Dhaulagiri I | 1980 N Face

A USA expedition to Dhaulagiri I in 1980 via N Face, led by Vera Komarkova. Summit reached on 5th October 1980. 20 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1888
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID DHA180301
Peak ID DHA1
Year 1980
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 N Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Vera Komarkova
Sponsor American Women's 1980 Expedition to Dhaulagiri I
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 Australia, Czechoslovakia, Switzerland
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1980-09-04
Summit Date 1980-10-05
Summit Time -
Summit Days 31
Total Days 43
Termination Date 1980-10-17
Termination Reason 6
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7100m due to fatal avalanche
High Point (m) 7100
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 17
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 5
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 -
Campsites BC(04/09,4400m),C1(07/09,5000m),ABC(11/09,5900m),C3(25/09,6500m),C4(05/10,7100m),xxx(05/10,7100m)
Route Notes Oxygen taken (see Press Conference Aug 8 below) but probably not used. AWED press conference - 3 Nov 80 C4 established 5 Oct 7100m by Annie Whitehouse, Vera Komarkova, Ang Rita, Ang Gyalzen. C4 was highest point reached; planned 2 more camps. C4 not actually occupied but supplies put there and route made there. Went down 5th Oct to C3 and stayed there next day because of winds; were there till 7th, the day of avalanche. Wind on 6th & 7th same wind 100 km/hr. Luedi was digging platform for space for more tents at C3 and saw avalanche site and movement of people there so knew something had happened but no radio contact for an hour. An hour after avalanche hit at 2:15-2:30 pm, sirdar at C2 (5900m, established 11 Sept) came on radio. C2 had 5 members and 5 Sherpas in it at the time. All 5 members in one tent getting ready to play cards after lunch - rest day because of wind 8 tents at C2 including cook tents. All tents destroyed or badly damaged by avalanche. Simer had just gotten out tent and heard setting of snow, whoomp sound. Lyn and Diane were sitting closest to tent door and everyone started to door to see where Dr. was but almost immediately tent was hit and started moving. They were jumbled up inside tent and inside 10 seconds realized had fallen into crevasse. Fell 30 feet along to crevasse and 30 more vertically into crevasse. Snow piled in on top of us but not totally buried by snow. Hit snow bridge inside crevasse and wedged between bridge and crevasse edge. Kearney upside down cut air hole. Dailey thrown out of tent and buried in waist deep in snow bridge itself. Assumed Lyn also thrown outside tent and buried in snow debris. We couldn't see each other because equipment jumbled with sleeping bags around face. Cut through tent within couple minutes and then climbed to find out if all Ok. All minor injuries, only bruises. Sherpas helped 3 out of crevasse after some minutes after fetching sling webbing. Smith thought Lyn unconscious in tent. Sherpas brought sling webbing & Sherry tied into it. Smith, Simer and Kearney got out of tent and on to snow bridge. Dailey and then Simer were pulled up out of crevasse by Sherpas. Lyn may well still be in tent but pulled out pieces of tent for 1-1/2 hour but not Lyn. Then Kearney and Smith searched else where in crevasse. Giller arrived expedition C3 and she was lowered into crevasse continuing search. Then members started picking snow outside crevasse and continued till 10 pm and continued again next day and following 3 more days members and 2 Sherpas came from C3 by about 7 pm with stoves, food, tents and shovels. 8th Oct searched mostly in crevasse, she could scarcely be alive. 9th Oct dug out trench in crevasse and also tent site. Dailey: "as far as we could determine she must have been thrown out of tent and fell into crevasse past the point where we could get anyone down there"; crevasse was at least 150-200 feet deep - we went 150 feet down. Dailey: we were surprised we didn't have more injuries. Komarkova: Chose Dhaulagiri because we knew approach. Chose Pear Route because we climbed and opinion of many that it was safer than NE Ridge. Still think it relatively safer except upper part above C4 exposed to winds. "We could not have foreseen this accident." Climb had gone pretty smoothly until accident despite snowstorms. BC established 4 Sept and left it 18 Oct. Decided stop climbing 9 Oct and started evacuating on 10th. Komarkova: Doubt would have reached summit in view of winds experienced by other expeditions this season. Don't know plans for next climb but would like to try Pear Route again, put up small memorial at C2 site in rock cliff with Lyn's name and birth dates as on same at BC on very large boulder. Sherpas built stone alter and memorial service on 16th. Simer: Lyn had just said she loved this country, could live here for ever shortly before accident. Vera Komarkova - 2 Oct 80 (report to HMG) 11 Sept C2 established by Simer, Smith and Gyalzen at 5900m. After some delay caused by snowstorms, C3 was established on 25 Sept by Giller, Luedi, Ang Rita and Ang Gyalzen at 6500m. Prior to C3 established mountain was visited by US Ambassador Trimble who climbed with us to the then high point on the route, 6200m. Team is in good spirits ans relatively good health. Trimble - 2 Oct 80 One snowstorm date arrive at BC for 3 days; struck 3 days then Vera and I carried loads to C3; probably C4 made now. Route C1-C2 well established loads to C1. No problem of accidents. Real hard climbing above C4, 45-degrees Wished he could have stayed for whole expedition. Trimble is Ok; if lost any weight, put it back on at Jomsom waiting for flight. Arrived KTM late this autumn. 