As part of our Celebrating Pete and Joe series, in this fortieth year since their deaths, here is a piece about Joe’s book, Savage Arena.
Savage Arena was published by Methuen in the autumn of 1982. In the previous May, Joe, together with Pete Boardman had died on Everest attempting to climb the East Northeast Ridge of the mountain. Joe has submitted the manuscript of the book to the publisher shortly before leaving for Everest.
Joe’s book was published at a similar time to Pete Boardman’s Sacred Summits and these two books have for almost forty years been regarded as a high point in British mountain writing and as worthy memorials to two young authors. Savage Arena has always been a particular favourite of mine, as Joe’s writing skilfully balances a pragmatic approach with deeply considered observations and recollections, frequently containing humane and compassionate observations of his companions on the mountains. There is no attempt to conceal the fact that high altitude mountaineering is a harsh, brutal and often dangerous activity. To my mind no other writer has so clearly described the sheer hardship, fear and levels of self-doubt that comes from involvement in this activity. Not until the publication of The Calling by Barry Blanchard in 2015, was the reader so totally drawn into their often beautiful but dangerous world. A sense of menace inhabits much of the book and often leaves the reader astonished that people can go to such extremes and endure such pain and exhaustion in the pursuit of their dreams.
Savage Arena consists of seven chapters, covering Joe’s experiences in the mountains from 1975-1980. This was a significant period in the development of mountaineering. Messner and Haebler had climbed Everest in 1975 without the use of oxygen and this changed the whole nature of climbing the world’s highest mountains. Joe was destined to be in the forefront of this change, together with the other key figures in the book, Dick Renshaw, Pete Boardman and Doug Scott.
Joe and Dick had started climbing together at Manchester University, and during the early seventies established themselves as one of Britain’s top alpine teams with a series of very impressive climbs in the Alps. Two friends of mine camped alongside them at Zermatt in the summer of 1972, and were astonished at their very frugal lifestyle (attempting to live in Zermatt on £1 a day!) and full of admiration at the boys’ obvious ability and determination.
The first two chapters of the book describes their initial attempt, and then five days and nights climbing The North Wall of the Eiger (1938 route) in February 1975. At that time winter ascents of the route were rare, and winter climbing in the Alps was a new area for British climbers. Joe clearly describes the hardship and solitude they experience and lavishes praise on the toughness and ability of Dick as they battle up the route. Their success on this firmly established them in the forefront of British alpinists.
Later that summer Joe and dick bought a beat-up van and set off for a first trip to the Himalayas, and an attempt on the south-East Ridge of Dunagiri at just over 23,000ft in the Nanda Devi region. The climb and the return to Base Camp occupies eleven days and nights, and although Joe records the beauty of the area and the awesome view of Changabang, the experiences proves to be a very hard one. The ascent of the mountain was a fine achievement, but exhausted and half starved their descent turns into an epic and they become separated. For a while Joe is fearful that Dick has died, and when they are reunited at Base Camp Dick has frostbitten hands and needs urgent treatment. Joe’s compassion for his friend is very evident, and a flight back to the UK is finally secured for Dick. Joe has an epic journey overland back home but the success on this climb proves to be a significant turning point particularly for Joe. The long periods of isolation and hardship on Dunagiri would prove to be a portent of the years ahead.
In 1976, with Dick still recovering from frostbite, Joe approaches Pete Boardman with a proposal to attempt the west face of Changabang. At this stage they only knew each other in passing, and the route they had in mind was a very bold proposal. Joe’s account of the considerable difficulties of the route make for good reading but the real interest lies in the efforts of Joe and Pete to get to know each other, and the conflicts they overcome. Joe is very generous in his comments about Pete and a strong partnership is established. Their ascent of Changabang by a very difficult route was for the time a superb achievement and in mountaineering terms Joe and Pete became world figures. One of the finest sections of writing in the book describes their return to Base Camp and the discovery that a nearby American expedition to Dunagiri has suffered the loss of four members on the mountain. Joe’s account of their efforts to help the remaining members of the team, and their work in securing the dead climbers’ bodies in a crevasse is full of humanity and a deep compassion. Their joy at their own triumph instantly tempered by this utter disaster nearby. The efforts of Joe and Pete in helping these people speaks volumes as to the men they were.
Joe and Pete’s triumph on Changabang had drawn them to the attention of Chris Bonington who invited them to join an expedition to attempt the West Ridge of K2. The team includes Nick Estcourt, Doug Scott, Tut Braithwaite and Chris himself. It is interesting to read about Joe’s reaction to being in a large expedition of this type, and his efforts to get to know Chris in particular. Both Pete and Joe formed a friendship with Nick Escort and are devastated when early in the expedition Nick is killed in an avalanche. The expedition is abandoned, but Joe starts to form a friendship with Doug Scott. Joe’s honest assessments of this trip are most revealing regarding the complexities of a large expedition.
The centrepiece for me is Joe’s account of the 1979 expedition to climb Kangchenjunga by the North ridge, not least because the ascent by Joe, Pete Boardman and Doug Scott is one of the greatest achievements by British climbers. This was a very difficult new route on the world’s third highest mountain climbed without oxygen. It was arguably Joe, Pete and Doug’s finest mountaineering achievement. The trip was not without incidents; Joe suffers badly with illness early on and Pete is injured by rockfall. In an early attempt the team is hit by avalanche during the night and are lucky to survive. A further attempt in mid May is successful.
The final long chapter Apocalypse, describes the 1980 Expedition back to K2. Again the objective was the unclimbed West Ridge. The team of Joe, Pete Boardman, Dick Renshaw and Doug Scott reached 23,000ft on the ridge but were defeated by very poor conditions on the mountain and poor weather. A week later they attempt to climb the mountain by the Abruzzi Spur but are forced to retreat and Doug returned to Britain. A second attempt get a camp established at 26,000 ft. but again they are forced to retreat. This descent turned into an epic and Joe, Pete and Dick were exhausted when they returned to Base Camp. A third attempt was made a week later, when they again reached 26,000ft. This time they were forced back by a combination of bad weather and exhaustion. K2 was to remain a serious objective particularly for Pete Boardman.
That then is an overview of Savage Arena, a superb account of mountain activity over six years and in my opinion, an absolute classic of British mountain literature. Joe writes with a delightful clarity and honesty, and his own doubts and fears are clearly laid out along with his warm admiration and deep gratitude for his companions in what is truly a Savage Arena indeed. The book remains in print after forty years and is readily available. It has been a source of inspiration ever since its publication.
Steve Dean
