Another fascinating bit of history - incredible that any of them survived - and what an extraordinary rescue. Interesting that the 3 of them were using aspirin tablets as 'food' - lucky they didn't all end up with stomach ulcers... but on the positive side, maybe the aspirin limited the damage from their frostbites - it is now recognised treatment, although they wouldn't have known that in 1938.
Best wishes, Mark
When a very young climber I was told the story, far from as clearly as you have read. I became admirative that a lady, Erika, could have got out unscathed while Raymond and Marcel suffered so deep frostbites. I became convinced that women could resist to cold and suffering in difficult conditions better than most men and I was climbing with a living example proving it: Denise Escande, who like Loulou Boulaz, was no more than 1,55 in height but tougher than nails. Even in the tales of Marcel and Raymond, they both kept very quiet about the way they took so great care of Erika and it is thanks to friends of the Androsace club that I found out how much they did to save Erika from a similar fate as theirs. Not only Raymond and Marcel were very brave men but they were very modest also. Raymond particularly as my master es-climbing, George Livanos, would have said, became a 'master', unlike politicians, without treading on the toes or kicking the teeth of anyone, but in always staying himself, looking for happiness in this world, for himself and for others.
And another little anecdote: with some of my young climbing friends we very much admired 'Pelle-Brosse' (Robert Wohlschlag) a very powerful climber, when he married the nice looking, very good climber and very rich, Erika! From then on, they both would go on climbing all the year round; 'Pelle-Brosse' was very happy as he did not need to work any longer. Unfortunately for us, we could not find an equivalent of Erika! The last time I met them was in 1980, while climbing in Spain on the Peñón de Ifach with Denise Escande, Lothar Mauch and Simone Badier. They were around 65 and still enjoying climbing, though not at the same level.
great read; thanks for posting this, and also amazing that they all survived - not very often the case when things go wrong on that mountain. The photos are just wonderful and really set the scene of the adventure
Americans Robert Underhill and Miriam O'Brien(Underhill) with Armand Charlet & George Cachat, Underhill remembered for Mt. Whitney east face and ridges on the Grand Teton.
Americans of course! And superb climbers and characters. Thanks for correcting me. I rectified my text accordingly and added 2 links: one for Mrs O'Brien and one for Robert Underhill and his 1rst ascent of the East face of Mount Whitney.
that all three of them survived this ordeal, but sad that Marcel Gallay was let down in such a way by Erika Stagni (or her mother), especially since he probably was the one who saved her from having any amputations.
One of the most surprising facts about this is that the two of them who were able to do so continued climbing as long as they could in their later life. That says something about their character and determination. Still, reading this I feel quite satisfied that I never did try winter mountaineering myself!
Thanks for your comment. Note that T should have made clearer that the led down of Marcel Gallay was by Erika's mother, not Erika. Private clinics in Geneva were and still are very experience. Mrs Amstutz was an extremely forceful lady, she had the money and Erika had no say about it. However, Marcel was mainly led down morally as the public hospital he went to applied the same treatment to him that the doctor in the clinic he was initially in. But in those years, frostbite treatment was nothing like it is today, and the damage he suffered on his left foot and toe far too great. Marcel did publish photos of his frostbites over several months but they are so awful that I decided to spare summitpost readers in forgetting them.
markhallam - Jan 12, 2013 2:10 am - Voted 10/10
Bravo Eric!Another fascinating bit of history - incredible that any of them survived - and what an extraordinary rescue. Interesting that the 3 of them were using aspirin tablets as 'food' - lucky they didn't all end up with stomach ulcers... but on the positive side, maybe the aspirin limited the damage from their frostbites - it is now recognised treatment, although they wouldn't have known that in 1938.
Best wishes, Mark
ericvola - Jan 14, 2013 2:23 am - Hasn't voted
A fascinating bit of historyWhen a very young climber I was told the story, far from as clearly as you have read. I became admirative that a lady, Erika, could have got out unscathed while Raymond and Marcel suffered so deep frostbites. I became convinced that women could resist to cold and suffering in difficult conditions better than most men and I was climbing with a living example proving it: Denise Escande, who like Loulou Boulaz, was no more than 1,55 in height but tougher than nails. Even in the tales of Marcel and Raymond, they both kept very quiet about the way they took so great care of Erika and it is thanks to friends of the Androsace club that I found out how much they did to save Erika from a similar fate as theirs. Not only Raymond and Marcel were very brave men but they were very modest also. Raymond particularly as my master es-climbing, George Livanos, would have said, became a 'master', unlike politicians, without treading on the toes or kicking the teeth of anyone, but in always staying himself, looking for happiness in this world, for himself and for others.
And another little anecdote: with some of my young climbing friends we very much admired 'Pelle-Brosse' (Robert Wohlschlag) a very powerful climber, when he married the nice looking, very good climber and very rich, Erika! From then on, they both would go on climbing all the year round; 'Pelle-Brosse' was very happy as he did not need to work any longer. Unfortunately for us, we could not find an equivalent of Erika! The last time I met them was in 1980, while climbing in Spain on the Peñón de Ifach with Denise Escande, Lothar Mauch and Simone Badier. They were around 65 and still enjoying climbing, though not at the same level.
Best
sharperblue - Jan 14, 2013 1:02 pm - Voted 10/10
superb photos too!great read; thanks for posting this, and also amazing that they all survived - not very often the case when things go wrong on that mountain. The photos are just wonderful and really set the scene of the adventure
desainme - Jan 19, 2013 10:11 am - Voted 10/10
First ascent byAmericans Robert Underhill and Miriam O'Brien(Underhill) with Armand Charlet & George Cachat, Underhill remembered for Mt. Whitney east face and ridges on the Grand Teton.
ericvola - Jan 19, 2013 12:40 pm - Hasn't voted
Mrs O'Brien and Robert UnderhillAmericans of course! And superb climbers and characters. Thanks for correcting me. I rectified my text accordingly and added 2 links: one for Mrs O'Brien and one for Robert Underhill and his 1rst ascent of the East face of Mount Whitney.
Best
Ejnar Fjerdingstad - Jan 26, 2013 8:39 am - Hasn't voted
Amazingthat all three of them survived this ordeal, but sad that Marcel Gallay was let down in such a way by Erika Stagni (or her mother), especially since he probably was the one who saved her from having any amputations.
One of the most surprising facts about this is that the two of them who were able to do so continued climbing as long as they could in their later life. That says something about their character and determination. Still, reading this I feel quite satisfied that I never did try winter mountaineering myself!
ericvola - Jan 26, 2013 1:28 pm - Hasn't voted
AmazingThanks for your comment. Note that T should have made clearer that the led down of Marcel Gallay was by Erika's mother, not Erika. Private clinics in Geneva were and still are very experience. Mrs Amstutz was an extremely forceful lady, she had the money and Erika had no say about it. However, Marcel was mainly led down morally as the public hospital he went to applied the same treatment to him that the doctor in the clinic he was initially in. But in those years, frostbite treatment was nothing like it is today, and the damage he suffered on his left foot and toe far too great. Marcel did publish photos of his frostbites over several months but they are so awful that I decided to spare summitpost readers in forgetting them.
Best
Redwic - Jan 27, 2013 8:51 pm - Hasn't voted
Great Article!Thank you for sharing this on SummitPost.
I really enjoyed reading it. I found it to be very interesting.