Dorje Lhakpa | 1964 W Ridge

A UK expedition to Dorje Lhakpa in 1964 via W Ridge, led by Earl of Shaftesbury, Ami Giroud. Summit reached on 8th May 1964. 5 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2733
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID DORJ64101
Peak ID DORJ
Year 1964
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality UK
Leaders Earl of Shaftesbury, Ami Giroud
Sponsor -
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 Switzerland
Approach Trisuli->Dunche->Langtang Valley
Basecamp Date 1964-04-20
Summit Date 1964-05-08
Summit Time -
Summit Days 18
Total Days 33
Termination Date 1964-05-23
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 6300m due to heavy snowfall
High Point (m) 6300
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 4
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
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 False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits Attempted Ganchempo (GANC-641-01)
Campsites BC(20/04,4980m),C1(24/04,4725m),C2(26/04),C3(29/04,5600m),C4(06/05,5950m),xxx(08,10/05,6300m)
Route Notes Giroud - 30 May 64 Not to summit of Dorje Lhakpa because bad weather by long ridge and very difficult one at 5100m right to top nearly 7000m. 6300m highest point reached 10 May because of snow. Then to Gangchempo nearly 6400m where Darbellay and Rey went to 100m of top on Sat 16, but not to top because too difficult: steepness and on final ridge straight up and had not necessary equipment. Made camp at 5700m. Leave KTM thus 4th directly to Geneva No accidents Shaftesbury - 18 May 64 Left Langshisa Wednesday 13th. Planned assault for Sunday 10th but Saturday snowed heavily. Of last 800m, 500 65-degree ice ridge. So no question of their going up Sunday, and hoping for summit on Thursday. Tuesday and Wednesday also bad weather and Thursday looked bad too. Shaftesbury leaving here thus via Calcutta. His highest point was C3 at 5600m. In London 26th or 27th from Switzerland. Other expedition leaving base camp 24th no matter what weather, etc. So have just weekend and 1st half of this week. Arriving Kathmandu 30th. This peak technically very difficult indeed and bad weather prevented quick conquest. All is well here, but we have chosen a very tough mountain to crack. Dorje Lhakpa at 6988m, C1 is at 4720m, almost 12 km up the Trulpaiku Glacier from here, C2 is at 5280m, another 3 hours further up underneath the mountain itself on the righthand Col. From there to the summit is a very difficult ice ridge up which we have so far established C3 at 5600m, but we aim to push that camp up to 5900m next week, having relaxed this weekend. Two members have already reached that height. We do not yet know if 4th camp will be necessary. I might come back to KTM on May 19th if successful. Himalaya (?) - 24 April 64 Set base camp 20 April and all well; expect make decision upon which peak to tackle in 4-5 days time. 24 May from base camp to KTM. Shaftesbury - 10 April 64 Shaftesbury head of expedition, 26, arrive May 22nd; single, Dorset, merchant banking for 3 years; now looking after farm at Winborne St. Giles. Climbing all in Alps for past 5 years mainly trekking, but no outstanding rock climbing, but has gone over 4000 meters experiencing all sorts of snow conditions Giroud leader of expedition, Swiss, professional guide from Verbier, 32, single; with Rey did record climb Aiguille du Plan North Face last year: 18 x 4000m peaks over and over again, all in Alps; unmarried. Darbellay, 29, unmarried, Orsieres, professional guide; second north face of Matterhorn and only man to do north face Eiger solo (last August); all climbing in Alps. Rey, 31, unmarried, professional guide from Martiny Crois; very good on ice, all Alps: Grand Capucin de Tacul and 1st North Face of Dru. Sherpas (all Nepali except Lopsang) 1. Sirdar, Sonam Girmi 2. Cook, Ang Tenzing 3. Lopsang, Darjeeling 4. Ang Nijima 5. Lhakpa Gelbyu Hoping leave Sunday afternoon via Trisuli 40 porters Shaftesbury - 12 April 64 Langtang Himal, Jugal Himal watershed. Base at Langshisa towards meeting of Langtang Glacier and Trulpaiku glacier. Will then do recon and determine which of 5 peaks: permission to area of 5 and if successful may ask for 2nd. Gangchempo (Fluted Peak) - 6397m Dorje Lhakpa - 6988m Leongpo Gang (climbed by Japanese) - 7083m Dome Blanc (Lambert climbed) - 6830m Pemthang Ri - 6842m Shaftesbury - 2 April 64 Earl of Shaftesbury Ami Giroud Michel Darbellay, climbed Eiger north face Michel Rey About Friday 10th to mountain if equipment arrives by Tuesday from Calcutta and with other 2 members. (2 days route made to base at 4450m via Trisuli to Sanche. 1 week recon out of base and put C1 at 5030m. Climb summit by 15th May (10-15). Lord Shaftesbury to C1 and so if can go on to summit as not so expert as others and might delay them. Also hopes one Sherpa on top; 3 Sherpas and 1 sirdar and 1 cook, 40 porters, one ton of equipment including its case. Climbing Dome Blanc only; Lambert conquered in 1955 This first time in Himalayas for all 4 members. Dome Blanc conquered by Raymond Lambert about 6-7 years ago says Charles Wylie; later a man named Wallace from Kenya apparently reached a lesser peak of the mountain. Expedition arriving in April.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2444493
Year 1964
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w ridge

Members

5 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Ami Giroud M - Switzerland Co-Leader Verbier, Valais, Switzerland Professional guide Details Other expeditions
Anthony Ashley-Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury M 1938 UK Co-Leader Dorset, England Merchant banker Details Other expeditions
Michel Darbellay M 1934 Switzerland Climber Orsieres, Valais, Switzerland Professional guide Details Other expeditions
Michel Rey M - Switzerland Climber Martigny Croix, Aargau, Switzerland Professional guide Details Other expeditions
Sonam Girme Sherpa M 1935 Nepal Sirdar Namche Bazar, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
DORJ64101 AAJ Anthony, Lord Shaftesbury - - 39:464-465 (1965) -
DORJ64101 - Giroud, Ami & Darbellay, Michel A l'Ombre de l'Himalaya Pillet, Martigny, France - G132
DORJ64101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12196546402/Asia-Nepal-Langtrang-Himal - - -