Dorje Lhakpa | 1994 NW Face-NW Ridge

A USA expedition to Dorje Lhakpa in 1994 via NW Face-NW Ridge, led by Andy Selters. Summit reached on 3rd December 1994. 4 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1417
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID DORJ94401
Peak ID DORJ
Year 1994
Season 4
Host Country 1
Route 1 NW Face-NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Andy Selters
Sponsor American Dorje Lhakpa 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 Germany
Approach Langtang Khola
Basecamp Date 1994-11-14
Summit Date 1994-12-03
Summit Time -
Summit Days 19
Total Days 21
Termination Date 1994-12-05
Termination Reason 6
Termination Notes Abandoned at 6400m due to fatal accident
High Point (m) 6400
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 4
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 1
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(14/11,4630m),ABC(21/11,4940m),C1(30/11,5180m),C2(01/12,5900m),C3(01/12,6100m),C4(03/12,6400m),xxx(03/12,6400m)
Route Notes BC at Langshisa Glacier ABC under NW Face, only several hundred feet from wall C1 under NW Face C3 on NW Ridge C4 on NW Ridge High point at NW Ridge. After arrival at BC trekked around area and pitched ABC. Langshisa Glacier very rocky, worst glacier Collum ever on (& he has been in Karakoram). No fixed camps above ABC. Started climb c30 Nov and made 4 camps of one night each, carrying everything on their backs; inside tent frost formed which meant everything got wet. 4 hrs of sun each day only. From C2 climbed up steep section onto ridge which was moderate; difficult part was getting up steep section onto ridge. West Ridge is much easier to climb, lower angle and warmer from direct sunlight; would have probably gone over to West Ridge if accident hadn't happened. Only Selters and Schmierer went to C4, others too cold with toes begining to freeze. 5th Selters & Schmierer descended slowly to C3 and slept night there. 5th just 100 ft above C2 Schmierer's crampon came off while descending, had been off rope only a minute at 40-degrees hard ice, slid down hard ice & into crevasse, probably breaking his neck on ridge of crevasse at 2:45 pm. Selters reached him 15-20 minutes later but dead in crevasse (left there). Would have serious problem attempting rock climb at top of NW Ridge in very cold weather and wind.
Accidents Slightly frostbitten toes 3 members; fatal fall
Achievement -
Agency Windhorse Trekking
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2455689
Year 1994
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) nw face-nw ridge

Members

4 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Marc Breitfeld M 1967 Germany Climber Haldenwang, Bavaria, Germany Applied mathemetician Details Other expeditions
Gregory Collum M 1955 USA Climber Seattle, Washington Investor Details Other expeditions
Kurt Schmierer M 1956 USA Climber Seattle, Washington Geologist Details Other expeditions
Andy Selters M 1957 USA Leader Bishop, California Photographer Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
DORJ94401 AAJ Selters, Andy - - 69:245 (1995) -
DORJ94401 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 70:269-270 (1996) -
DORJ94401 HIGH - - - 151:19 (Jun 1995) -
DORJ94401 HIGH - - - 155:9 (Oct 1995) -
DORJ94401 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199626903/Asia-Nepal-Dorje-Lhakpa-Winter-Attempt-and-Tragedy - - -