Serku Dolma | 1973 NW Ridge from E
A Japan expedition to Serku Dolma in 1973 via NW Ridge from E, led by Eiji Kawamura. Summit reached on 30th October 1973. 9 members recorded.
Expedition Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| ID | 2335 |
| Imported | 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634 |
| Expedition ID | SRKU73301 |
| Peak ID | SRKU |
| Year | 1973 |
| Season | 3 |
| Host Country | 1 |
| Route 1 | NW Ridge from E |
| Route 2 | - |
| Route 3 | - |
| Route 4 | - |
| Nationality | Japan |
| Leaders | Eiji Kawamura |
| Sponsor | Kitasato University Himalayan Expedition 1973 |
| Success 1 | True |
| Success 2 | False |
| Success 3 | False |
| Success 4 | False |
| Ascent 1 | 1st |
| Ascent 2 | - |
| Ascent 3 | - |
| Ascent 4 | - |
| Claimed | False |
| Disputed | False |
| Countries | - |
| Approach | Jumla->Hurikot->Kagmara La->Ringmo->Phoksundo Khola |
| Basecamp Date | 1973-09-28 |
| Summit Date | 1973-10-30 |
| Summit Time | 1130 |
| Summit Days | 32 |
| Total Days | 43 |
| Termination Date | 1973-11-10 |
| Termination Reason | 1 |
| Termination Notes | - |
| High Point (m) | 6227 |
| Traverse | False |
| Ski | False |
| Paraglide | False |
| Camps | 4 |
| Fixed Rope (m) | 0 |
| Total Members | 6 |
| Summit Members | 2 |
| Member Deaths | 0 |
| Total Hired | 3 |
| Summit Hired | 1 |
| 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(28/09,4395m),C1(15/10,5200m),C2(21/10,5480m),C3(25/10,5800m),C4(29/10,5815m),Smt(30/10) |
| Route Notes | Yago - 24 Nov 73 Rest of expedition arrive KTM 10 Dec by air plane from Khumbu; now trekking (research of lake and mountain). All are very well. Same peak as climbed by Japanese in 1970 but different route: 1970 South Face, 1973 East Ridge. East Ridge route "little difficult" - icefall and then very steep ridge. Moriyama and Takechi reached summit from C4 5950m. On summit 11:30 am and stayed 1 hour. Very good weather, no wind this only summit attempt. No accident, no frostbite, no illness, no yeti. C4 established 29 Oct (only 3 members reached C4): Moriyama, Takechi and Anu. Ichikawa, Phurba Tensing and Dorje went to North Smt on Oct 29. Yago has to return his job 20th, so leaves KTM 27th. MFA - 30 Oct 73 C2 5480m, 5 Kartik=21 Oct C1 5200m, 29 Asash=15 Oct BC 13 Asosh=29 Sept Bad weather delayed reaching C2 from C1. Succeed in 2-3 weeks. Dr. Kawamura, letter - 29 Sept 73 Reached BC 28 Sept 3 pm at 4395mm Think monsoon already over on 28th. Start climbing on 30th. 1st wanted BC at Phurpunde but found it impossible to climb from there, so changed to Phoksundo Col. Dr. Kuwamura & Yago - 19 Aug 73 1st time for all in Nepal; arrive 1st 31 July and rest 17 Aug. Charter to Jumla 1st week Sept by RNAC. 3 others caravan. 2 weeks to BC via Phoksundo Lake west side up Phoksundo Khola to BC 3 Oct about 4000m. Route via 5500m, south of Tso Kharpi Kang (21,509) mtn glacier. 1st route from East Ridge; if not possible from South Face (which Osaka City Univ climbed). Via East Ridge, 7 camps and summit 25 Oct. 3 Sherpas and 1 cook, 1 kitchen boy (and 2 mailrunners to Jumla to Ranjan) Return last week of November from Jumla by charter plane. |
| Accidents | - |
| Achievement | - |
| Agency | - |
| Commercial Route | - |
| Standard Route | - |
| Primary Route | False |
| Primary Member | False |
| Primary Reference | - |
| Primary ID | - |
| Checksum | 2445534 |
| Year | 1973 |
| Summit Success | True |
| O2 Summary | None |
| Route (lowercase) | nw ridge from e |
Members
9 recorded members.
| Name | Sex | Year of Birth | Citizenship | Status | Residence | Occupation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eiji Kawamura | M | 1927 | Japan | Leader | Yokohama, Japan | Surgeon at Kitasato University Hospital | Details Other expeditions |
| Kazuo Yago | M | 1947 | Japan | Deputy Leader | Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan | Pharmacist at Kitasato University Hospital | Details Other expeditions |
| Mitsuhiro Kikuchi | M | 1947 | Japan | Climber | Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan | - | Details Other expeditions |
| Eiken Moriyama | M | 1947 | Japan | Climber | Tokyo, Japan | Postgraduate student in pharmacy, Kitasato University | Details Other expeditions |
| Hiromi Ichikawa | M | 1952 | Japan | Climber | Tokyo, Japan | 4th-year student of pharmacology, Kitasato University | Details Other expeditions |
| Morihiro Takechi | M | 1952 | Japan | Climber | Tokyo, Japan | 3rd-year student in pharmacology, Kitasato University | Details Other expeditions |
| Anu Sherpa | M | - | Nepal | Sirdar | Namche Bazar, Khumbu | - | Details Other expeditions |
| Dorje Sherpa | M | - | Nepal | H-A Worker | - | - | Details Other expeditions |
| Phurba Tenzing Sherpa | M | - | Nepal | H-A Worker | - | - | Details Other expeditions |
References
7 recorded references.
| Expedition ID | Journal | Author | Title | Publisher | Citation | Yak 94 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRKU73301 | AAJ | Kawamura, Eiji | - | - | 48:209 (1974) | - |
| SRKU73301 | HJ | Kawamura, Eiji | The Ascent of Serku Dholma and Exploration of Phoksumdo Tal | - | 33:63-76 (1973-74) | - |
| SRKU73301 | JAC | Kawamura, Eiji | The Ascent of Serku Dholma, 1973 | - | 70:18-19 (1975) | - |
| SRKU73301 | MM | - | - | - | 31:9 (Jan 1974) | - |
| SRKU73301 | JAC | Kawamura, Eiji | The Ascent of Serku Dholma, 1973 | - | 70:182-198 (1975) | - |
| SRKU73301 | - | - | http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197420902/Asia-Nepal-P-20430-Kanjiroba-Himal | - | - | - |
| SRKU73301 | - | - | https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/33/14/the-ascent-of-serku-dholma-and-exploration-of-the-east-and-southeast-areas-of-phoksumdo-tal-1973/ | - | - | - |