|
Swiss
Everest 50th Anniversary Expedition 1952-2002
"Geneva
– Everest 1952 – 2002"
Wonderful
Pictures |
|
A
truly elite team of Mountaineers will go to Everest
in a few weeks to honor the 50th anniversary of the
Swiss 1952 Expedition. In 1952, Jean-Jacques Asper,
Rene Dittert, Ernest Hofstetter, Gabriel Chevalley,
Rene Aubert, Leon Flory, Andre Roch and Raymond Lambert
all from Geneva attempted Everest via the Nepal side
of the mountain. This expedition set the way for the
Summit of Everest in 1953 by Hillary and Tenzing
Norgay. Raymond Lambert and Tenzing Norgay climbed
to 8600 meters without oxygen! The frontiers these
men journeyed were unknown at the time. Their
achievement was incomparable at the time.
In
2002 Stephane Schaffter (Summit of K2 in 85 and
more!), also from Geneva shall return to Everest with
Tashi Tenzing, grandson of Tenzing Norgay, Apa Sherpa
(11 times Summits of Everest !), Jean Troillet (the
great one!), Guillaume Vallot, Yves Lambert (Raymond's
son !), and Jean-Jacques Asper will form the core team
to return to the mountain! Jean-Jacques Asper, now 72,
was the youngest member of the 52 expedition. Philippe
Arvis will be the expedition's doctor.
This
expedition will follow the journey after 50 years of
Raymond Lambert, his son will walk for the first
time in his father's footsteps on Everest. Can you
imagine the emotion for Jean-Jacques, if he makes it
to the icefall, and finds the route in the icefall
that he took 50 years ago on Everest !!!
Tashi
Tenzing, will return to the mountain where he followed
his grandfather's footsteps on May 23rd 1997 when he
reached the Summit of Everest. He took the record for
being the first time a third generation of one family
climbed Everest. Tashi who lives in Australia leaves
on March 8th to meet the Swiss team in Kathmandu.
The
expedition is climbing the Southeast ridge and has no
connection at all with either Peter Hillary or Jamling
Tenzing Norgay. "Peter has been in Antartica, as
has Tashi, so we are not sure of his exact plans on
Everest as yet." states,
Judy Tenzing.
Tashi,
now 37, guides some trips for Himalayan Kingdoms UK, but
does not work for them. He has his own company in
Australia - Tenzing's Journeys - and this is his major
occupation. He also guides in Antarctica for Aurora
Expeditions, Australia.
Tenzing
Norgay had three wives and 6 children.... The first
was Dawa Phuti from Thamey Teng who is the mother of
Pem Pem (Tashi Tenzing's mother) and Nima. She died in
Chitral in 1944. Tenzing Norgay then married Ang Lhamu
who was with him throughout Everest and after. She was
childless but is the one Pem Pem and Nima regarded as
"mummy" and died in 1964 from cancer.
Tenzing Norgay’s third wife was Daku, who worked as
field staff for Himalayan Mountaineering Institute,
Darjeeling. She was the mother of Norbu -
born 1962, Jamling (now 36), Dhamey and Dikki (a
daughter). Daku, was from Chanyakpa above Thamey and
died in early 90s. Jamling, of course reached the
Summit of Everest on May 23, 1996.
"Tenzing
desperately wanted to summit with Lambert and the
Swiss. It was a great disappointment to him that they
failed. He agreed rather half-heartedly to go again with
the British in 1953. He and Hillary were then not close but
Lambert pressed him to take the chance with the
British.
Those 2 were very close. Tenzing and Hillary became
close friends late in life when Tenzing was ill in Delhi and
Ed was NZ High Commissioner to India. By then Tenzing
could speak quite good English and Sir Ed became
somewhat of a confidante. But Lambert was
the one for the summit as far as Tenzing was
concerned. That is why this Swiss anniversary climb is
so important to the family. Tashi and Yves Lambert
(Raymond's son) will climb together. Pete Hillary is
going to call tonight so we can check out things
there. The Hillary's are good friends. Sir Ed wrote
the foreword to our book and came to help us launch it
last year." Judy Tenzing, Tashi Tenzing's wife.
"That meant a great deal to us and the ties
between us will always be close”
We
talked with
Tashi Tenzing last night by phone at his office in
Australia. Much more on this expedition in the coming
days, as well as Peter Hillary's 2002 expedition.
Dispatches
|