The project was deemed a success and has now become an established component of all major Joint Service mountaineering expeditions. The HADT seeks to create the opportunity for service mountaineers to gain experience of extreme high altitude climbing through participation in a carefully organized expedition, led by experienced climbers, to a challenging but achievable objective in the greater ranges.
Through this medium it is hoped to promote the development of tomorrow's high altitude climbers and mountaineering expedition leaders within the British Armed Forces. In addition, HADT members will gain the confidence and knowledge required to organize and lead future expeditions, thereby introducing a wider net of Service personnel to the challenges of the mountains.
The HADT and the main team will train together in the build up to the expedition. As well as some obvious economies of scale the close co-operation with the Main Team allows members of the HADT to learn the trade of big mountain climbing from their more experienced colleagues. Individuals from the HADT will be assigned specific responsibilities such as equipment, food or perhaps communications and will shadow the Main team member responsible for organising that aspect of the expedition. Once the teams leave Kathmandu however they will operate independently and autonomously under their respective leaders.
The objective chosen for the HADT is Makalu's spectacular satellite peak Baruntse which at 7129m is a major mountain in its own right. It was first climbed by New Zealanders Geoff Harrow and Colin Todd on 31 May, 1954 as part of a 10 man team including George Lowe, Sir Edmund Hilary, Norman Hardie and Charles Evans. The main aim of the trip was to recce Makalu but in doing so they indulged in an orgy of peak bagging around the Barun Glacier. The expedition made no fewer than 20 first ascents and of these the most important was Baruntse. It is perhaps noteworthy that the second ascent of the ridge did not take place until 1984 by a party led by Doug Scott. We will approach the mountain from the west via the Lukla airstrip and will utilise Mera Peak (6476m) to acclimatise before establishing a base camp to the west of the mountain.
Our route will follow the original line up the South East
Ridge. Whilst relatively straightforward low down the upper sections
of the ridge can be heavily corniced presenting technical difficulties
at a high altitude. In combination with the long glaciated approach
and extreme altitude an ascent of Baruntse becomes a most challenging
objective. On completion of this phase the team will continue traversing
east to the Makalu Base Camp where they will be reunited with the Main
Team before descending the Barun River valley. From Tumlingtar we will
fly to Kathmandu and so complete a six week round trip.
