To The Unknown Mountain

Wilfred Noyce, leader of the 1960 expedition to Pakistan to climb Trivor, a peak over 25,000 feet (according to the book - modern measurements have it at 7577m, or 24,859 ft). So little known was Trivor, that when they applied for permission from the Pakistani authorities, they have no idea where the mountain was. Trivor is, in fact in Pakistani territory, in the Karakoram, and it looks out over both Chinese and Russian land. As an indication, this is the 39th tallest mountain in the world, and has been successfully climbed only once since this expedition in 1960.

The book outlines some of the preparation (without being too in-depth), then the journey to Pakistan, and then on to Rawalpindi, and on to Gilgit. From Gilgit the expedition proper started. Working with both Nagar and Hunza porters, there were clashes of culture and prejudices to overcome, as well as th usual issues of mountaineering expeditions - thefts, food issues, porter strikes and demands for additional pay, sickness, altitude effects and, of course the weather and conditions.

The goal of the expedition is achieved fairly early on in the book, and despite it not being a long book, there is time enough for a more general look around after the peak is climbed. The Hunza Valley is explored in more detail, and various places within are visited.

The book ends with a number of appendices. The first of these bumped this book up at least a half star, perhaps a star - a thoroughly enjoyable short recounting of one of the expedition members trip back to the UK on a motorcycle from Rawalpindi. No shortage of adventures on this trip from Pakistan through Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, followed by a quick blast on the Autostrada through Italy and France. Then “A few pebbles on the window soon had Audrey, my wife, down to greet me with a pint of tea.” was a quite British way to finish.

4 stars.