Dhaulagiri IV | 1974 N side

A UK expedition to Dhaulagiri IV in 1974 via N side, led by Derek Le Roy Bird. Summit reached on 14th April 1974. 24 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2331
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID DHA474101
Peak ID DHA4
Year 1974
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 N side
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality UK
Leaders Derek Le Roy Bird
Sponsor RAF Dhaulagiri Expedition 1974
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 Barbung Khola
Basecamp Date -
Summit Date 1974-04-14
Summit Time -
Summit Days 0
Total Days 0
Termination Date 1974-04-23
Termination Reason 6
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 5200
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 19
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 7
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 3
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(3960m),C1(4875m),xxx(14/04,5200m)
Route Notes Bird and Le Marie arrive Pokhara 1 May Rest of expedition about 7-8 days behind All fit 2 successful expeditions on this route - D II D III Has been used by at least 4 expeditions DII - 2 DIII - 1 DIV - 1 Probably much also earlier Japaneses expedition on recce. John Smith and Pat Gunson had moved through about an hour earlier that morning. Bill March ahead; Hodgson and Ian Jones behind were a area of avalanche that hit 4 Sherpas; rear some way back by Pete McGowan. British not touched at altitude by great luck. 200 ft of ice and snow - was a huge fall of ice - into gully that covered snow in couloir down with it; block 10 ft big hit couloir, broke to bits and swept it clear of snow. "If the rock had not been there ahead of him and the blocks hadn't going over him he would have been swept way" says Bird. C1 first occupied 10 April by McGowan. Bill March 4 Sherpas. At 16,0000 ft Armstrong and Wallis had reached site on 9th. C2 would have been at about 17,200 ft over ridge which was about 18,200 ft. Sherpas bodies cremated near base camp at Mukut. Wireless from Bird - rec'd 19 April 74 RAF expedition to D-IV forced to abandon attempt on D-IV due to loss of 2/3 Sherpas strength in avalanche involving 4 Sherpas and 6 members. Expedition is expected leave BC approx 23 April and arrive Pokhara approx 7 May. Bird, via helicopter on 16 April 74 Icefall above C1 caused instant death of 2 Sherpas Dawa Tensing and Kami Sarki, on 14th, 9:05 am. 3rd Sherpa, Ang Chering, died from injuries on 15th, 2:15 am. 4th Sherpa, Ang Nima, evacuated by helicopter [at Shanta Bhavan in fair condition]. All remaining members fit and well, future of expedition under consideration, but abandonment probable. MP Khanal, MFA - 15 April 74 Yesterday 9 am, big avalanche near BC Mukut. 3 Sherpas died and 1 seriously injured. Helicopter asked for rescue. Dhaulagiri IV Postcard from Peter Addis dated 26 March 74 (reached KTM 8 April 74) "We are now at a place called Dhorpatan after walking for 9 days, and have got stuck here as we have run out of porters and we need 27 more to carry on. So main party have gone on and I have stayed with 2 Sherpas and I shop while head man of village gets more porters. JOM Roberts - 8 April 74 Dhaulagiri IV left Pokhara on 15th March, so 9 days to Dhorpatan gets them there on 23rd. Says main party left Dhorpatan on 25th, taking 12 days more to base camp gets them to BC, on 5th or 6th April. Dicky Bird - 11 March 74 15 climbers 3 air 1 Navy 2 Army 9 RAF From N Face or NW Buttress 7 Sherpas including sirdar Ang Phu 22 days trek ex-Pokhara to BC Leave KTM starting today: - lost 15-16th Leave Pokhara 15th, arrive BC about 7 April. 4 high camps; base 13,000 ft at Lake; summit mid-May. JOMR - 14 Feb 74 Bird and rest arrive 11th March - to Dhorpatan. Leave 7th March ex-Pokhara walking to Dhorpatan and next Bird and party there; all walk to BC. 7-8 Sherpas - very strong Total 18 members including 1 botanist 2 zoologist 1 doctor not concerned with expedition 14 remainder - RAF Dr. who stays basic camp Not all RAF - some Army (for Everest) 12/7 Wing Commander D Bird Tactics Wing The Royal School of Artillery Larkhill, Salisbury, Wiltshure 1973 RAFMA-Cambridge Univ. expedition: 10 RAF climbers, 4 Cambridge men for glaciology west of Everest. Bird to be overall leader; JOM Roberts to join. Letter from Dicky Bird Arrived Mukut 6 April after 23 days from Pokhara via the lower route over the single Jangla from the same Khola. Marched 21 days covering some 8 to 10 miles a day. All now have a real appreciation of the climate and topography of Western Nepal! Surprised at the heat. West of Dhorpatan rain in the same khola some 17 times by "wading." The Jangla did not have much now on the southern slopes but quite a lot on the other side. We provided the porters with boats and goggles (card board slits). But party of 3 have spent 1 week Lumsum 1 week Dhorpatan and intend 1 week at Tarakot. Dunachi from Wednesday 10 April then up to Mukut. Today we have had 4 men opening the route over the Chorten ridge and should have advance, have C2 and C1 (this side of ridge) occupied in the next 7 or 8 days. I have written to to Jimmy. We have been able to have radio.
Accidents 3 Sherpas killed by avalanche
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2448086
Year 1974
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n side

