Dorje Lhakpa | 1981 W Ridge

A Japan expedition to Dorje Lhakpa in 1981 via W Ridge, led by Kunio Kataoka. Summit reached on 18th October 1981. 9 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1804
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID DORJ81301
Peak ID DORJ
Year 1981
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Kunio Kataoka
Sponsor NMA-Hosei University Joint Expedition to Dorje Lhakpa
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 1st official
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Nepal
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1981-09-13
Summit Date 1981-10-18
Summit Time 1145
Summit Days 35
Total Days 38
Termination Date 1981-10-21
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 6966
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 9
Summit Members 5
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical True
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(13/09,4750m),C1(21/09,5350m),C2(26/09,6250m),Smt(18/10)
Route Notes Kataoka - 28 Oct 81 Ministry of Tourism camp and summit data correct after C2; much snow 27-29 Sept and BC have 40 cm and above more probably. All in C1 or on 28 Sept down to BC. West Ridge no avalanches. Then Nepali members left expedition. They complained food no good, but 2 of them not strong enough. So leader and Nepalese came back to KTM and leader recruited another Nepali member (Pemba Tshering). Luckily expedition had time and food for this. Leader and Pemba Tshering arrived BC 14 Oct. While away, others maintained route and bought food in Langtang village. 15 Oct 2 members Murakami and Shingyoji making route and 16 Oct all other members had new Nepali member started up. Uchimura in 2nd party stopped 100m below summit because he was tired; also very strong wind and very cold; he returned to camps with 1st party. All snow and ice climbing, no rock, lot of ice especially after storm late Sept which made it difficult. 40-degrees steepness; fixed rope near C1 only. Found no signs of any previous expeditions. No accidents, illness, frostbite. All returned KTM 27 Oct. Used oxygen in C1 for 1 minute, Uchimura in early stage of expedition. Sharma, Tourism - 26 Oct 81 Dorje Lhakpa - West Face joint Hosei-Nepalese expedition. Oct 18 summit - started from C2 6250m at 4:00 am and on top 11:45 am, stayed on top 10 minutes only because high wind at summit and returned to C2 at 5:00 pm. They were Pemba Tshering (38, of Namche), 1st on on top, 2nd Kazunari Murakami (1955, Tokyo engineer), 3rd Eiichi Shingyogi (1957, car repairman of Tokyo) in 1st group; at 12:40 pm same day another group, 1st Kunio Kataoka (1954, truck driver and expedition leader of Tokyo) and 2nd Makoto Anbe (1957, student), reached summit from C2 and returned to C2 at 6:00 pm. Also on top only 10 minutes because very high wind. To leave BC Oct 21. 5 Japanese and 4 Nepalese members. 3 Nepalese left early ostensibly because didn't like food [but really because Nepalese members and porters being given same wages]. Shrestha, Tourism - 9 Oct 81 C2 26 Sept 6250m. Leader and sirdar came to KTM; left BC 30 Sept and returned after 4-5 days (now in KTM). Katoaka - 11 Aug 81 Permission received 5 members and 3 Nepali members; other Japanese arrived KTM. Leave 5 Sept on 5-days caravan via Trisuli Bazaar and Trisuli River and Langtang Khola to BC. BC 4900m on 13 Sept 2 camps above BC, maybe 3: C1 5300m, C2 6200m Route = West Ridge, same as Earl of Shaftesbury (who went to 6300m) Start climb after acclimatization and sorting about 20 Sept. Summit about 18 Oct. Most difficult part of route is above 6300m where crevasse and hanging glacier and very steep No H-A porters. Sherpa members: Ang Tendi, Ang Pasang, Phu Dorje Oxygen medical only 1 month ago Kataoka did recce to col 5880m just east of Dorje Lhakpa; C1 will be at col. Hosei University-NMA Joint Expedition to Dorje Lhakpa 1981. Sponsored by Himalayan Association of Japan.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2450882
Year 1981
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) w ridge

Members

9 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Makoto Anbe M 1957 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Student of economics, Hosei University Details Other expeditions
Kunio Kataoka M 1954 Japan Leader Tokyo, Japan Truck driver Details Other expeditions
Kazunari Murakami M 1955 Japan Deputy Leader Tokyo, Japan Sanitary (plumbing) engineer Details Other expeditions
Eiichi Shingyoji M 1957 Japan Climber Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan Car mechanic Details Other expeditions
Tomohiro Uchimura M 1955 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Graphic designer Details Other expeditions
Pemba Tshering Sherpa M 1943 Nepal Climber Thamo, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Ang Tendi Sherpa M - Nepal Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Ang Pasang Sherpa M - Nepal Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Phu Dorje Sherpa M 1962 Nepal Climber Pangboche, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

7 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
DORJ81301 AAJ Cheney, Michael J. & Hawley, Elizabeth - - 56:221 (1982) -
DORJ81301 MM - - - 83:10 (Jan 1982) -
DORJ81301 JAC Kutaoka, Kunio First Ascent of Dorje Lakpa in 1981 - 77:11-12 (1982) -
DORJ81301 JAC Kutaoka, Kunio First Ascent of Dorje Lakpa in 1981 - 77:48-54 (1982) -
DORJ81301 IWA - - - 88:188 (1982) -
DORJ81301 IWA - - - 88:45 (1982) -
DORJ81301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198222101/Asia-Nepal-Dorje-Lhakpa - - -