Mount Everest 1938

by H.W. Tilman

‘Whether these mountains are climbed or not, smaller expeditions are a step in the right direction.’ It’s 1938, the British have thrown everything they’ve got at Everest but they’ve still not reached the summit. War in Europe seems inevitable; the Empire is shrinking. Still reeling from failure in 1936, the British are granted one more permit by the Tibetans, one more chance to climb the mountain. Only limited resources are available, so can a small team be assembled and succeed where larger teams have failed? H.W. Tilman is the obvious choice to lead a select team made up of some of the greatest British mountaineers history has ever known, including Eric Shipton , Frank Smythe and Noel Odell . Indeed, Tilman favours this lightweight approach. He carries oxygen but doesn’t trust it or think it ethical to use it himself, and refuses to take luxuries on the expedition, although he does regret leaving a case of champagne behind for most of his time on the mountain. On the mountain, the team is cold, the weather very wintery. It is with amazing fortitude that they establish a camp six at all, thanks in part to a Sherpa going by the family name of Tensing . Tilman carries to the high camp, but exhausted he retreats, leaving Smythe and Shipton to settle in for the night. He records in his diary, ‘Frank and Eric going well—think they may do it.’ But the monsoon is fast approaching … In Mount Everest 1938 , first published in 1948, Tilman writes that it is difficult to give the layman much idea of the actual difficulties of the last 2,000 feet of Everest. He returns to the high camp and, in exceptional style, they try for the ridge, the route to the summit and those immense difficulties of the few remaining feet.

Genres: Nonfiction

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 3, 1948

About the author

Major Harold William "Bill" Tilman, CBE, DSO, MC and Bar, was an English mountaineer and explorer, renowned for his Himalayan climbs and sailing voyages.

See Wikipedia for more:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Ti...

Reviews

[Daren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a relatively short book from Bill Tilman, and not one I would recommend to the casual reader. Tilman led the 1938 British Mount Everest attempt - unsuccessful, of course, and in this book he describes it in detail.

To join his expedition he invited Eric Shipton, Frank Smythe, Noel Odell, Peter Lloyd, Peter Oliver and Charles Warren. Ang Tharky was sirdar, Tensing Norgay one of the Sherpa's and Karma Paul was interpreter and general problem solver.

This expedition was known for cutting away the excesses of previous attempts - famously this one had a budget of £2500 - just a quarter of the budget of the previous Everest expedition. He explains all the preparations in detail, the thinking and planning and using the dairies of others fills in the events he wasn't personally in volved in.

There is much to like about a brief explanation of the expedition, irrespective of its failure to summit. It firmed up thinking about the North Col route (which they investigated); confirmed the monsoon season was not a viable time to attempt a climb; demonstrated a small party was sufficient to make a valid attempt to summit (Tilman's seven rather than the larger parties that has been favoured in previous attempts); and provided some further testing of oxygen apparatus (albeit with unclear results).

Tilman also proves what a student of climbing history he is. Making multiple references to different expedition attempts, decisions made and opinions on many matters related to this expedition.

Interestingly, this was to be the last attempt on Everest from Tibet. World War II was brewing, and Tibet was soon to be occupied by China, so future attempts were made from Nepal, including the next expedition, in 1953, which we know was successful!

3.5 stars, rounded up.