Himalchuli West | 1985 SW Ridge

A USA expedition to Himalchuli West in 1985 via SW Ridge, led by Ronald Palmer. Summit reached on 7th October 1985. 6 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 216
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID HIMW85301
Peak ID HIMW
Year 1985
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Ronald Palmer
Sponsor Northern New Mexico 1985 Himalchuli W 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 -
Approach Dordi Khola
Basecamp Date 1985-10-04
Summit Date 1985-10-07
Summit Time -
Summit Days 3
Total Days 28
Termination Date 1985-11-01
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 4875m due to bad weather and time limitations
High Point (m) 4875
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 1
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 6
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 2
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(04/10,3660m),C1(4575m),xxx(07/10,4875m)
Route Notes BC at Japanese BC of 1981 C1 at shoulder below icefall coming off SW Ridge. 7 Oct 4 sets off from C1 to base of rock climb, avoiding danger of icefall but involving 1500 ft of rock climbing. Visability became zero in clouds and became disoriented. At 16,000 ft cached equipment and returned to C1. That night snowing and spent next 5 nights at C1 hoping for better weather. Now would need 14 days to climb mountain, but had 9 days time left. Took 3 days to evacuate C1 and no one could reach cache. Was another week of bad weather (deep snow). Had gambled weather would permit climb but it didn't; avalanches off mountain every 15 minutes.
Accidents Davidson and Sarracino bad bronchitis
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2448781
Year 1985
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) sw ridge

Members

6 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
John Sarracino M 1943 USA Climber White Rock, New Mexico Physicist Details Other expeditions
William Briggs M 1941 USA Climber San Jose, California Aeronautical engineer Details Other expeditions
Michael J. Daugherty M 1940 USA Climber Yorba Linda, California Physicist Details Other expeditions
Richard (Rich) Davidson M 1950 USA Climber Los Alamos, New Mexico Civil engineer Details Other expeditions
Ronald G. Palmer M 1930 USA Leader Santa Fe, New Mexico Physicist Details Other expeditions
Roger J. Siglin M 1936 USA Climber Chinle, Arizona Superintendent in National Park Service Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
HIMW85301 AAJ Palmer, Ronald G. - - 60:242 (1986) -
HIMW85301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198624201/Asia-Nepal-Himalchuli-West-Attempt - - -