Dhaulagiri I | 1976 NW Ridge
A Italy expedition to Dhaulagiri I in 1976 via NW Ridge, led by Renzo DeBertolis. Summit reached on 4th May 1976. 14 members recorded.
Expedition Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| ID | 2200 |
| Imported | 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634 |
| Expedition ID | DHA176101 |
| Peak ID | DHA1 |
| Year | 1976 |
| Season | 1 |
| Host Country | 1 |
| Route 1 | NW Ridge |
| Route 2 | NE Ridge |
| Route 3 | - |
| Route 4 | - |
| Nationality | Italy |
| Leaders | Renzo DeBertolis |
| Sponsor | Italian Expedition to Dhaulagiri I |
| Success 1 | False |
| Success 2 | True |
| Success 3 | False |
| Success 4 | False |
| Ascent 1 | - |
| Ascent 2 | 5th |
| Ascent 3 | - |
| Ascent 4 | - |
| Claimed | False |
| Disputed | False |
| Countries | - |
| Approach | Pokhara->Beni->Myagdi Khola (BC) |
| Basecamp Date | 1976-03-18 |
| Summit Date | 1976-05-04 |
| Summit Time | 1430 |
| Summit Days | 47 |
| Total Days | 53 |
| Termination Date | 1976-05-10 |
| Termination Reason | 1 |
| Termination Notes | - |
| High Point (m) | 8167 |
| Traverse | False |
| Ski | False |
| Paraglide | False |
| Camps | 5 |
| Fixed Rope (m) | 0 |
| Total Members | 13 |
| Summit Members | 2 |
| Member Deaths | 0 |
| Total Hired | 10 |
| Summit Hired | 0 |
| Hired Deaths | 0 |
| No Hired | False |
| 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 | - |
| Campsites | TempBC(18/03,3700m),Dep(21/03,4150m),BC(23/03,4610m),C1(27/03,5220m),C2(09/04,5870m),C3(19/04,6630m),C4(25/04,7100m),C5(03/05,7530m),Smt(04/05) |
| Route Notes | Bernardi - 18 May 76 7 arrive today and rest arrive tomorrow. Weather was very bad, snowing every day and wind terrible. Ridge very difficult because of weather not the mountain. 3 members stayed C5 night of 3 May and 4 May ready to start 6 am. On 4 May bad hurricane came up and Gadenz returned to C5 (he has frostbite foot and hands). Others returned 4 pm very tired and one with frostbitten foot; 3 to C4 6:30 pm. All frostbite Ok now. Summiters Zortea and Simoni; Gadenz returned to C5. Letter from Alfonso Bernardi - 7 May 1976 The Italian expedition gained the victory over the Dhaulagiri I at 2:30 pm May 4. A team (3 members) left the C5 at 6 o'clock in the morning, reached the top in spite of a hurricane (2 members, the 3rd Gadenz went down on the C5) and arrived on the C5 at 4 o'clock; at 6:30 pm they were on C4 and the morning after at 10 pm on the C2. All members now are in BC and BC (3700m). Next Monday (10th) the expedition begins the trekking towards Pokhara. Letter from Alfonso Bernardi - 1 May 1976 The struggle for the top is going. But the wind is too strong. All members are in C2, C3 and C4 (7100m). The C5 has rest been pitched because the strong wind. We hope that a team may reach the top no later the 6th of May. BC - April 14, 1976 The NW Ridge route was abandoned because the formidable problems and dangers. This is the progression of the team: 4 April - Henry, Camillo De Paoli, Scalet, 3 Sherpas, Gianpaolo De Paoli, Zortea and 5 Sherpas reached 5220m and placed the 1st camp. They went just at 5440m long the route of the NE Col. 6 April - Santon, Martini, Simoni, Gadenz and 3 Sherpas reached 5510m and left their loads. 7 April - Martini, Simoni and 3 Sherpas reached the NE Col and placed a tent and came down on the BC. Henry, Camillo De Paoli, Zortea and 7 Sherpas reached on 1st camp and the day after are in NE Col and placed the 2nd camp at 5870m. 12 April - Martini and Simoni reached 6650m and returned to 2nd camp; stormy wind. 14 April - Zortea, Camillo De Paoli and the Doctor with 2 Sherpas leave BC and go in 2nd camp. At present in the BC: Renzo DeBertolis Francisco Santon Pietro Scalet 1st camp: Edo Zagonel Zortea Camillo De Paoli Doctor Letter from Alfonso Bernardi - 8 April 1976 April 4 - C1 (5220m) was reached by Henry, Scalet, Camillo De Paoli and 3 Sherpas and Gianpaolo De Paoli, Gianpaolo Zortea. Henry, Camillo De Paoli, Scalet, Gianpaolo Zortea reached 5440m. April 5 - Santon, Martini, Simoni, Gadenzand Sherpas reached C1. April 6 - Santon, Martini, Simoni, Gadenz and 3 Sherpas reached 5510m and left their loads. April 7 - Martini, Simoni and 3 Sherpas reached NE Col (5860m), organized a tent. April 8 - DeBertolis, Gianpaolo De Paoli, Scalet left the BC to C1 and NE Col. PM Singh, MFA - 5 April 76 Dhaulagiri I BC, 4780m, 23 March Letter from Alfonso Bernardi, BC - March 1976 Two