Mt. Dhaulagiri 8,167m. / 26,794 ft. Expedition

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Situated in the north central region of Nepal, Mt. Dhaulagiri is the seventh highest mountain in the world. The mountain got its name from the Sanskrit world “Dhavala (white) + Giri (Mountain). After its discovery by the western world in 1808, it replaced Ecuador’s Chimborazo (20,561 feet) as the postulated highest mountain in the world and maintained its standing for nearly 30 years until the discovery of Mt. Kanchenjunga (28,169 ft.) which was then falsely believed to be the world’s highest mountain.  Mt. Dhaulagiri was first sighted by the British surveyors in India in the early 1800s but reminded virtually unknown until a Swiss aerial survey in 1949. Dhaulagiri's crest stretches for thirty miles, lending structure to an otherwise tangled topography of twisting ridges, glaciers, and ice falls. Along the main crest, several pyramid-shaped peaks rise. Four of these summits, numbered from east to west, rise above 25,000 feet.

This White Mountain was first climbed in 1960 by the Swiss following the Northeast ridge. Dhaulagiri 1st is buttressed by five ridges and even up until the early 1980's only the Northeast ridge had been successfully climbed. Dhaulagiri is considered the most interesting peak among the eight thousanders. There are more than six different routes established with variations, and the possibility of more. Mt. Dhaulagiri is considered the most interesting peak among the eight thou sanders. In this moment there are more than six different routes established with variations, and the possibility of more.

Technical Requirement: - This Mountain is one of the worlds 14 above 8000der high mountains, demanding the best quality of technical equipments and highly motivated technically sound climbing team. It has typical weather conditions which is very difficult to predict. The wind velocity is tremendous in this area, almost from afternoon to the dawn it is windy continuously .There are high passes to cross like French pass (5360m) and Dhampus pass ( 5258m) to reach  Base Camp. The Base Camp is located at the height of 4740m. on Chhonbardan glacier below rocky knob.

Dhaulagiri was first climbed on May 13, 1960 by Kurt Diemberger, Peter Diener, Ernst Forrer, Albin Schelbert, Nyima Dorji and Nawang Dorji, members of a Swiss/Austrian expedition. The expedition leader was Max Eiselin; they used the Northeast Ridge route which had been reconnoitered one year earlier by an Austrian expedition led by Fritz Moravec. This was also the first Himalayan climb supported by a fixed-wing aircraft. The aircraft, a Pilatus PC-6, crashed during an approach and was later abandoned in "Hidden Valley" north of the mountain.
The vast majority of ascents to date have been via the first ascent route, which is the "Normal Route" on the mountain. However ascents have been made from almost every direction.

Other peaks in the Dhaulagiri Himal
Mountain Height Latitude
Longitude
First ascent

meter feet  
Dhaulagiri I
8,167 26,795 28°41 45 N 83°29 36 E
1960
Dhaulagiri II 7,751 25,430 28°45 46 N 83°23 14 E 1971

Dhaulagiri III 7,715 25,311 28°45 16 N 83°22 46 E 1973
Dhaulagiri IV 7,661 25,135 28°44 10 N 83°18 55 E 1969
Dhaulagiri V 7,618 24,992 28°44 04 N 83°21 56 E 1975

