South Africa’s hardest climb
THE year was 1996. Journalist Patrick Conroy arrived at Base Camp, Mount Everest, to cover South Africa’s first attempt to climb the world’s highest peak. Within days more climbers would die on Everest than at any other point in the mountain’s history – with Conroy filing news reports throughout. The mysteries and controversies of what truly happened in 1996 endure.
In Everest Untold, Conroy relives the tragedies by sharing notes from his personal diary as well as audio transcripts of the radio interviews and radio transmissions between the climbers trapped and lost on the mountain.
Some of these critical radio conversations have never been revealed and Conroy provides a link to the actual recordings.
His memoir sheds new light on the infamous climbing season that year, including the deaths of eight climbers in a high-altitude snow storm and the mysterious disappearance of South African team photographer Bruce Herrod. Day 27, 25 May 1996: To Dare to Touch the Heavens 9.55am
By now the South African climbers and climbing sherpa were descending. At noon Ian and Cathy encountered Bruce Herrod still climbing up. It was a shock, everyone had assumed he had turned back.
Bruce stuck out his hand, smiling broadly, and congratulated his friends on their historic climb. Ian assumed Bruce would turn around and descend with them, but Bruce said, “I want to go on.”
Ian urged him to turn around. Although Bruce was still within the safety limit he would have to summit alone without a Sherpa. This would be a critical moment in the expedition.
Ian explained where the oxygen was stashed and Bruce promised to keep everyone updated via the radio.
A few minutes later Ian radioed Base Camp to tell us about their encounter with Bruce and his continued summit bid. I was surprised, having assumed Herrod had turned back hours earlier.
I recorded the following radio traffic between Bruce and Philip at Base Camp: PHILIP: “Bruce, there you are. Where’ve you been, my bro?” BRUCE: “I’ve been having a bit of a bad morning, Phil.” PHILIP: “How are you feeling, lad?” BRUCE: “At the moment I’m feeling great. Everybody has summitted except me. I’m about 30 minutes below the South Summit, I’m going to take the radio with me. I’ll check in with you, and then I’ll press on, just to see if I can top out.”
Bruce continued up on his own, the highest human being on solid ground at that moment.
– Transcript and audio courtesy of Talk Radio 702.
News of the successful summit bid soon reached President Nelson Mandela, who was following the radio coverage. So he decided to call the station.
Nelson Mandela: “Well thank you, is that Patrick Conroy?”
Jeremy Maggs: “It’s Jeremy Maggs talking, Mr President. I’m going to put you through to Patrick Conroy in just a moment, but could I ask you how you feel at this particular point, the significance of what our climbers have done?”
Nelson Mandela: “Well, it is very important, not only for the purpose of inspiring the youth but the whole country. We are all very excited. All these achievements are putting South Africa on the map, and are inspiring everybody in government, in business, amongst the workers and throughout the various sectors of our community to emulate this example.”
Maggs then patched Nelson Mandela through to me. I greeted him over the radio.
Nelson Mandela: “Okay. I can’t hear you very clearly but just want to say that the news came to us as a real surprise, and also a cause for jubilation because of the fact that the conditions on top there were not conducive to this achievement, but our children did very well indeed. And it shows the character of which all South Africans are made. “I cannot wait long to welcome them back to the country. I think that they deserve one of the highest recognitions that we can give to people who have made this wonderful achievement. It has created tremendous ... ” The delay in the satellite receiver meant I thought Nelson Mandela had finished speaking. So I responded immediately. In truth I interrupted the Noble Laureate. Patrick: “Mr President, I can confirm that they are a very determined bunch of climbers and they are very proud to be flying the highest flag in the world right now on top of Everest. They’re making their way down and the last time we spoke to them, they sounded safe and sound, and I’ll be sure to pass that message of yours on to them. “I am sure it will encourage them greatly to get back, not only to Base Camp safely, but also back to South Africa, Sir.” Nelson Mandela: “Thank you very much. If there is a possibility, I would like to speak to Cathy O’Dowd and Ian Woodall, but only when they reach an area of civilisation when I can speak to them on the telephone. In the meantime give the children my heartiest congratulations.” Patrick: “Mr President, we do have your numbers and I’m sure that as soon as they are near a radio, the first thing they will do is they will contact you... I’ll make sure of that.” Nelson Mandela: “Very good. Have you got our telephone? Let me give you our ... ” I quickly interjected. This radio call was being broadcast live on 702 and President Nelson Mandela was about to give out a top secret number. “Yes, yes, we’ve got your number,” I said firmly to the global statesman. I did not want to be responsible for the millions of telephone calls he would receive on his private line within minutes of divulging it on air.
– Transcript and audio courtesy of Talk Radio 702.
Hours went by. Ian and Cathy reached Camp 4. Philip, Deshun and I waited anxiously for Bruce to make contact.
