Trangofjella in the north-east of the Himalayas in 1984. One of the world’s most demanding mountain massifs to climb. Here, the two Norwegians Hans Christian Doseth and Finn Dæhli reached the top, 6286 meters above sea level. They have their friend Dag Kolsrud in sight in the binoculars from base camp and are overjoyed that they have succeeded. The trip home finally awaits. But Kolsrud suddenly loses sight of them. He will never see them again. Releases footage for the first time The Norwegian climbers created history as the first in the world to climb the world’s highest vertical rock face, namely the east face of Great Trango. The audio recordings they made along the way have never been shared with anyone, until now. Here you can see the highest peak of the mountain massif, with the 1,500 meter high eastern rock face. Photo: Stein P. Aasheim The four friends Finn Dæhli, Hans Christian Doseth, Stein P. Aasheim, and Dag Kolsrud climbed for 14 days in all kinds of weather up to the top of Mt Trangofjella. Gradually, their food stocks began to dwindle to a dangerously low level. – You have to understand this about the food guys, I can’t continue on a thousand calories a day, a climbing companion is heard discussing in the middle of the journey. The despair was great and the situation terrifying. They had to separate teams, so that Aasheim and Kolsrud climbed back down to base camp, while Doseth and Dæhli continued on. For the first time, audio recordings from the expedition are available. Here you can hear Aasheim’s audio recordings from when they were hanging from the steep rock face: – Climbing’s Elvis The four climbers were only in their 20s when they set out on their biggest climbing adventure of their lives. Nevertheless, they were already considered Norway’s leading climbers. Author Jo Nesbø is currently writing a book about Doseth, and hails him as an important person in Norwegian climbing history. – Doseth had most of what a climber has, both the athleticism, the mental drive and the desire for adventure. He had the charisma, the good looks and the greatness that made him a natural leader, a kind of climbing Elvis. Author Jo Nesbø pays tribute to Hans Christian Doseth in a new book. Photo: Robert Rønning / Robert Rønning / news Doseth from Åndalsnes, and two years younger Nesbø from Molde never met. – So I never got to know him, but I was at the same circuit team meeting in handball. He was, of course, best man there too. – Would rather wish all four came home This is considered one of the greatest feats in international climbing history, and the route has been named the “Norskeruta”. The image alone is enough to make you sick to your stomach, but Dag Kolsrud dangles leisurely with his legs over the edge. Photo: Stein P. Aasheim The picture above shows how they carried hammock tents in the precipitous rock face. They fasten this to the mountain after each climbing session. The floor was a tight canvas over an aluminum frame. In the audio recording before they started on the rock face itself, you can hear them discussing that snow is falling from the glacier above them. This is what they are worried about. – Hans Christian is standing next to me, how is the mood ahead of “farewell” to the flatmarka for the last time in two or three weeks? Ask Aasheim. Hans Christian Doseth laughs a little before answering: – The atmosphere is good. Could have thought a little less rage, but. Photo: Stein P. Aasheim The expedition was later named one of the ten greatest achievements in the renowned Climbing Magazine. For climbers all over the world, the “Norskeruta” still stands as an unparalleled achievement. But the adventure was also a great tragedy, because Doseth and Daehlie never made it back down safely. – I am proud in a way to have been involved in laying the “Norskeruta” in Trango. And then at the same time I would much, much, much rather wish that all four of us had returned home, than that there is a “Norskeruta” on Trango on a mountain in the Karakorum, says Aasheim. Listen to the history of the Norwegian climbing expedition in the podcast “The whole story: Trango – triumph and tragedy”:
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Only two came home – releases the audio recording from one of the world’s greatest climbing feats – news Culture and Entertainment
