Montagnes, 53, 181, 217, 220
Mont-Blanc, Jardin Féerique (Rébuffat), 41, 147
Mont Blanc tunnel, 140
morphine, 121, 123, 125, 128, 132, 175
Morzine, 24
“motors,” 143
Moulin, Henry, 34
Mountain, 149
mountain climbing:
antiromantic approach to, 148–51
birthplace of, 34
distinction between guides and amateurs in, 29–30
equipment for, 96–97, 119–20
expedition leaders and, 29
martial philosophy of, 37, 38, 39, 83, 124, 147
nationalities and, 16–17, 30–31, 150, 216
Rébuffat’s philosophy of, 37, 38, 39, 41, 83, 147
specialized skills in, 203
turning back from summit while, 223
see also guides
“mountain ranging,” 195
“Mountains of the Moon,” 162
Mount Everest Committee, 29
Mummery, Alfred, 16, 29–30
Mussolini, Benito, 31
Nanda Devi, 16
Nanga Parbat, 16, 23, 45, 222
NASA, 147
Nepal, 45, 131, 187, 196
Nepal, Maharajah of, 46, 130, 131
Neuilly, 21, 133, 138
New Delhi, 43
New Hampshire, 67
New York, 67, 148
nicotine, 120
Nilgiris, 71, 72, 123, 196, 198
Nimier, Roger, 206, 209
Northwest Spur, 72, 73–76, 79, 174, 177
Norton, E. F., 29
novocaine, 21, 121, 125, 129
Noyelle, Francis de, 22, 100, 112, 125, 129, 142
Obaldia, René de, 186
Odell, Noel, 115
Ofexport, 140
On Snow and Rock (Rébuffat), 41, 150
Orly airport, 21, 42, 137
Other Annapurna, The, see Autre Annapurna, L’
Oudot, Jacques, 71, 99, 103, 112, 117, 119, 121, 122, 123
Herzog and Lachenal’s amputations made by, 21, 125, 128–30, 132
oxygen, bottled, 96–97, 120
oxygen deprivation, 120
Pacific Peak, 39
Pansy, 88, 96, 97, 116, 183, 192
Paris, 21, 30, 31, 82, 100, 136–37, 187, 189
Paris-Match, 21, 127, 136, 137, 138, 204
Patagonia, 65, 194, 199
Patey, Tom, 149–51
Payot, Elisabeth, 165, 168, 169, 218
Payot, Jean-Pierre, 160, 161, 165, 168–69
Peace Corps, 141
penicillin, 122, 128
Peruvian Andes, 65, 195, 196
Petit Dru, 28, 37, 203
Peuterey Ridge, 83
pied d’éléphant, 96
Piz Badile, 37, 65, 68, 165, 198
Pointe de Clairy, 55
porters, 16, 20, 21, 46, 49, 53, 72–73, 79, 123, 124, 125
Potet, Frédéric, 180–81
préalpes, 57, 203
predawn starts, 96
Puiseux, Jean, 144, 145
Pyrenees, 142
Rébuffat, Françoise, 41–44, 115, 131, 140, 146, 151–52, 154, 167, 184, 206, 217, 219
marriage of Rébuffat and, 42
Rébuffat’s letters to, 26, 43–44, 48, 123, 127, 179
unpublished memoir of, 42, 155–57
Rébuffat, Frédérique, 42
Rébuffat, Gaston, 22, 23, 27, 33–38, 46, 47, 55–56, 65, 77, 78, 80, 82, 83, 85, 86, 88, 90, 91, 92–93, 136, 146–57, 167, 169, 176, 179, 183, 197, 204, 210, 217, 224
background of, 33–34
biography of, see Gaston Rébuffat: Une Vie pour la Montagne
bitterness toward Herzog felt by, 76, 106, 126, 131, 151–52, 220–21
character of, 35, 41, 49, 151
death of, 41, 42, 154–57
in descent of Annapurna, 19–20, 95–100, 102, 105, 106, 107–18
disenchantment felt by, 146, 179
as guide, 30, 34–35, 36, 42, 59, 147, 148
homesickness suffered by, 49, 53
in Jeunesse et Montagne, 35–37
Lachenal’s relationship with, 34, 49, 51–52
Legion of Honor and, 126, 159
mountain climbing experience and ability of, 16–17, 28, 29, 34–38, 51–52, 59
