Dhaulagiri I | 1985 N Face (Pear rte)

A USA expedition to Dhaulagiri I in 1985 via N Face (Pear rte), led by Robert Harwood. Summit reached on 24th April 1985. 7 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 159
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID DHA185101
Peak ID DHA1
Year 1985
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 N Face (Pear rte)
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Robert Harwood
Sponsor American Dhaulagiri Expedition
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 -
Approach Myagdi Khola
Basecamp Date 1985-03-21
Summit Date 1985-04-24
Summit Time -
Summit Days 34
Total Days 50
Termination Date 1985-05-10
Termination Reason 5
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7000m due to deep snow, bad weather and loss of motivation of team
High Point (m) 7000
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 7
Summit Members 0
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 -
Campsites BC(05/04,4600m),C1(10/04,5200m),C2(18/04,6100m),C3(23/04,6600m),xxx(24/04,7000m)
Route Notes Dump at 3660m at site of Czech 1984 Autumn BC (porters refused to go further than 1/2 day north of Pucham) BC at 4600m below N Face (site of 1982 Japanese Pear route BC) C1 at 5200m at Japanese 1982 C1 C2 at 6100m at icefall directly up from C1 C3 at 6600m directly below Japanese C3, in crevasse at bottom of "Pear" High point halfway up Pear. Have no fixed rope but have enough tents for couple of camps if necessary. May acclimatize at an NE Ridge before climb. Problems: weather and avalanche route via Pear would have been climbed a lot. Stopped at 7000m because of terrible snow conditions: of 35 days at BC, it snowed 34 days. Two distinct weather patterns between Myagdi Khola system and Kali Gandaki weather system. At 7000m snow thigh deep, not avalanching but not consolidating or being blown off. Icefall was in very bad condition (which Messner had to go through but Americans not). By 24 April people had colds and intestinal "burge" so next few days and spent rest up and discussing and watching bad weather and trying to work up a new head of steam. Left BC 10 May. No accidents except Pletcher's accident at Berie when he fell. He returned to BC 1 April, wasn't even limping when he walked into BC and started right in humping loads from dump to proper BC.
Accidents None except 1 member fell on approach march (he returned to BC Apr 1)
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2452080
Year 1985
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n face (pear rte)

Members

7 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Todd Douglas Bibler M 1952 USA Climber Boulder, Colorado Tent designer & professional climber Details Other expeditions
Catherine M. Freer F 1949 USA Climber Boulder, Colorado Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Robert M. Harwood M 1946 USA Leader Ketchum, Idaho Attorney Details Other expeditions
Mark Bernard Hesse M 1950 USA Climber Colorado Springs, Colorado Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Delmer F. (Del) Pletcher M 1944 USA Exp Doctor/Climber Ketchum, Idaho Orthopedic surgeon Details Other expeditions
Johanna Pletcher F - USA Support Member - - Details Other expeditions
Julie Hesse F - USA Support Member - - Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
DHA185101 AAJ Harwood, Robert - - 60:247 (1986) -
DHA185101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198624701/Asia-Nepal-Dhaulagiri-North-Face-Pear-Route-Attempt - - -