1952 British Cho Oyu expedition facts for kids
The 1952 British expedition to Cho Oyu was an attempt to climb Cho Oyu, a huge mountain known as the Turquoise Goddess. It stands at about 8,188 meters (26,864 feet) tall. The expedition was planned by the Joint Himalayan Committee. Originally, British climbers hoped to try climbing Mount Everest in 1952, after their trip there in 1951. But Nepal had already given permission for a Swiss team to climb Everest in 1952. The British turn would be in 1953.
So, in 1952, Eric Shipton was chosen to lead the trip to Cho Oyu. Another goal was for Griffith Pugh to test new oxygen equipment. This testing would help prepare for the 1953 Everest climb. However, the expedition did not achieve either of these goals. Shipton's leadership and planning were seen as poor. Because of this, he was replaced as the leader for the 1953 Everest expedition.
The team members were Eric Shipton, Charles Evans, Tom Bourdillon, Ray Colledge, Alfred Gregory, and Griffith Pugh from the UK. From New Zealand came Ed Hillary, George Lowe, and Earle Riddiford. Campbell Secord joined from Canada. Most of the team sailed from Southampton on March 7. Shipton, Pugh, and Secord flew out later.
The New Zealand Alpine Club helped pay for the trip. However, because The Times newspaper was a main sponsor, other newspapers could not print stories about the expedition until a month later.
Contents
Expedition Goals
The main goals of the expedition were:
- To reach the top of Cho Oyu.
- To train climbers to get used to high altitudes (above 7,300 meters or 24,000 feet).
- To study how to use oxygen equipment at high altitudes.
Shipton told The Times that his main aim was to climb Cho Oyu.
Planning the Trip
Eric Shipton spent only one day making lists of supplies. But Earle Riddiford had to do most of the work. This included ordering, packing, and sending all the gear. Shipton was often not available to help or give advice.
The amount of food Shipton planned for the whole team was very small. For example, the food he allowed for four people was the same amount the New Zealand team brought for just two. Shipton had not included much sugar, butter, jam, porridge, or milk. Riddiford said the food was "bloody awful." Younger climbers like Bourdillion were often "half starved." So, the team had to add more food from New Zealand supplies.
The Journey to Cho Oyu
The base camp was set up on April 29, 1952. It was located at Lunak, below the Nangpa La trading pass. Shipton quickly got used to the high altitude during the trek. But he did not consider that others might need more time to adjust.
Shipton was worried about being seen by Chinese soldiers across the border. He did not want to try climbing from the Tibetan side, even though it seemed easier. He also did not want to set up a camp there. Hillary, Lowe, Riddiford, and Secord had suggested this. Shipton had been a British official in China before. He was worried that if they were seen on the Tibetan side, they might be called spies. This could cause problems for the important 1953 Everest expedition.
After a long discussion, Shipton agreed to set up a camp just before the Nangpa La pass. He also agreed to send a group to explore the Nup La pass to the east of Cho Oyu. This group could quickly leave if Chinese soldiers were seen.
Exploring New Paths
Ed Hillary led the exploration team. But they faced a dangerous ice cliff and problems getting supplies. They had to turn back at about 6,828 meters (22,400 feet). Hillary later felt bad that they had given up so easily.
Hillary and Lowe, with three Sherpas, crossed the Nup La col. This was the first time anyone had crossed the three passes between the Khumbu and Barun Valleys. They explored the Ngojumba Glacier and went up the Nup La Pass. Hillary and Lowe even went deep into Chinese territory, reaching the old Camp III below the North Col.
Crossing the icefalls took six days to cover about 6.5 kilometers (4 miles). Lowe described this as "the most exciting, exacting and satisfying mountaineering." He said they did it with very little gear. They completed a full circle around Everest by going into the Barun Glacier and seeing Tibet from the top of the passes.
At the end of the expedition in June, Shipton, Evans, Hillary, and Lowe traveled through the jungles of Nepal. They went along the Arun River to the Indian border. They climbed eleven mountains in the Barun area, west of Nangpa La. Hillary and Lowe even "rafted" down the Arun River on two air mattresses tied together! They narrowly avoided a huge whirlpool and waterfall by holding onto a rock. Shipton then lowered a rope to rescue them.
Oxygen Equipment Tests
Griffith Pugh, the expedition's doctor who studied how bodies work, was preparing for his role in the 1953 Everest climb. He made several important suggestions to the Himalayan Committee:
- Being fit and having good team spirit were very important.
- Oxygen equipment was needed above the South Col.
- Closed-circuit oxygen systems seemed better.
- Clothing should be made to fit each person.
- Good hygiene for food and general health was important.
- Climbers needed to get used to altitudes above 4,572 meters (15,000 feet) for at least 36 days.
- If someone didn't get used to the altitude well, it shouldn't mean they were rejected, as it could be due to a temporary illness.
However, Pugh's experiments were difficult because no one reached 7,300 meters (24,000 feet) on this trip.
Pugh also pointed out the poor hygiene around the camps. He noted that drinking dirty water led to sickness during the trek.
In 1953, Pugh and Wood shared what they learned from experiments at 6,096 meters (20,000 feet) in 1952:
- The more oxygen a person breathed, the better they felt.
- The weight of the oxygen equipment often canceled out the extra energy it gave.
- The minimum amount of oxygen needed was 4 liters per minute. Before the war, only 1 to 2.25 liters per minute were used.
- Breathing oxygen greatly reduced how much climbers had to breathe.
- It also greatly reduced the feeling of heaviness and tiredness in the legs.
Tom Bourdillon thought the best system was a closed-circuit oxygen device for climbing. This would give pure oxygen. For sleeping, an open-circuit system with less oxygen would be better. With his father, Robert Bourdillon, he helped create the closed-circuit oxygen system. This system was used by Charles Evans and himself on their climb to the South Summit of Everest on May 26, 1953.
What Happened Next
The expedition did not achieve its goals. Shipton's reputation in Britain was badly damaged. This expedition is seen as a big failure in the history of climbing after the war.
Shipton did not meet with the Committee in London until July 28, after his trip ended. He was replaced as leader for the 1953 Everest expedition by John Hunt.
Shipton and Hillary only briefly mention this expedition in their own books. Several team members, including Pugh, Riddiford, Secord, and Hillary (in his private diary), thought Shipton was not a good leader for a large expedition like the one planned for 1953.
Images for kids
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Viewing Cho Oyu via mountain flight