mountaineering philosophy of, 37, 38, 39, 41, 83, 147, 149–50
as mountaineering photographer and cinematographer, 37, 39, 41, 42, 147–48, 150, 180
on oath of obedience, 32–33, 41, 43
Patey on, 149–50
physical appearance of, 34, 35, 42
post-Annapurna climbing of, 146–47, 154, 165
private notes and commentaries of, 26, 32–33, 41, 152–53, 221
published works of, see Apprenti Montagnard, L’; Entre Terre et Ciel; Horizons Gagnés, Les; Mont-Blanc, Jardin Féerique; On Snow and Rock; Starlight and Storm
in return from Annapurna, 119, 121, 123, 126, 133
route up Annapurna found by, 75–76
Sherpas’ nickname for, 87
six classic Alpine north faces climbed by, 37–38, 39, 146
snowblindness suffered by, 20, 111, 112, 116, 121
summit photos and, 219–20
Terray’s relationship with, 34, 35–37, 49, 58–59, 92, 146
World War II experience of, 30, 184
Regards vers l’Annapurna (Herzog and Ichac), 81
Résistance, 30, 84
“Road Not Taken, The” (Frost), 105
Roberts, David, 22–27, 38–41, 62–65
early mountaineering reading by, 22–23, 38, 39, 62
Lachenal and Terray idolized by Jensen and, 64–65, 66–67, 188, 190, 201–2
mountain climbing of, 23, 38–39, 62–64, 67, 148, 188, 200–202
at Terray’s childhood home, 206–11
Roc des Bergers, 144
Rock and Ice, 148–49
Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, 63
Rocky Mountains, 23
see also Colorado Rockies
Rosa, Monte, 141, 165–67, 170
Ruth Glacier, 199
Ruwenzori (“Mountains of the Moon”), 162, 190
“sahibs,” 49
Saint Elias, Mount, 198
Saint Elias Range, 63
Saint-Exupéry, Antoine de, 147
Salle Pleyel, 136, 137
Samivel, 100
Sarki, 14, 92, 93, 96, 116–17, 178, 183
Sarthou, Sylvain, 200
Schatz, Marcel, 16, 20, 71, 72, 77, 90, 95–96, 97, 108, 114, 115–16, 117, 122, 130, 142, 143, 144–45, 153, 193
Annapurna role of, 78, 79
physics career of, 78
Second World War, see World War II
Section des Eclaireurs et Skieurs (S.E.S.), 204
septicemia, 122, 128
seracs, 176, 197
Seven Years in Tibet (Harrer), 31
Shawangunk Cliffs, 67, 148
Sherpas, 14, 20, 21, 46, 47–48, 49, 71, 74, 76, 79, 87, 88, 90–91, 93, 96, 108, 116–17, 120, 122, 127, 153, 178, 183, 187, 192
Shishapangma, 45
Sickle, 14, 20, 89, 90, 92, 93, 96, 107, 112, 116
Sierra Club, 23
Sierra Nevada, 64
Simond, Alexis, 165
Simond, Claudius, 124
sirdar, 14
sleeping pills, 120
“Slouching Toward Everest” (Roberts), 24
“sluggards,” 77, 91
smoking, 120
snowblindness, 114
of Lachenal, 117
of Rébuffat, 20, 111, 112, 116, 121
of Terray, 20, 111, 112, 116, 117, 121
Soray, 196
Soubis, Jacques, 201
Sport et Vie, 85
Stanley Glacier, 163
Starlight and Storm (Etoiles et Tempêtes) (Rébuffat), 39–40, 41, 51–52, 62, 63, 64, 66, 146, 147, 148
stimulants, 120–21
“supermen,” 88
Swiss Alpine Club, 216
Swiss mountain climbers, 216
Switzerland, 38, 54, 65, 140
“talus piles,” 23
Taulliraju, 65, 196
Tenmile Range, 39
Tenzing Norgay, 45, 159
Terray, Lionel, 22, 23, 32, 38, 46, 49, 53, 56–60, 83, 85, 86–87, 92–93, 136, 148, 159, 160, 180, 183, 188, 190, 192–211, 218, 222