24 Sept 80 - postcard from Tanya dated 18 Sept: 11 Sept C2 established by Lucy Smith, Cyndy Simer, Gyalzen Sherpa 5600m [18,370 feet] C2 is now Advanced Base camp and occupied 18 Sept route to C3 is underway Postcard from Lucy dated 15 Sept: Established C2 Sept 15. We had about a week of week of carries to ready it for all. Mean while a small team will be out to find C3. This camp will be the first of real climb. 24 Sept 80 - postcard dated 27 Sept from Susan: We now have the route into C2 (19,000 feet) or 5800m and are progressing well. Tomorrow we begin the route to C3 but still have lots of loads to get to C2, which is what I'll be doing for the next 3 days before moving up the mountain. Postcard dated 19 Sept from Lyn Griffith says C3 now in position. Base Camp is at 16,000 feet. Total 6 camps to be established above BC. Postcard dated 15 Sept from Robin (in German) says Phil Trimble arrived 14 Sept. He left KTM 8 Sept. McConnell - 12 Sept 80 McConnell left BC on 7th, 1st day of good weather, and C1 expected to be pitched that day. All members well except Diana Dailey, whose blood pressure too high. Dr Weber of support team left because of chronic back problem and hadn't expected such strenous conditions. Komarkova press conference - 8 Aug 80 Pear route, 6 unsuccessful attempts, 1954 Argentina 9 support team carry to C2. Sirdar Sonam Girme Sherpa and 4 HA Sherpas; Kathryn Collins = BC doctor All climbing and support members are in KTM. Leave KTM after about 1 week. Pear route safe than regular route and challenge since not climbed; safer because no avalanching. Use oxygen above 24,000-25,000 feet 200 porters on approach march over Dhampus Pass probably. BC - 15,500 feet on Myagdi Glacier C1 - 16,500 feet C2 - 18,500 feet (good site) C3 - 20,500 feet base of Pear C4 - 22,000 feet top of Pear C5 - 23,000 feet bottom of rocky ridge C6 - 25,000 feet beyond rocky ridge No recce of Dhaulagiri - saw it from Annapurna. Mike Cheney - 19 Aug 80 Lin Murphy came to KTM and was then informed she was no longer attached to Dhaulagiri expedition. Ambassador Trimble asked SCT to help her with a climb of Chulu West. American Alpine News (AAJ) - March 1981 By Vera Komarkova Our attempt on the Pear Route on Dhaulagiri I, an AAC-sponsored expedition, was abandoned October 9, 1980, mainly on account of persistent, strong, already-winter winds and continuing avalanche conditions. On October 7, during an avalanche at the site of Camp 2, Lyn Griffith, an Australian and the leader of our support team, disappeared. Rescue efforts were in vain, and we deeply grieved this tragic loss of a close friend. We had not climbed on 6-7 October on account of high winds which re-distributed the snow that fell in the second half of September and created avalanche conditions lower on the face. At 2:15 pm on 7 October, a localized slab avalanche off the ridge above broke over most of the tents at Camp 2, pushed them downslope, and covered most of the campsite. One tent with five climbers inside was pushed into a crevasse and landed on a snow bridge about 40 feet below the surface. Diana Dailey was on the snow bridge, three climbers were still inside the tent, and Lyn Griffith was missing. The Sherpas present at Camp 2 freed themselves from the tents and snow, and helped the slightly injured climbers out of the crevasse. Despite a two and half day search, carried out principally by Sue Giller, both in the crevasse and under the snow, we did not find Lyn Griffith. She had been sitting next to the the tent entrance and apparently fell out of it and slid into the crevasse. The highest point reached by our expedition was Camp 4 at about 23,300 feet, at the top of the Pear (5 October), by Annie Whitehouse, Ang Rita, Ang Gyalzen (Phortse) and myself. The difficulties on the route lie above our high point. All Sherpas and climbers reached at least Camp 3 at 21,300 ft. The climbing party was supported by four high-altitude Sherpas, three low-altitude Sherpas, and a sirdar. A support team of nine members ensured logistical support over the 17,000 ft Dhampus and French passes. Some members of the support team also participated in ecological, meteorological, medical and glaciological research, which was supported by the Explorers Club and the AAC. Excellent arrangements were provided in Kathmandu by Mountain Travel. Phil Trimble, U.S. Ambassador to Nepal helped us greatly; Phil visited our Base Camp and climbed almost to Camp 3.
