Dhaulagiri I | 1981 NE Ridge

A Japan expedition to Dhaulagiri I in 1981 via NE Ridge, led by Hironobu Kamuro. Summit reached on 2nd June 1981. 3 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1837
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID DHA181103
Peak ID DHA1
Year 1981
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 NE Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Hironobu Kamuro
Sponsor Research Centre of High Mountain Dhaulagiri Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 17th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach Pokhara->Dhampus Pass->BC
Basecamp Date 1981-05-25
Summit Date 1981-06-02
Summit Time 1830
Summit Days 8
Total Days 12
Termination Date 1981-06-06
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8167
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 3
Summit Members 1
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 1
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 BC(25/05,5000m),Biv1(27/05,5500m),Biv2(28/05,5700m),Biv3(29/05,6400m),Biv4(30/05,7300m),Biv5(31/05,7600m),Smt(02/06)
Route Notes Kamuro - 14 June 81 Left KTM 6 May and arrived BC 25 May. Summit 6:30 pm from 7600m; left 5:30 am, stayed 5-10 minutes on top and down to 7600m at 8:00 pm. 7900m and up very slow, heavy headache, needed rest too much. Found 7700m old broken tents. Found couloir made in top above 7900m and ice axe there. Route is easy after acclimatization but altitude problem. Too much snow, very dangerous deep snow and very windy. Almost I couldn't see anything on top. Had altimeter with him on summit but didn't look at it on summit. Took 3 pix on top and from near top could take pix to show top. 1 Sherpa, Pasang, went to NE Col with Kamuro; solo is good, no stress, no trouble. Kamuro 1st top soloist of 8000m. Kamuro opened mountain school in Pamirs 6 years ago and this year another Aconcagua will go to Shishapangma next year with 2-3 friends via South Face. Toes frozen last year in Alaska and last parts 2 toes on right foot. Expedition cost $7500. Kamuro carried 15 Kg to NE Col and from col upwards. Sharma, Tourism - 14 June 81 HMG gave 10 days extension from 31 May because of lack of aircraft to get to BC in time. Japanese was not aware of extension. LO was at Jomsom and no communication system with expedition. While in KTM had been given permit to go to NE Ridge if Canadians had finished. Kamuro & Takamoto - 12 June 81 Yamamoto left Nepal from KTM on 5 May. Kamuro and Miss Takamoto went to Pokhara by bus and then 3 weeks to BC on foot. Arrive BC 25 May 5000m; alpine-style by Kamuro to NE Col. Started 27 May and stayed 1 night at Col on 25th; too many small avalanches on East Face to go up face; on NE Ridge Kamuro solo: 25 May make BC 26 May Kamuro in BC while Takamoto goes down for supplies at moraine camp 27 May Kamuro to 6500m looking for route: Takamoto returned to BC 28 May Kamuro arrived NE Col: Takamoto in BC 29 May to 6400m 30 May to 7300m 31 May to 7800m and back to 7600m for night 1 June Takamoto to NE Col and waited for Kamuro to return there on 4 June. 1 June rested at 7600m 2 June to summit 6:30 pm and to 7600m at 8:00 pm, cold and windy, found old fixed rope (maybe Swiss) for speedy descent 3 June rested at 7600m 4 June to NE Col 5700m 5 June to BC Left BC 6 June. Kamuro used old fixed rope little bit, none of his own; carried biv tent, sleeping bag, food and gas, 1 rope, camera, ice axe and ice hammer, no oxygen. Kamuro 6 frostbitten toes but not lose much of anything. No accident, bad headache 6400m on 29 May but no headache on 30 May; at 7600m on 31 May some Cheyne-Stokes breathing while sleeping; from 7400m very sleepy but still went up; on summit just wanted to go down quickly; more Cheyne-Stokes other sleeping times also. Over one month Japanese to BC. Japanese acclimatization no good by time reached BC. Climbed Aconcagua in January this helped acclimatization. "I am very happy and lucky." J P Lama, Nepal Tkg - 9 June 81 C2 established 2 weeks ago, says porter who has returned to BC. No idea when will stop climbing and when will return to KTM. Has no mailrunner, but will walk back, not come by helicopter. Al Burgess - 26 May 81 Met Japanese Dhaulagiri I member 21 May mid-day between Dhampus and French Passes 1-1/2 hours before French Pass on his way to BC that day. Roped route of NE Ridge all way to 24,400 feet which could use. [Sharma of Tourism Ministry says BC established by 19 May] Kamuro - 24 April 81 2 climbing members 1 BC mgr Leave 26 April on charter Twin Otter at Jomsom Arrive BC about 1 May at 4700m with 4 porters ABC on NE Col 5700m Alpine-style from ABC via East Face probably via British-Polish route to NE Ridge. 2 months ago I climbed Aconcogua in 5 days; has climbed McKinley and lost toes right foot in 1980; then in Nagoya I did acclimatization chamber: in 6 days to 8000m, left chamber 20 days ago. Summit on 20 May Came late: " we don't need time." No oxygen: "we don't need." On return to KTM will trek ot Pokhara; 3 weeks from summit to KTM 1 sirdar and 2 kitchen boys to BC only. Shailendra Sharma - 29 Jan 81 20 days Nagoya to Nagoya. 2 weeks acclimatization machine in Nagoya; helicopter to BC 3rd day from chamber; climb 15 days.
Accidents Kamuro frostbitten toes and headache
Achievement 1st Japanese soloist of 8000m
Agency Nepal Trekking
Commercial Route -
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2450654
Year 1981
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) ne ridge

Members

3 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Hironobu Kamuro M 1951 Japan Leader Nagoya, Japan Alpine instructor Details Other expeditions
Nobuko Takamoto F 1941 Japan BC Manager Tokyo, Japan Film editor Details Other expeditions
Masayoshi Yamamoto M 1957 Japan Manager Tokyo, Japan Student of physical education, Tokyo University Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
DHA181103 AAJ - - - 56:238 (1982) -
DHA181103 MM - - - 80:12 (Jul 1981) -
DHA181103 IWA - - - 88:191 (1982) -
DHA181103 IWA - - - 88:57 (1982) -
DHA181103 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198223801/Asia-Nepal-Dhaulagiri-Solo - - -