Presented by Langholm Rotary supporting Muckle Toon Family Events and Joshua’s SDR Journey.
Part One
Climbing Instructor David Challis co-led 1st expedition to reconnoitre Menthosa 21,140ft, 2nd highest in Lahul-Spiti region of Indian Himalayas in 1969, but pipped to the post by British soldiers making 1st ascent following year. In 1978 David led large very successful Kings School Ely expedition to the region and other staff members made 2nd ascent. In 1983, David returned 3rd time with small team, coming within 500ft of making 3rd ascent with expedition medic and protégé Mark Hallam. Dave then retired from expedition climbing but continued mentoring Mark, who returned 2 years later to attempt Mulkila, at 21,350ft, highest peak in the region, accompanied by Peter Hopkins, recruited through Kings College London Mountaineering club (KCLMC), of which both were former presidents. The main focus of the first half of the talk is on this ill-fated but very lucky little expedition, which ground to a halt on hard, steep ice at 19,000ft, before Peter then became increasingly seriously ill, first with high altitude complications and ultimately life-threatening sepsis…
INTERVAL ———————————————————————————————————————————————–
Part Two
The 2nd half, presented in slides and short video clips, is about expedition to Chilean High Andes 33 years later, in 2018. Participants were a much older Mark, accompanied by Jon Watt, another former member of the same university mountaineering club; KCLMC. Despite getting off to a near disastrous start, the duo were able to reach 6 summits of 9 objectives. Highlights included: a magical pre-dawn 10k training run to summit of Chile’s capital city Santiago’s answer to Langholm’s Whita Hill; the mystical ascent – through another sunrise – of icy Cerro El Plomo 17,790ft, Incan jewel in Santiago’s crown; full traverse of the surface-of-Mars-like Pintor to Leonera Ridge – with Condor encounter. Finally, as alternative to the 2 missed objectives, the pair embarked on a scenic trek into remote region of Cajón del Maipo (just 50 miles from scene of 1972 Andes plane crash), challenged by savage plants, rivers-crossings and lack of water – but enchanted by southern hemisphere night sky, wildlife and a 6th summit; the 12,100ft ‘mud-mountain’ Cerro Union, which required hasty learning of vintage Alpine techniques to descend safely…
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