Accidents Fatal avalanche
Achievement -
Agency Mountain Travel
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2450368
Year 1980
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n face

Members

20 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Kathryn Collins F 1950 USA Exp Doctor Teton Village, Wyoming Emergency physician & specialises in mountaineering medicine Details Other expeditions
Diana C. Dailey F 1943 USA Climber Edmonds, Washington High school mathematics teacher Details Other expeditions
Tanya Lee Erwin F 1949 USA Climber Tacoma, Washington Outdoor instructor and writer Details Other expeditions
Susan Ann (Sue) Giller F 1946 USA Climber Boulder, Colorado Alpine & skiing instructor Details Other expeditions
Lynette Griffith F 1953 Australia Climber Mentone, Victoria, Australia Plant ecologist Details Other expeditions
Doug Hardy M 1957 USA Member Rochester, New York Will be graduate student in glaciology, Colorado University Details Other expeditions
Susan H. Havens F 1949 USA Climber Anchorage, Alaska Physical therapist Details Other expeditions
Wendy Jones F 1960 USA Member Saltsburg, Pennsylvania Student, University of Colorado, Boulder Details Other expeditions
Sharon (Shari) Kearney F 1952 USA Climber Portland, Oregon Outdoor activities instructor (Outward Bound) Details Other expeditions
Vera Komarkova F 1942 Czechoslovakia Leader Boulder, Colorado Plant ecologist at University of Colorado Institute Details Other expeditions
Heidi Luedi F 1947 Switzerland Exp Doctor Flawil, St. Gallen, Switzerland Physician Details Other expeditions
William McConnell M 1954 USA Member Clarksburg, Pennsylvania Manager of horse farm Details Other expeditions
Cynthia (Cyndy) Simer F 1950 USA Climber Lander, Wyoming Outdoor activities instructor Details Other expeditions
Lucylle (Lucy) Smith F 1951 USA Climber Lander, Wyoming Instructor (National Outdoor Leadership School) Details Other expeditions
Robin Sommerauer F 1950 USA Climber Golden, Colorado Ski instructor Details Other expeditions
Elizabeth Jane (Beth) Wald F 1960 USA Member Richfield, Minnesota Student at University of Colorado, Boulder Details Other expeditions
Ann (Annie) Whitehouse F 1956 USA Climber Laramie, Wyoming Nurse Details Other expeditions
Sonam Girme Sherpa M - Nepal Sirdar Namche Bazar, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Ang Rita Sherpa M 1948 Nepal H-A Worker Yilajung, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Ang Gyalzen Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker Phortse, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

6 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
DHA180301 AAJ Komarkova, Vera - - 55:267-271 (1981) -
DHA180301 HJ Komarkova, Vera Up and Down the Pear Route on Dhaulagiri I - 38:31-39 (1980-1981) -
DHA180301 MM - - - 77:11 (Jan 1981) -
DHA180301 HMJ Komarkova, Vera An Attempt on Dhaulagiri I - 14:19-25 (1980-82) -
DHA180301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198126700/Asia-Nepal-American-Womens-Expedition-to-Dhaulagiri-I-Pear-Route-Attempt - - -
DHA180301 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/38/6/up-and-down-the-pear-route-on-dhaulagiri-i/ - - -