Annapurna by Maurice Herzog

There has been little riding and running to talk about given the snow is turning to ice, and I don't wish to risk it.  When I'm not using man powered means to get around, I have to rely upon the beauty that is London Transport to get me from A-Z.  

When on these loving journeys, I have to switch myself off from the world, and to do so, I read.  Yesterday I finished a book about a Himalayan mountain called Annapurna by Reinhold Messner, who was the first mountaineer to climb all 14 mountains over 8,000m.  Reading the stories of all the major expeditions that went up there, I was taken back to a book I bought a long time ago, Annapurna by Maurice Herzog, first edition 1952.  The book is looking its age and probably as though it has been taken there and back again, but it is still a fascinating and compelling read of adventure, euphoria, and near tragedy.

Not the greatest copy, but it's the content that counts

Annapurna tells the tale of an expedition set up by the French Alpine Club to go to the Himalaya's in 1950 to climb either Dhaulagiri, or its neighbour Annapurna, and bring back for France the trophy of climbing the first 8,000m peak.  A team of some of the best mountaineers at the time (and considered by some of all time), were created to fulfil this task including names as Lionel Terray, Louis Lachenal, Gaston Rebuffat, and Maurice Herzog as expedition leader.  

Expedition team, April 11th 1950

 

Before the committee of the French Alpine Club, each member had to make the same oath, "I swear upon my honour to obey the leader of the Expedition in everything in which he may command me regarding the Expedition."  An amazing pledge in today's standards, but one that was the mentality of discipline and success in a post World War II environment.  How well they stuck to that vow is amazing.

It's worth bearing in mind, at the time they set out, there were no maps of the region, or as it were, there were some, but very inaccurate.  Also, hindsight is a marvellous thing.  Annapurna today is now regarded as the most, if not one of the most dangerous mountains in the world.  The overall fatality rate is in the region of 40%.  Before 1990, it was 66%, since then the numbers allowed on these 8,000m giants have dropped, and for this mountain a 19% fatality rate shows.  Still, that's pretty darn high.  It all comes down to the shape, the storms, and the collection of snow it builds, creating massive avalanche risks.

Annapurna, note avalanche in the middle

When they arrived at their headquarters in Tukucha (Nepal) they could see the two objectives, with Dhaulagiri to the West, and Annapurna hidden away further South East.   Dhaulagiri was the first target, but after a lot of reconnaissance, they branded it impossible, and headed off in the other direction scouting the grounds for an access to Annapurna.  Eventually, it was decided that they would tackle the mountain via the north face.  A series of camps were set up with teams providing new paths onwards and upwards, while others ferried all the supplies between camps to keep everything as it should be for those all around.  Herzog lead from the front on any major development, always wanting to be the leader who could provide the drive, so to speak, and all communications were carried out in writing, and being passed back and forth along the routes.  There were no radios used at all.

Evening at camp

Coming across numerous problems, they worked their way up methodically, battling the elements, and the ever falling snow, which hid all their tracks.  On 3rd June 1950, with the monsoon season fast approaching, and making itself known, the decision was made by Herzog and Lachenal to push for the summit.  This is where the story becomes an epic.  Storms hit them, they feared frostbite and they were faced with the dilemma; should I stay, or should I go?  Lachenal, asks "If I go back, what will you do?"

Lionel Terray above one of the camps

 Herzog considers this, 'Must we give up?  No, that would be impossible.  My whole being revolted against the idea.  I had made up my mind irrevocably.  Today we were consecrating an ideal, and no sacrifice was too great.  My voice rang out clearly:  "I should go myself".

With that, they continued, and succeeded to get to the top.  Once there, Herzog rejoiced, and spent time trying to take photography, whilst Lachenal wanted nothing, but to get going.  They soon left, and that was when Herzog realised he had forgotten his gloves, and a comedy of errors ensued.  

At the time, no-one understood the effects of altitude.  They understood what can happen in the Alps, but never knew what is known in the Death Zone (above 8,000m) where the body slowly disintegrates within itself.  Bad judgements are made, you cannot think clearly, and one little thing can soon cascade into a larger problem.  On their descent, they managed to get lost; get frostbite; bivouac in a crevasse; lose most of their equipment; get rescued; the rescue party then got severe frostbite; and all pretty much became snow blind. How they survived is a testament to their willpower alone.

Snow blind Terray supported by Sherpa

Afterwards Jacques Oudot was the team medic, and had to conduct serious measures.  He ran through a series of injections trying his best to keep whatever limbs and flesh that were not frostbitten on the party alive, whilst they could retreat from the region proper, and get in a more sterilised environment to perform necessary amputations, without anaesthetic.  Lachenal lost his toes, and Herzog lost his toes, and most fingers.  While in full retreat, the monsoon season hit.  Small rivers turned into torrents of water a mile wide.  Tight mountain passes were slippery as could be.  All this, and two of the party had to be transported by everyone else, Herzog was shift rotated between the Sherpa's on their backs.  Time moved slow, the pain was unbearable, on the passes the Sherpa with Herzog would creep along with the leader hanging over the edge with a massive drop below, fearing to move, and fearing the pain every step brought him.

Herzog carried, sleeping bags cover his feet

Win or die trying.  Today, that kind of mentality is not excusable, and today people are turning to this event as an example of how to not lead an expedition.  No life is worth the cause of success.  However, times are different now.  The routes have been explored; we have the equipment and resources to come back to these places time and again to follow the paths of the greats (In 1950, they had to get a boat from France to Nepal).  It was different then, all the way back to the golden age of exploration.  Who frowns upon the lives of Captain Scott and his Expedition to the Antarctic, or does not romanticise the thought that George Mallory, did, indeed reach the summit of Mount Everest?

Sherpa's carrying the wounded

One other thing I love of the book is a map at the end, which has considerable detail and was prepared by Marcel Ichac of the whole region they explored.  This was more than bagging a peak, it was a scientific, and exploratory expedition with an ultimate goal. 

I can look at maps like art, and this is no exception

I hope have shown a good reason for parting with some money for such a shabby book, and why, although I have no aspiration for such exploration myself, it is fascinating to see what motivates such people, and to what risks they are prepared to take in the name of exploration.  It also gives a perspective, running a marathon is nothing in comparison, so it can be done with the right attitude.

Herzog insists he wouldn't have changed anything on that expedition.  He would happily go through the pain and suffering once more for the achievement made:

The first ascent of an 8,000m peak, not only for him and his well credited team (including Sherpa's), but for France.

No wonder he is known in mountaineering circles as M. Annapurna.