day ago we reach first BC at 3700m up of the Japanese team of last year. (13 days of March). Our 370 porters returned to their villages and now our team, Sherpas and high altitude porters are Ok. Two teams yesterday went up and reached a place to organize an intermediate camp at 4100m. Today 20 porters and 7 Sherpas with loads left our camp, but didn't reach intermediate camp because of strong north wind. In fact since yesterday afternoon is snowing. Tomorrow four Italians and 20 porters will try to reach this new camp and organize it, to stay during the night and the morning after go up to explore the high moraine where put the definitive BC at 4700-4800m. Our conditions of health are very good. Bernardi - 2 March 76 High BC at 4700m on Myagdi Glacier north of point 23,270; route onto ridge to be chosen when at high BC: northwest of point 23,270 or southwest of it. If no route at all on this ridge, then go east to col of 19,280 and thence along NE Ridge. All except Bernardi leave KTM tomorrow and leave Pokhara 4th; 15 days to low BC. Bernardi - 27 Feb 76 12 members: 11 guides and 1 doctor and Bernardi meterologist. 10 Sherpas including Ang Temba sirdar. 20 H-A porters from low BC to high BC. 200 porters BC (high) 4700m in Myagdi Glacier on north side of Dhaulagiri. 7 or 8 high camps on northwest side; expect route decided after reaching BC and seeing snow conditions and weather progress on this "mountain of storms." May choose 1960 Swiss or US 1974 and shift BC further east. Leave KTM 1 April 15 days trek to BC, arrive BC about 20 March; 2 months's food supply. Alfonso Bernardi - 22 Feb 76 Went for 12 days trek to see route to BC and to see mountain. "Difficulty on Dhaulagiri is the weather not the mountain." NW Ridge, same as Japanese attempt (who had fatal avalanche of 5 Sherpas and 2 Japanese). NW Ridge means only one route even with avalanche: 5000m of the North Face = 4 North Face Eigers, one on top of one another. Bernardi goes with expedition only to BC. Others arrive Wednesday Probably and leave 1st days of March Renzo De Bertolis, leader Gruppa Guide Alpine e Portatori; all professional; 11 or 12 members San Martino di Costrozza in Dolomites Col Origi arranges Sherpas, etc. |
| Accidents | - |
| Achievement | - |
| Agency | - |
| Commercial Route | False |
| Standard Route | True |
| Primary Route | False |
| Primary Member | False |
| Primary Reference | False |
| Primary ID | - |
| Checksum | 2448749 |
| Year | 1976 |
| Summit Success | True |
| O2 Summary | None |
| Route (lowercase) | nw ridge |
Members
14 recorded members.
| Name | Sex | Year of Birth | Citizenship | Status | Residence | Occupation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfonso Bernardi | M | 1914 | Italy | Climber | Bologna, Italy | Sociologist-journalist | Details Other expeditions |
| Renzo DeBertolis | M | 1937 | Italy | Leader | Siror, Trento, Italy | Alpine guide & carpenter | Details Other expeditions |
| Camillo De Paoli | M | 1939 | Italy | Climber | Siror, Trento, Italy | Alpine guide & taxi driver | Details Other expeditions |
| Gianpaolo De Paoli | M | 1940 | Italy | Climber | Tonadico, Trento, Italy | Alpine guide & ski instructor | Details Other expeditions |
| Luciano Gadenz | M | 1951 | Italy | Climber | Agrate Brianza, Milano, Italy | Student | Details Other expeditions |
| Luigino Henry | M | 1940 | Italy | Climber | Courmayeur, Aosta, Italy | Alpine guide & carpenter | Details Other expeditions |
| Sergio Martini | M | 1949 | Italy | Climber | Rovereto, Trento, Italy | Teacher | Details Other expeditions |
| Achille Poluzzi | M | 1930 | Italy | Exp Doctor | Bologna, Italy | Physician | Details Other expeditions |
| Francesco Santon | M | 1939 | Italy | Deputy Leader | Fiesso d'Artico, Venezia, Italy | Surveyor | Details Other expeditions |
| Gianpietro Scalet | M | 1949 | Italy | Climber | Transacqua, Trento, Italy | Electrical technician | Details Other expeditions |
| Silvio Simoni | M | 1947 | Italy | Climber | Transacqua, Trento, Italy | Worker | Details Other expeditions |
| Edoardo Zagonel | M | 1930 | Italy | Climber | Siror, Trento, Italy | Alpine guide & ski instructor | Details Other expeditions |
| Gianpaolo Zortea | M | 1949 | Italy | Climber | Imer, Trento, Italy | Mechanic & skiing instructor | Details Other expeditions |
| Ang Temba Sherpa | M | - | Nepal | Sirdar | - | - | Details Other expeditions |
References
3 recorded references.