altruistic deeds performed by, 87, 90–91, 105–6, 113, 195, 224
autobiography of, see Conquistadors of the Useless
background of, 56–58
character of, 35, 48, 87
childhood home of, 206–11
climbing accidents of, 197, 199–200
commemorative plaque for, 207
death of, 203–4, 205–6
deaths of climbing partners of, 193–94, 196, 197
in descent of Annapurna, 19–21, 95–100, 102, 105–18
in failed Northwest Spur attempt, 73–75, 77
gear from fatal climb of, 210–11
grave of, 209
as guide, 30, 59–60, 82
in Jeunesse et Montagne, 35–37, 58
Lachenal’s relationship with, 48, 54–56, 58, 65, 68, 72, 73–74, 78, 170, 189, 190–91
Legion of Honor and, 159, 181, 210
mountain climbing experience and ability of, 16–17, 28, 29, 35–37, 57–59, 65, 66, 67–68, 72, 80, 142, 144, 202–3, 224
Mount Huntington ascent of Roberts and Jensen questioned by, 202, 204
physical appearance of, 57–58, 61
porters’ nickname for, 53
post-Annapurna climbing career of, 65, 138, 167, 193–200, 202–3, 220
Rébuffat’s relationship with, 34, 35–37, 49, 58–59, 92, 146
reputation of, 206
in return from Annapurna, 119, 121, 123–25, 133
snowblindness of, 20, 111, 112, 116, 117, 121
strength of, 20, 121
in World War II, 30, 54–55, 59, 84, 205, 210
Terray, Marianne, 59, 161–62, 206, 208, 209–10, 211
“tigers,” 78, 198
Tilicho Col, 71
Tokositna Glacier, 201
Triton France, 140
Tukucha, 46, 47, 68, 71, 72
“uppers,” 120
Vallée Blanche, 25, 168
Vercors, 203, 204–6, 211
verglas, 74
Veronica, 196
Vertical, 186, 217
“victoriste,” 33
Voyager II, 147
Vulgarians, 148
Waddington, Mount, 63
Wales, 149
Walker Spur, 31, 37, 40, 49, 51, 56, 65, 68, 83, 142, 198, 203
“walk-ups,” 38
Washburn, Bradford, 199, 201, 202, 210
Washington, Mount, 67
Whillans, Don, 149
Who’s Who in France, 85
Whymper, Edward, 29, 61, 189
Wickersham Wall, 64, 148
willow wands, 174
World War II, 16, 30, 35, 54–55, 59, 62, 65, 84, 133, 184, 205, 210
Youth and Mountains, see Jeunesse et Montagne
Simon & Schuster
Rockefeller Center
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
Copyright © 2000 by David Roberts
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
First Touchstone Edition 2002
SIMON & SCHUSTER and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Designed by Edith Fowler
Map by Jeffrey L. Ward
The Library of Congress has cataloged the Simon & Schuster edition as follows:
Roberts, David, date.
True summit : what really happened on the legendary ascent of Annapurna / David Roberts.
p. cm.
Includes index.
1. Mountaineering—Nepal—Annapurna. 2. Annapurna (Nepal)—Description and travel. 3. Herzog, Maurice, 1919– 4. Lachenal, Louis, 1921–1955. 5. Mountaineers—France—Biography. I. Title.
GV199.44.N462 A5664 2000
796.52'2'095496—dc21 00-027140
ISBN 0-684-86757-5
0-7432-0327-5 (Pbk)
ISBN 13: 978-1-4767-3787-4 (eBook)
PHOTO CREDITS
Galen Rowell/Mountain Light: p. 13
Dauphiné Libéré: p. 28
Collection Rébuffat: pp. 45, 70, 135, 192
Collection Ecole Nationale de Ski et d’Alpinisme: pp. 95, 158
Collection Lachenal: pp. 119, 212