take this to Camp V soon and from there I expect it will eventually filter through.

The big moment has arrived – the plans are announced and the date is set. The big move begins on the 20th May. Let me work downwards. The summit pair on open circuit oxygen are Ed and Tenzing, backed up to Ridge Camp, to be placed as near 28,000 ft by John Hunt and ‘Greg’ Gregory with five Sherpas all using open circuit oxygen who will then descend leaving Ed and Tenzing to spend the night and make the attempt. The day before Ed and Tenzing leave the South Col, Charles Evans and Tom Bourdillon on closed circuit will make a reccy from the South Col to South Summit and beyond if their oxygen and strength lasts. They are to report to summit party on the conditions above South Summit.

The carry to S. Col will be made by 14 Sherpas escorted first by Wilf Noyce, on open circuit and next day by Charles Wylie on open circuit. Where does George fit in? By that time I’m supposed to be exhausted having spent a week making a route up the Lhotse Face without oxygen – I’m halfway through the job now and still going strong (I hope) on the most terrific ice-climbing I’ve ever done.

The crux of the whole matter is the climbing of the Lhotse Face which leads to S. Col. This face was at first taken too cheaply and two or three days were allowed for the climbing and placing of Camp VI. Now Camp VI is established and Camp VII, some 12-1500 ft above and we still have a good thousand feet to go to the South Col.

The Lhotse Face was such a tough problem that to use any of the potential summit or S. Col team that the chances were great of exhausting them. That’s where I came in – an expendable quantity with Mike Westmacott and George Band to make a route up the Lhotse Face without oxygen to prepare the way for the assault parties.

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