Dhaulagiri I | 1977 (A pillar on) S Face

A Italy expedition to Dhaulagiri I in 1977 via (A pillar on) S Face, led by Reinhold Messner. Summit reached on 19th April 1977. 11 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2171
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID DHA177101
Peak ID DHA1
Year 1977
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 (A pillar on) S Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Italy
Leaders Reinhold Messner
Sponsor Dhaulagiri Expedition 1977
Success 1 False
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Austria, UK, USA, W Germany
Approach Thula Khola
Basecamp Date 1977-04-01
Summit Date 1977-04-19
Summit Time -
Summit Days 18
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 10
Termination Notes Abandoned at 6150m due to difficult and dangerous face
High Point (m) 6150
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 1
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 11
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 4
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 True
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits Climbed Manapathi NW (MPNW-771-01)
Campsites BC(01/04,4000m),C1(09/04,5350m),xxx(19/04,6150m)
Route Notes Correct route for 1977 Spring Austrians on Dhaulagiri I was: a pillar on South Face (according to Yves Pollet-Villard, Nov 1978). Messner 6000m peak climbed during 1977 Spr Dhaulagiri I expedition was south-southwest of Dhaulagiri I; don't know name. Messner, Wiedemann, Jones and Dickinson went to summit around 20-25 April via East Ridge. Habeler - 29 April 77 Habeler, Wiedemann, Dickinson and Jones made 1 recce to C1 and avalanches touched them. Very bad snow conditions this year: snow every day on 27 of 29 days at BC. Building up on face, huge avalanche destroying everything on face. No harm done to BC and members. 6100m highest point reached by Messner and Haebler, 19 April. Then decided to stop completely. Messner and Habeler went round to west side and there seracs also falling. Wanted to have helicopter to take them round to NE Ridge on col at 5800m. Other 4 climbers would have gone to top in a week alpine-style. Messner arrives KTM 4 May and others. Dr. Berghold - 10 April 77 Very bad weather prevented progress from BC. Don't even know which route because clouds by 11 am and after that avalanching. Berghold made 1 recconverse towards C1 but not decided where to put it. Berghold left BC 7 April. Moravetz was really very sick with pulmonary edema. Now will be Ok but will have to return home when he is stronger in few days. Messner - 22 March 77 BC 3400-4000m altitude; 2 or 3 camps with highest 6000-6500m and then alpine style with biv tent. Up face to snow plateau or roof, not a ridge. 4 Sherpas including Pemba Tsering to beginning of face at 4200-4400m and then too difficult for them. Whole face is difficult, "always very steep," 55-60 degrees. 1st part and very last part steepest, not so dangerous from avalanches because snow does not stay on face; too steep for it to stay; half of face is rock, half ice. 4 members, 1 doctor 5 film-makers; they have to go on face for filming. "50% chance of success - not more." Messner probably leaves tomorrow. Covington - 22 March 77 BC around 18,500 feet 2 maybe 3 camps on face. Highest camp at 24,500-25,000 where fixed ropes end, then up alpine-style to SW Ridge. 2 of film team will be on face and try to go to top: Eric Jones Leo Dickinson 3 Sherpas will go above BC to foot of face, but not as far as C1. Above fixed ropes will be alpine-style in down suits which are designed for bivouac. 1st 4000 feet of face maybe 70% - then another 1500-2000 ft last camp, 70-75% and solid green ice. Over to BC there is technical climbing. Doctor will stay in BC area. Emergency oxygen only (at BC). All same degree of climbing skills, but Wiedemann speaks no English. Covington - 22 March 77 Born 29 March 47 Director of Fantasy Ridge Expeditions
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2449100
Year 1977
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) (a pillar on) s face

Members

11 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Michael M. (Mike) Covington M 1947 USA Climber Estes Park, Colorado Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Peter Habeler M 1942 Austria Climber Mayrhofen, Tirol, Austria Alpine guide & ski Instructor Details Other expeditions
Reinhold Messner M 1944 Italy Leader Villnoss, Bolzano, Italy Alpinist & writer Details Other expeditions
Otto Wiedemann M 1951 W Germany Climber Kufstein, Tirol, Austria Alpine guide & instructor Details Other expeditions
Franz Berghold M 1948 Austria Exp Doctor Salzburg, Austria Physician Details Other expeditions
Leonard (Leo) Dickinson M 1946 UK Film Crew Old Sodbury, Bristol, England Photographer Details Other expeditions
Eric Jones M 1936 UK Film Crew Flint, Clywd, Wales Decorator, camera assistant Details Other expeditions
Hans-Joerg Messner M 1955 Italy Film Crew Villnoss, Bolzano, Italy Student, 2nd camera assistant Details Other expeditions
Bruno Moravetz M 1921 W Germany Film Crew Nesselwang, Bavaria, W Germany TV sports journalist Details Other expeditions
Josef Probst M 1940 W Germany Film Crew Munich, Bavaria, W Germany Camera assistant Details Other expeditions
Horst Schumann M 1933 W Germany Film Crew Ismaning, Bavaria, W Germany Cameraman Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
DHA177101 AAJ Covington, Michael M. - - 52:596 (1978) -
DHA177101 - Messner, Reinhold Die Grosse Wande BLV, Munich - M337
DHA177101 - Messner, Reinhold The Big Walls Kaye & Ward, London - M337
DHA177101 - Dickinson, Leo Filming the Impossible Jonathan Cape, London - D230
DHA177101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197859601/Asia-Nepal-Dhaulagiri-South-Face-Attempt - - -