Members

24 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Derek Le Roy (Dicky) Bird M 1923 UK Leader High Wycombe, Buckingham, England Headquarters, Support Command, Andover Details Other expeditions
William Banks Russell M 1933 UK Exp Doctor - - Details Other expeditions
Peter John Addis M 1924 UK Climber RAF, Andover, England Flight Lieutenant Details Other expeditions
John R. Smith M - UK Climber Anzac Forces, Singapore - Details Other expeditions
Michael J. Le Marie M - UK Climber RAF, Andover, England Flying officer now stationed in Oxbridge Details Other expeditions
Peter J. McGowan M - UK Climber RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus Flying Sergeant Details Other expeditions
Geordie P. Armstrong M 1939 UK Climber Barry, S Glamorgan, Wales Chief technician in Royal Air Force Details Other expeditions
Ian R. Jones M - UK Climber Grantown-on-Spey, Moray, Scotland - Details Other expeditions
Thomas A. Taylor M - UK Climber RAF Leuchars, Fife, Scotland Senior aircraftman Details Other expeditions
Meryon G. Bridges M 1944 UK Climber Chatham, Kent, England Royal Engineers (Captain) Details Other expeditions
Patrick W. Gunson M 1939 UK Climber Ulverston, Cumbria, England Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (Captain) Details Other expeditions
John R. Tait M - UK Climber Clyde Sumarine Base, Scotland Leading radio operator Details Other expeditions
William Joseph (Bill) March M 1941 UK Climber IAM Research Station, RAF - Details Other expeditions
Stephen C. Nixon M - UK Climber IAM Research Station, RAF - Details Other expeditions
Murray T. Hodgson M - UK Climber Weymouth, Dorset, England Dorset County Council Details Other expeditions
Eric Wallis M - UK Climber North Wales - Details Other expeditions
Gordon B. Corbet M - UK Member Bromley, London, England British Museum Details Other expeditions
Keith H. Hyatt M - UK Member Kenley, Surrey, England British Museum Details Other expeditions
A. Roy Vickery M - UK Member London, England British Museum Details Other expeditions
Dawa Tenzing Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions
Kami Sarki Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions
Ang Tshering Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions
Ang Phu Sherpa M 1950 Nepal Sirdar Khumjung, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Ang Nima Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
DHA474101 AAJ Cheney, Michael J. - - 49:203-204 (1975) -
DHA474101 MM - - - 37:10 (Jul 1974) -
DHA474101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197520303/Asia-Nepal-Dhaulagiri-IV-Attempt - - -