Background 1975 British Mount Everest Southwest Face expedition

1 background

1.1 rock climbing in britain after world war ii
1.2 bonington s path everest
1.3 climbing on everest prior 1975

1.3.1 routes climbed
1.3.2 previous summit attempts using southwest face

background
rock climbing in britain after world war ii

after years of stagnation between wars, british rock climbing underwent renaissance, particularly working-class climbing clubs starting in north of england , scotland. rock , ice club in manchester, creagh dhu mountaineering club in glasgow , several university climbing clubs amongst engendered highly competitive climbing environment. @ clogwyn du r arddu in wales numerous routes of high standard achieved using strictly free climbing techniques. hamish macinnes , dougal haston, although not members, climbed creagh dhu. macinnes had mentored bonington s youthful climbing 1953. these associations led on spectacular exploits such american-led direttissima route north face of eiger in winter of 1966 (including haston) , televised climbing of old man of hoy in orkney in following year (including bonington , haston). public took notice , commercial sponsorship started become possibility more elaborate expeditions ultimate aim of rock climbing. 8000-metre peaks climbed 1964, climbing in himalaya using rock climbing routes became aspiration.

bonington s path everest

bonington s climbing career began when still in teens , achieving technically difficult ascents in alps several first ascents and, in 1962, first ascent briton of eiger s nordwand. made first ascents of annapurna ii (1960) , nuptse (1962). role climbing photo-journalist on eiger direttissima in 1966 bought him widespread attention , encouraged mount own expedition.

bonington conceived of idea of climbing annapurna south face realised going require siege tactics rock climbing. 1970 expedition involved haston such climbers don whillans, mick burke, nick estcourt, martin boysen , ian clough killed during descent. expedition huge success because not summit reached was, time, difficult technical climb summit of major world peak. bonington had been leader , had not attempted reach summit. communicator , had been able attract sponsorship , maintain group of highly proficient yet individualistic climbers coherent team.

seizing opportunity everest expedition post-monsoon in 1972, bonington planned lightweight expedition normal route failure of european pre-monsoon southwest face expedition earlier in year encouraged him attempt southwest face instead. in poor weather bonington s expedition failed reach summit team gained great deal of experience, in particular discovering line above camp 6 not favourable had anticipated.

bonington decided not make further post-monsoon attempts and, before expedition left kathmandu, booked next available time slot 1979. while later, after learning british army team planning pre-monsoon 1976 expedition, bonington tried persuade them allow team included. however, suggestion rejected.

climbing on everest prior 1975
routes climbed

after 1921 british reconnaissance, attempts climb everest had been tibet because nepal closed foreign climbers. then, in 1950, tibet s borders closed when occupied people s republic of china , time no expedition had been able reach summit. partly on account of political situation in tibet, nepal started allowing climbers entry in 1950 although closed frontiers again in 1966. during period 1950–1966 3 ridge routes pioneered reach summit – south col—southeast ridge (1953), west ridge—hornbein couloir (1963) , chinese team via north col—north ridge (1960). however, no summit attempt had been made on routes of everest s faces. nepal again allowed entry climbers in 1969 , southwest face, face accessible nepal, such attractive objective japan mounted spring reconnaissance in year , returned in autumn larger party several climbers reaching 8,000 metres (26,000 ft) on line striking left central gully (black—cyan route on diagram below).

previous summit attempts using southwest face

the climbing routes of 1969–1973 expeditions (colours described in text)

spring 1970 japanese expedition – expedition climbed no higher in previous year (black—cyan route on diagram). however, led saburo matsukata, party summitted via south col.

spring 1971 international expedition – led norman dyhrenfurth, expedition reached 8,350 metres (27,400 ft) (attained haston , whillans) on new line leading right above camp 5 (black—blue—brown route).

spring 1972 european expedition – felix kuen , adolf huber reached 8,300 metres (27,200 ft) in expedition led karl herrligkoffer (black—blue—green route).

autumn 1972 british expedition – on bonington-led expedition 8,300 metres (27,200 ft) reached bonington, ang phu, macinnes, scott, burke , haston (black—blue route).

autumn 1973 japanese expedition – 8,300 metres (27,200 ft) reached on southwest face (black—blue route) expedition did reach summit south col. expedition led michio yuasa , first time everest had been climbed after monsoon.

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