Dhaulagiri IV | 1972 W Col-W Ridge from S

A Japan expedition to Dhaulagiri IV in 1972 via W Col-W Ridge from S, led by Fumio Kobayashi. Summit reached on 30th April 1972. 11 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2371
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID DHA472101
Peak ID DHA4
Year 1972
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Col-W Ridge from S
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Fumio Kobayashi
Sponsor Japan Gunma Himalaya Expedition to Dhaulagiri IV
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 -
Basecamp Date 1972-03-23
Summit Date 1972-04-30
Summit Time -
Summit Days 38
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 6
Termination Notes Abandoned at 6300m due to member death from AMS
High Point (m) 6300
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 11
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 1
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 BC(23/03,3450m),C1(27/03,4700m),C2(31/03,5100m),C3(16/04,5800m),C4(26/04,6200m),xxx(30/04,6300m)
Route Notes If Japanese fail, Austrian team led by Franz Huber of Landl, and Dhaulagiri II 1971 have applied for next spring. Dr Tanaka - 27 May 72 All that survived arrive today and in good health. C4 highest camp; route beyond 20 fixed ropes (each 50m). All fixed rope from C1 farthest point reached on 28 April at about 6000m (200m below C4) by Matsui and Kuichi and 1 Sherpa. 28th both very tired from their climbing. That night both had bad coughs and couldn't sleep. Next day rested in C4. On 30th 7:00 am they said on walkie-talkie to all camps they would go to C2 or C3 that day but 9:00 am or after very slowly putting ob boots and getting ready, but then until 12:00 doesn't know what happened, sleep or unconscious and when revived at 12:00. Matsui in same position at entrance struggling with boots; Kiuchi put Matsui into sleeping bag and very hot and wanted water to drink; soon Matsui became unconscious and breathing very short and shallow. Dr going down and doesn't hear news on walkie-talkie contact at noon. Yagi and 1 Sherpa making route beyond about C4 at this time. Matsui at 12:45 stops breathing and heart stops. At 2:00 Yagi returned about C4 and Kogure arrives from C3 and on walkie-talkie contact from Yagi and Kogure that Matsui dead and Kiuchi very tired, cannot walk. Dr leaves C3 for C4 3:45 pm and arrive C4 at 5:55 pm and saw Matsui dead and Kuichi face very much swollen (moon faced) and severe cough and short breath; every 2 hours injections prosolin and other medicine, including sedative so can sleep and thus able go down. May all members from C4 to C3 where is oxygen and more injections; with oxygen and medicine next Kuichi can walk. From C3 to C2 very difficult and dangerous knife ridge and snow face; arrive C2 on 2 May about 6:00 pm. 3 May bad weather and all in C2. 4 May to base camp. Dr. and Kuichi and 5 Sherpas. Kuichi still on injections. Now Dr. realizes some eyesight defect and other effects, all now almost gone. May 5 - 5 members and Sherpas up to C4 and put Matsui's body in crevasse near C4. May 8 - expedition decide abandoned further climbing because 1 member dead and 1 ill and route very long and dangerous. Route possible but very difficult and need many members and many Sherpas and good weather and good luck; may require C8 and 12 members, 15 Sherpas. Weather this year good but by 9 or 10 o'clock cloudy and snowy in higher altitudes. Found fixed ropes of Austrians and last years Japanese but no tents or bodies. No other accidents. Stay KTM 1 week and then to Japan. GB Shah - 5 May 72 1 member D-IV died Takajuro Matsui 30 April at 6 pm at C4 6200m Dr. said death of pulmonary edema C4 established 26 April Baglung Police greather LO Whether continuing or not known; if fail another Austrian to try. Tanaka - 26 Feb 72 Hamana goes to Pokhara and returns Japan, not to base camp. Leaves KTM after about 1 week but not sure; cargo not here but all members are (Hamana, Tanaka and T. Kobayashi in Shanker); may go by truck, maybe by air or half and half caravan to BC 2 weeks route same as Austrians: Kanabon Khola to Kanabon Glacier and thence to point 6280m and onwards; will put one more camp than Austrians on sharp knife ridge (between C2 and C4 on this expedition's map). Maybe too difficult last part of climb below summit and may need take small tent to point AC on map for spending summit night on return to C6.
Accidents 1 member died in C4 altitude sickness
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2447370
Year 1972
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w col-w ridge from s

Members

11 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Kazuo Hamana M 1904 Japan Leader Kurabuchi, Gunma, Japan Farm owner Details Other expeditions
Fumio Kobayashi M 1923 Japan Deputy Leader Annaka, Gunma, Japan High school teacher Details Other expeditions
Sohei Higuchi M 1938 Japan Climber Kiryu, Gunma, Japan Employer (construction company) Details Other expeditions
Sokichi Tanaka M 1940 Japan Exp Doctor Maebashi, Gunma, Japan Member, Department of Neurosurgery Details Other expeditions
Katsuyoshi Kogure M 1943 Japan Climber Sakaimachi, Gunma, Japan Garden designer Details Other expeditions
Takajuro Matsui M 1937 Japan Climber Nakanojo, Gunma, Japan Farmer Details Other expeditions
Sanai Yagi M 1944 Japan Climber Fujioka, Gunma, Japan Employer (electric equipment factory) Details Other expeditions
Kenichiro Kiuchi M 1945 Japan Climber Numata, Gunma, Japan Employer (lumber yard) Details Other expeditions
Kuniaki Yagihara M 1946 Japan Climber Maebashi, Gunma, Japan Employer (bicycle shop) Details Other expeditions
Toshio Kobayashi M 1947 Japan Climber Kiryu, Gunma, Japan Employer (clothing dyers) Details Other expeditions
Masashi Ochiai M - Japan Support - - Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
DHA472101 AAJ - - - 47:486 (1973) -
DHA472101 - Gunma Himalaya Expedition Dhaulagiri IV, 1972 Gunma Mountaineering Union, Maebahsi - jK211
DHA472101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197348601/Asia-Nepal-Dhaulagiri-IV - - -