Churen Himal (Main) 7,385 24,229 28°44 06 N 83°12 58 E unknown
Churen Himal (East) 7,371 24,229 28°44 33 N 83°13 51 E 1970
Churen Himal (West) 7,371 24,183 28°43 55 N 83°12 45 E 1970
Dhaulagiri VI 7,268 23,845 28°42 30 N 83°16 32 E 1970
Putha Hiunchuli 7,246 23,773 28°44 50 N 83°08 55 E 1954
Gurja Himal 7,193 23,599 28°40 26 N 83°16 37 E 1969
Historical Timelines:
• 1950 The peak is reconnoitered by the French, led by Maurice Herzog; however they do not see a feasible route and switch their objective to Annapurna, where they succeeded in making the first ascent of an 8000 m peak.
• 1953-1958 Five expeditions attempt the North Face, or "Pear Buttress", route.
• 1954 J. O. M. Roberts and Sherpa Ang Nyima climb Putha Hiunchuli (the first successful major summit ascent in the range).
• 1959 An Austrian expedition led by Fritz Moravec makes the first attempt on the Northeast Ridge, which will become the first ascent route the following year.
• 1960 The first ascent, detailed above.
• 1969 Americans, led by Boyd Everett, attempt the Southeast Ridge; seven team members, including Everett, are killed.
• 1970 The second ascent of Dhaulagiri, via the first-ascent route, by a Japanese expedition led by Tokufu Ohta and Shoji Imanari. Tetsuji Kawada and Lhakpa Tenzing reach the summit on October 20.[2]
• 1973 An American team led by James Morrissey makes the third ascent of Dhaulagiri, via the first ascent route (Northeast Ridge). Summit team: John Roskelley, Louis Reichardt, Nawang Samden.
• 1975 A Japanese team led by Takashi Amemiya attempts the Southwest Ridge (also known as the South Pillar). Six people are killed in an avalanche.
• 1976 An Italian expedition makes the fourth ascent of the peak.
• 1977 An international team led by Reinhold Messner attempts the South Face.
• 1978, Spring: Amemiya returns with an expedition which puts five members on the summit via the Southwest Ridge; this is the first ascent not to use the Northeast Ridge. One team member is killed during the ascent.
• 1978, Autumn: Seiko Tanaka of Japan leads an expedition which successfully climbs the very difficult Southeast Ridge. Four team members are killed during the ascent. Also, a French team attempts the Southwest Buttress (also called the South Buttress), but reaches only 7200 m.
• 1979 A Japanese expedition climbs Dhaulagiri II via the east ridge and Dhaulagiri V via the south ridge. They place camps on the summits of both peaks, and members of the expedition make traverses along the 4 km (2.4 mi) intervening ridge (which is everywhere above 7,150 m) in both directions. This expedition was also notable for being led by a woman, Michiko Takahashi.
• 1981 A Yugoslavian team reaches 7,950 m after putting up the first route on the true South Face of the mountain, on the right side, connecting with the Southeast Ridge. They climbed in alpine style, but suffered four days of open bivouacs and six days without food before returning. Also, Hironobu Kamuro of Japan reaches the summit alone, via the normal route.
• 1984 Three members of the Czechoslovakian expedition (J. Simon, K. Jakes, J. Stejskal) reached the summit via the monumental west face of the mountain. J. Simon died during the descent.
• 1985 A Polish expedition including the famed Jerzy Kukuczka climbs Dhaulagiri, via the standard route, in winter: they reach the summit on January 21.
• 1986 A mostly Polish expedition puts up the second South Face route, on the left side of the face, connecting with the Southwest Ridge route. They go above 7500 m but do not reach the summit.
• 1988 Yu.Moiseev and K.Valiev in cooperation with a Slovak Z.Demjan succeeded in getting over the south-west buttress. In the alpine context, this ascent with a 3000m altitude difference and passage of the VI+A2 sections at altitudes of 6800-7300m, was acknowledged as the year's best achievement at the UIAA Expedition Commission Conference.
• 1990 Dhaulagiri becomes the first mountain higher than 8000 m to be climbed by a Lithuanian. The legendary alpinist Dainius Makauskas disappears while coming back from the top.
• 1993 A Russian-British team puts up the Direct North Face Route.
• 1998 On May 16, Chantal Mauduit, an accomplished French climber, dies in an avalanche while attempting Dhaulagiri.
• 1999 On October 24 Ginette Harrison, an accomplished British climber, dies in an avalanche while attempting Dhaulagiri. Days later, the Slovenian Tomaz Humar climbs the huge, steep South Face solo, but does not reach the true summit of the peak.