Ama Dablam | 1985 NE Face up; SW Ridge down

A USA expedition to Ama Dablam in 1985 via NE Face up; SW Ridge down, led by Carlos Paltenghe Buhler. Summit reached on 7th December 1985. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 231
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID AMAD85401
Peak ID AMAD
Year 1985
Season 4
Host Country 1
Route 1 NE Face up; SW Ridge down
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Carlos Paltenghe Buhler
Sponsor American-Canadian Winter Ama Dablam Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 45th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Canada
Approach Island Peak->Chhukung
Basecamp Date 1985-11-20
Summit Date 1985-12-07
Summit Time 1000
Summit Days 17
Total Days 18
Termination Date 1985-12-08
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 6814
Traverse True
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 2
Summit Members 2
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
O2 Used False
O2 None True
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits Climbed Island Peak
Campsites BC(20/11,4500m),ABC(27/11,5030m),Biv1(30/11,5500m),...,Biv7(06/12,6700m),Smt(07/12)
Route Notes BC at Sanjo (near Dingboche) ABC at bottom of face. 1st climbed Island peak then carried to ABC and watched the NE Face (Chhukung Face). Started up on 30 Nov and completed ascent at 10:00 am on 7 Dec spent 45-60 minutes on top and descended normal route, reached New Zealanders C1 at 8:00 pm (had difficult time seeing it in very dark night). Difficult route: delicate climbing upper section had vertical parts, very steep rock with a little bit of ice on it, "insecure, no protection." No possibility of survival in descending face, where had no fixed ropes at all. Was very very cold but got up more quickly then, feared night. Most days climbed 6-7 hrs. Route would be too dangerous in spring and autumn from falling ice, rock and perhaps seracs and from got stuck in snowfall with all snow from sailing through one chute at bottom of face. The Northeast Face of Ama Dablam Expedition Report by Carlos Buhler Ama Dablam is among the most striking peaks on earth; a sheer, glistening tooth reaching 22,349 ft above sea level. My first view of the mountain was in April 1980, as I struggled to the summit of nearby Baruntse. Of all the peaks I could see on the jagged Himalayan skyline. Ama Dablam stood out. Its modest size, by Himalayan standards, was more than compensated for by its matchless profile. In Oct, 1984, Michael Kennedy agreed to join me on this two person adventure. Within his comprehensive slide collection, we came up with our first and only photograph of the face. It was a view from fives miles away and did not show the bottom third of the mountain. But with this photograph, and a tremendous spirit of adventure, we departed on Oct 24, 1985 for KTM, Nepal. Accompanying us on the 120-mile approach were Michael's wife, Julie, my mother, Julie Dougherty, and my brother, Roman. With such a closely knit group, here could hardly have been a better way to prepare for the unknown. Well looked after by our Sherpa staff, we arrived in BC on Nov 20th. Our first view of the face was one we will never forget. We were sure there was a possible route to the summit; the paramount question, however was whether the winter weather and snow conditions would allow for a safe ascent. We acclimatized as fully as possible by ascending Kala Pattar with all the family members and Island Peak accompanied by Michael's wife, Julie, before wishing them a safe return journey to KTM. After two days of rest, we moved up to an advanced camp at 16,400 ft beneath the North Ridge of Ama Dablam. Our exploration of the Northeast Face's lower gullies and slopes during the next two days convinced us that a route was, indeed, feasible. On Nov 30 we set off with seven days of food and fuel and bivouacked at a small cache we had left the day before, at the start of the steepening wall. Over the next seven days we enjoyed only about for hours of sun each morning. The temperature dropped well below 0 degrees during the shaded afternoons, and we found ourselves straining to keep our body core temperatures high enough to climb. The terrain was predominantly snow and ice, interspersed with short bands of thin, delicate ice cover steep snow ribs we followed in the center of the face. Good bivouacs were essential, allowing us to consume enough fluids and calories to ward off frostbite, high altitudes illness and general exhaustion. At 10:30 am Dec 7, we reached the summit of Ama Dablam. Despite some scary winds early in the morning, it turned into a perfectly clear, calm day. We photographed the spectacular peaks surrounding us for 45 minutes, and then began our descent of the Southwest Ridge. Utilizing some fixed ropes that had been left in place during the fall season, as well as those of a New Zealand team attempting a winter ascent of that route, we reached 17,000 feet on the same day. The next morning, Ang Jangbu and his father, Norbu, met us with prayer scarves, food and walking shoes for the hike down to their home in the Sherpa village of Pangboche. That night, sheltered in the caccoon of warm Sherpa household, exhaustion from the past week's mental and physical pressure was overshadowed by an immense inner feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. Slowly, the realization of our dreams began to dawn on us. We had done it: we had explored a new route, in winter, to the summit of Ama Dablam.
Accidents -
Achievement 1st ascent of NE Face
Agency -
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2451227
Year 1985
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) ne face up; sw ridge down

Members

2 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Carlos Paltenghe Rockhold Buhler M 1954 USA Leader Bellingham, Washington Alpine guide & ecologist Details Other expeditions
Michael Kennedy M 1952 Canada Climber Carbondale, Colorado Editor of climbing magazine Details Other expeditions

References

7 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
AMAD85401 AAJ Kennedy, Michael A Hidden Gem-Ama Dablam's Northeast Face - 61:32-40 (1987) -
AMAD85401 AAJ Kennedy, Michael - - 60:221-223 (1986) -
AMAD85401 HJ Buhler, Carlos The Northeast Face of Ama Dablam, 1985 - 43:118-119 (1985-1986) -
AMAD85401 MM - - - 108:13 (Mar 1986) -
AMAD85401 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198703200/A-Hidden-Gem-Ama-Dablams-Northeast-Face - - -
AMAD85401 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198622104/Asia-Nepal-Ama-Dablam-Northeast-Face - - -
AMAD85401 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/43/21/expeditions-and-notes-43/ - - -