The Second Ascent of Nanda Devi

Nawang Gombu, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute

Ours was the third Indian attempt on Nanda Devi.* The first was organized in 1957 under the late Major N. D. Jayal, the first Principal of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling. Unfortunately unfavorable weather forced us to turn back 500 feet below the summit. I was one of the party that reached Camp V. The second expedition, organized in 1961 by Mr. Gurdial Singh, was sponsored by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation. This time also, unkind weather kept us from making much headway. In 1964 the third expedition was also organized by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation and was under the leadership of Captain Narinder Kumar.

I was asked to join the expedition just a week before the team was to leave for the mountains. An important engagement kept me from leaving with the others on May 7, 1964. On May 10 I joined them at Joshimath, already part way into the mountains. That same day we reached the last inhabited village. Our party consisted of nine climbers and six high- altitude Sherpas. We were now confronted with another problem — the scarcity of porters, but luck was in our favor. The sponsoring committee had arranged for a helicopter to ferry loads. It carried 4000 pounds from Joshimath to a place called Sesong Path. We were able to get thirty porters from Tapoban, who carried the loads from Sesong Path to Base Camp at 16,000 feet. Except for Kumar, who landed at Sesong Path by helicopter, the rest of us trekked through the famous Rishi Gorge.

On May 24 we established our Base Camp. It had taken us ten days as we had to pass through extremely difficult, rocky terrain. The march to the Nanda Devi Sanctuary was very rugged, and to add to our difficulties, the weather, unfavorable from the very beginning, became worse still with snowfall and strong winds.

Two days later, on May 26, we established our Camp I at 19,000 feet. From Base Camp to Camp I the route lay through easy rock and soft snow. Camp II was set up on June 2 at 20,000 feet. On our way to this camp we had to use about 300 feet of fixed rope on the rock face. From Camp II, a route on an ice ridge was prepared to Camp III, which was established on June 6 at 21,000 feet. The route was bad and to make it safer for regular ferries we used fixed ropes at various places on ice walls. It was a great effort to open the way to Camp IV at about 23,000 feet through the challenging rock face of the mighty Nanda Devi. We fixed 400 feet of rope along the route; carefully avoiding loose rock slabs, we managed to establish Camp IV on June 10. As there was hardly any place for pitching the tents, all of them were perched precariously on sharp ridges and precipices.

So far, the weather was fine and our spirits were high, but suddenly the picture changed and we were faced with bad weather, which chilled our high spirits. Though we had reached Camp IV, it was necessary to retrace our way to Base Camp, where for seven days we were all shut up while snowstorms were blowing hard outside. The weather cleared on June 16, and again our ascent for the peak started. The climbing group was divided into a summit and a support party, which met at Camp IV on June 18.

The route to our last take-off point at Camp V (approximately 24,560 feet) was very steep most of the time we had to ascend with running belays on the rocky ridge, on which about 100 feet of rope were fixed. Without a proper campsite, we had to use the bivouac methods to establish this camp on June 19. Shri C. P. Vohra, Dawa Norbu, the high- altitude Sherpa and I, the three of the summit party spent that night at Camp V. The menu for our meal was soup, tinned fish, fruit and coffee. The hot soup and coffee cheered our spirits enormously after the day’s adventure. The whole night was spent with hardly any sleep for excitement over the next day’s summit attempt.

On the morning of June 20, after taking some food, we three roped up at 5:30. We climbed the first 300 feet through soft snow accumulated on rock slabs and every step forward had to be taken very carefully. Vohra, was was suffering from acute pharyngitis, was moving with considerable effort, slowing our progress. About 700 feet below the summit, he suggested that in order not to hamper us he was giving up the idea of going farther. It was a difficult decision that he had made. We were now so close to the peak; to escort him down to camp would have meant our failure on Nanda Devi. But Vohra assured us that there was nothing seriously wrong with him; Dawa Norbu and I should go on. There was really no other alternative. We were sad to leave our sick companion there, but we had to bow before the call of the mountain. Dawa Norbu and I resumed our climb, which was becoming more difficult. Most of the route involved rock climbing in that freezing cold. For safety at difficult places we fixed about 100 feet of rope. The rock face about 200 feet below the summit was so steep that while descending later, we had to rappel at several places.

At long last our mission was fulfilled. After four hours of struggle we reached the summit of Nanda Devi, 25,645 feet, one of the highest peaks in Indian territory. The summit was flat, and it appeared to me that ten tents could easily have been pitched there. From the top we saw the neighboring peaks and took a number of photographs. I hoisted the national and our Institute’s flags on the top of an ice axe. As the weather was bad and the wind high, we stayed there only for half an hour to enjoy the bliss of our success. By 1:30 we had returned to Camp V. The entire party returned to Base Camp in two groups on June 21 and 22 to celebrate the climb which had been made possible by the untiring efforts of many.

The only unhappy incident, which took place during our return, was the tragic death of Sherpa Ang Nima. On the morning of June 28 he was suddenly taken ill and started vomiting blood. Immediately the Air Force was asked to evacuate him, but the poor fellow died on a porter’s back at 1:45 p.m. on the way to Dibrugheta, the landing place of the helicopters. He was cremated the same evening with full Sherpa rites. As a mark of respect the entire expedition halted for a day.

Our expedition carried all Indian equipment, most of which was loaned by the Jayal Memorial Fund Stores. I think it will not be out of place to mention that throughout the expedition oxygen was never used, which made a record in Indian mountaineering history.

Summary of Statistics.

Area: Garhwal Himalaya.

Ascent: Nanda Devi, 25,645 feet, June 20, 1964 — Second Ascent (Nawang Gombu, Dawa Norbu).

Personnel: Captain Narinder Kumar, leader; Nawang Gombu, Dawa Norbu, C. P. Vohra, Captain H. Bahuguna, Captain B. P. Singh, H. P. Gairola, J. N. Chandhuri, Captain S. C. Nanda, Major Kewal Krishna.

*First ascent by H. W. Tilman and Noel E. Odell of the British-American Himalayan Expedition on August 29, 1936.