2pm came and went. We tried to reach him but there was no response. We were getting anxious. 3pm arrived – nothing. 4pm – nothing. Shortly after 5pm Bruce Herrod broke radio silence.
Ian and Cathy had made it back to Camp 4, but the expedition leader was worried about his friend. He beat us to the radio when Bruce finally called. Ian: Bruce where are you?’ Bruce: On top of the world, mate. It had taken him 17 hours to get there. Bruce had defied the cut-off time by more than three hours. Ian: You are not on top of the summit are you? You stupid ****?! Ian was furious that Bruce had not respected the cut-off time. Herrod admitted his defiance of the turn-around rule. Bruce: Yes, I’m a stupid ****. Over. Ian immediately summed up the situation. This was no time for anger. Ian: Bruce, firstly congratulations mate, and secondly you’d better get your arse down here. Over. Bruce: Yeah, (puff) thanks for the congratulations, they’ve been hard earned. Yes, I’m about to turn tail and head down, over. Ian: Bruce, be real careful mate. What’s the weather like where you are? Over. Bruce: Pretty benign, so I’m not too worried. Over. Ian: OK. Well, it’s pretty crappy down here... (inaudible) Bruce: Yip, I’m going to do my best. I have taken careful notes on the way up. I finally made it! It has been a l-o-n-g time coming, mate. And I’ll be real careful on the way down. Over. Ian then explained to Bruce where the extra oxygen was stashed for his descent. Bruce: Okay. All copied. Over. At that moment the Base Camp satellite phone rang. It was Bruce Herrod’s fiancée, Sue Thompson, calling from London.
I told her Bruce was on the summit. She froze. Sue knew this was a very dangerous time to be on top. I patched her through to Bruce. Sue: Hi there, you okay? Over. Bruce: Ten-four. I am, over. Sue: Please will you come down as fast as possible. Over. She implored. Bruce: Don’t worry. I was on Aconcagua (South American peak) and I’ll be real careful coming down. I’m not going to rush anything. Um... I’ve got too much to look forward to. Over.
Bruce was referring to their wedding, which the couple had planned for shortly after the climb. Sue: Well, I’m glad you are okay so far. I have had several family and... (inaudible) this morning. I’m thinking of you all the way down. Just please be very careful. Make sure you find the oxygen dump! Be safe, Okay? Over. Bruce: Yeah, thanks so much for waiting. Herrod sounded tearful at this point. Bruce: I can’t tell you how much your thoughts have meant to me. I love you dearly... Over. Sue: I love you too. I’m with you all the way. Okay? Please come down safely. There is everything to look forward too. You’ll be all right. Okay. Over. Sue was doing a brilliant job of motivating Bruce to descend and also to focus on the task ahead. It was only in reference to their wedding that her voice trembled. Bruce: Don’t worry, it is just going to be a long climb on the way down. Over. Sue: Okay, please... (inaudible) ... soon, ’cause I know there isn’t much daylight left. Over. Bruce: It should see me out. I’ve left all the little bits and pieces up here that we spoke about. It has been a real pleasure putting them up here.
Bruce then puffed for air before continuing. Bruce: It has been a long, long road. Over. Sue: You damn right! It’s been a very long road. So please, please, please concentrate from now on, Okay? I love you! All right? So please come down. Over. Bruce: Yeah, don’t worry. There are one or two very sobering reminders on the way down (we assume the bodies of Fischer and Hall), so don’t worry on that score. I’ll be down very safely, don’t you worry at all. Over. Sue: Okay, please send some kind of message when you get to Camp 4, if possible. Over. Bruce: Yeah, no problem at all, I’ll definitely do that. Over. Sue: (Sigh) okay there. I’m going to ring off now. I’m very glad to hear from you. Over.
Bruce’s reply sounded sad to me. Bruce: I’m very glad to hear from you too. Seriously... (inaudible) ... this is the summit of the world signing off. Over. Sue (through tears): You too.
– Transcript and audio courtesy of Talk Radio 702.
In Base Camp we were stunned. Bruce had last made contact after midday. He should have made the summit and turned around by 2pm, but now he was at 8 848m, alone.
Philip and Deshun were exhausted. Neither had slept in days. With less than three hours’ sleep in the past few days I was the most conscious of the three. I volunteered to man the radio overnight in case Bruce called.
Darkness descended on Everest. Bruce was silent.
• This is an extract from Everest Untold, by Patrick Conroy and published by Jacana Media. Conroy is a media executive with 20 years’ experience in broadcasting. His career began at Talk Radio 702 in 1993 before he switched to television in 2001. He is the former news editor of e.tv’s Prime Time bulletin and went on to launch South Africa’s first independent 24-hour news channel, eNCA, in 2008.