Gaurishankar | 1964 NW Face-N Ridge

A UK expedition to Gaurishankar in 1964 via NW Face-N Ridge, led by Don Whillans. Summit reached on 28th October 1964. 7 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2522
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID GAUR64301
Peak ID GAUR
Year 1964
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 NW Face-N Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality UK
Leaders Don Whillans
Sponsor British Nepalese Expedition 1964
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 1964-09-19
Summit Date 1964-10-28
Summit Time -
Summit Days 39
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 10
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 6700
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 5
Fixed Rope (m) 2300
Total Members 6
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 3
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(19/09,2625m),ABC(4275m),C1,C2(02/10),C3,C4(5790m),C5(6400m),xxx(28/10,6700m)
Route Notes Gaurishankar Expedition - 16 Nov 64 Other 5 members arrive Kathmandu this am. 22,000 ft highest point reached; another 400 ft would have been on ridge which would have been much more easier climbing. Had to use so much fixed rope that ended up with only 1 climbing rope. Certainly climbable. Not reasonably practical to climb from Nepal side, but from Tibetan very reasonable proposition, but still difficult: would need only 4 camps, 4 good technical climbers and a couple good Sherpas. Map shows ridge from summit in one clean cut ridge, but were 2 valleys between ridge wanted to be on and approach ridge. Avalanche every 2 days on "our ridge." 20 miles from base at 8000 ft (35 minutes on border) to top C5 at 21,000 ft; would have put C6 on ridge, lines too far strung out. Clough, Whillans, Hadlum and Girme Dorje reached highest point. 5000 ft fixed rope. Wasted 1 week going wrong way in approach march; 21 days in mists before saw the mountain. 5 leave KTM Wednesday or Thursday and reach England Dec 20th. Burnell - 14 Nov 64 Burnell came on ahead to arrange transport; others left Thursday and they will reach Banepa Monday night or Tuesday am. Burnell reached 21,000 ft at ice cave C5; carried up to ridge at 22,000 ft, but avalanches prevented establish camp there. Whillans, Clough and Hadlum and Girme Dorje up to 22,000 ft. Howell also reached maximum 21,000 ft. Gray only to C4 at 19,000 ft because terrible trouble breathing. Very easy from Tibet; from Nepal couldn't get coolies to base camp; need bigger expedition. Expedition to stay KTM about 3 days. Gray by boat from Bombay with equipment; others overland by Xmas. Very dangerous, most dangerous place Whillans had been. Had 1 climbing rope left; used all rest for fixed rope. 7000 ft fixed rope altogether.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2440976
Year 1964
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) nw face-n ridge

Members

7 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Donald Desbrow (Don) Whillans M 1933 UK Leader Rossendale, Lancashire, England Equipment designer & consultant to mountain & outdoor equipment Details Other expeditions
Dennis Dillon Gray M 1935 UK Organizer & Med Off Leeds, W Yorkshire, England Printers estimator Details Other expeditions
Ian Stewart Clough M 1937 UK Climber Shipley, W Yorkshire, England Alpine guide, teacher, writer, lecturer Details Other expeditions
Terence (Terry) Burnell M - UK Food Officer Leeds, W Yorkshire, England Toolmaker Details Other expeditions
Desmond (Dez) Hadlum M - UK Climber/Equipment Mgr Nottingham, E Midlands, England Instrument maker Details Other expeditions
Ian F. (Pin) Howell M 1936 UK Climber Blandford, Dorset, England BBC television technician Details Other expeditions
Girme Dorje Sherpa M 1935 Nepal H-A Worker Khunde, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

6 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
GAUR64301 AAJ - - - 39:466-467 (1965) -
GAUR64301 HJ Clough, Ian Gauri Sankar, 1964 - 26:87-96 (1965) -
GAUR64301 AJ Clough, Ian Gauri Sankar - 70:96-105 (May 1965) -
GAUR64301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12196546602/Asia-Nepal-Gauri-Sankar-Rolwaling-Himalaya - - -
GAUR64301 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/26/11/gauri-sankar-1964/ - - -
GAUR64301 - - https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1965_files/AJ%201965%2096-105%20Clough%20Gauri%20Sankar.pdf - - -