This is one of the great stories of the outdoors. And I had never heard of it until today via The Piton.
An award winning new book — An Eye at the Top of the World — details a CIA operation to plant a listening device atop Nandi Devi, one of the highest peaks in the world, in 1965.
That mission was a failure. The device and its nuclear core disappeared!
To get a quick overview of the story, check the trailer for a movie directed by Robert Schaller.
If that peaks your interest, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer published an excellent article written by CAROL SMITH: Spy Robert Schaller’s life of secrecy, betrayal and regrets.
Seattle PI also posted an excellent, short audio interview and slide show with Schaller.
I think I need to read the book. This is fascinating.
An Eye at the Top of the World: The Terrifying Legacy of the Cold War’s Most Daring C.I.A. Operation
Also recommended is Spies in the Himalayas: Secret Missions and Perilous Climbs by Kohli & Conboy. (2003)
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