Austrian climber Kurt Diemberger, the only remaining person alive to make first ascents on two 8,000 metre peaks, tells the UIAA about the historic expedition to the top of Dhaulagiri.
Diemberger will be among the guests of honour at the Dhaulagiri Golden Jubilee Celebration in Nepal in mid-May, organized by the Nepal Mountaineering Association.
Fifty years ago, a perfect day came along in the Himalaya, when the sun sparkled and the wind became a whisper, and six colleagues pushed toward the top of a rugged, dangerous peak, a “castle in the clouds”.
At 8,167 metres, Mt. Dhaulagiri was considered until the mid-1800s the world’s highest mountain. Even today it has the greatest vertical rise from the local terrain, shooting skyward for 3 kilometres. And in 1960, it remained next to last among the world’s 8,000-metre peaks to be conquered.
“It is a beautiful mountain,” said Kurt Diemberger, the Austrian climber who has stood atop peaks such as Everest and Makalu, but still holds Dhaulagiri close to his heart. “This mountain has been seen for centuries from the Indian plains, a floating white castle.”
On that day, May 13, 1960, the team reached the apex of the white castle. Now Diemberger and other mountaineers from around the world plan to gather in Nepal to celebrate the 50th anniversary of that first ascent.
The Nepal Mountaineering Association has announced it will host a Dhaulagiri Golden Jubilee Celebration in May at the International Mountain Museum in Pokhara, which lies in the Dhaulagiri region in western Nepal.
Ang Tshering Sherpa, president of the association, listed a who’s-who of mountaineering already committed to attend the event: Among them, Diemberger, who notched first ascents of both Dhaulagiri and Broad Peak; Reinhold Messner, the first to climb all 14 8,000-metre peaks; and Ang Rita Sherpa, whose 10 ascents of Everest without supplemental oxygen earned him the nickname “the Snow Leopard”.
Also planning to attend are accomplished mountaineers Peter Habeler, Chris Bonington, Ken Noguchi, Apa Sherpa and Ang Rita Sherpa.
For Nepal, Ang Tshering said, the event will celebrate the historic effort on Dhaulagiri and what it has meant since.
“The successful summiting of Dhaulagiri in 1960 holds a great importance for the development of mountain tourism of Nepal globally,” he said.
“Mt. Dhaulagiri was considered one of the deadliest mountains,” he continued. “The successful ascent on it increased mountaineering activities in Dhaulagiri area, with the uplift of economic condition of the people.”
Mountain of memories
The history of Dhaulagiri’s ascent begins long before May 13, 1960, says Diemberger.
Today, the 78-year-old Diemberger commutes between residences in Salzburg, Austria and Bologna, Italy, spending time with family and working on books about his storied mountaineering career.
Yet he remembers Dhaulagiri well. Ask about the peak and Diemberger becomes professorial, outlining years of work by many who made the ascent possible. This is what he plans to talk about, accompanied with slides, as a Guest of Honor at the Dhaulagiri Golden Jubilee. “There are so many memories,” he said.
Sixty years ago, before any human had stood atop an 8,000-metre peak, a French team reached a saddle at 5,200 metres on Dhaulagiri. Upon examining the mountain’s treacherous southeast ridge and face, the team agreed the route was “impossible” and retreated.
A month later this same French team became the first to reach the summit of an 8,000-metre peak: Annapurna. Other failed attempts throughout the 1950s followed. One of Diemberger’s favorite tales is of an expedition by the Argentinean military.
When the team reached 7,200 metres there was no place to set up camp. So it blasted the rock with dynamite to make a flat space, Diemberger said, chuckling.
The successful expedition Diemberger joined was organised by Max Eiselin of Lucerne, Switzerland. With little money for the venture, he, Eiselin and others began asking people to contribute. He said many in Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Italy sent small amounts, the equivalent of 10 or 20 Swiss francs.
Other companies donated gear. A favorite of Diemberger’s from the Dhaulagiri expedition were the reindeer knee-high boots, made in Italy from Norwegian reindeer skin. “They were very light and very good, better than some of the plastic boots today,” he said.
One fact Diemberger highlights about the Dhaulagiri expedition was its international nature. The team itself brought together people from at least five countries.
“This was an expedition which, under Swiss organisation, was the first international ascent of an 8,000-metre peak,” Diemberger said.
On the mountain
The team proceeded in spring 1960 up the mountain. The expedition employed a unique tool that also marked another mountaineering first: the use of an airplane to transport people and supplies.
The plane, called Yeti, landed and took off from a camp at 5,700 metres on the mountain. The altitude still stands today as an aeronautical record. However the Yeti crashed on May 5 as it was taking off from the camp. Nobody was injured, but it meant that the 16-member expedition was divided into three geographically isolated groups.
Diemberger was in the group that was highest on the mountain. The team built several camps at higher and higher elevations, preparing for the assault. This smaller team had more time to acclimate to the elevation, Diemberger said. The main issue in waiting for the right day, he said, was the weather.
“It was also technologically challenging, it was difficult, but the main challenge was the weather,” he said.
“Storm after storm came in.” After one failed attempt, late on May 12 it appeared the perfect day had arrived. The group made its way without oxygen, and each carrying an alpine-style load, Diemberger said.
That day, under a clear, blue sky, the team made it to the summit. In addition to Diemberger, Peter Diener, Ernst Forrer, Albin Schelbert, all Swiss, summited, as well as Nima Dorje Sherpa and Nawang Dorje Sherpa of Nepal.
Ten days later, expedition members Michel Vaucher and Hugo Weber, both Swiss, also reached Dhaulagiri’s summit.
“I am happy they also made it,” Diemberger said.
Dhaulagiri today
The route used by that first Dhaulagiri expedition remains the main one to the summit today. But other routes have since been forged on the mountain. “There will be new routes all the time,” Diemberger said.
“These were totally different times,” he continued, remembering the effort. “Now you can look down with a satellite and see this and that.”
“Whether you make it or not remains the big adventure of mountaineering. Even a satellite can’t tell you that.”
Nepal Mountaineering Association President Ang Tshering Sherpa said the Golden Jubilee celebrations of all the 8,000-metre first ascents in Nepal bring the mountaineering community together. They are also important for telling the world that things are changing in the Himalaya.
“During these celebrations, we have witnessed overwhelming support and the presence of famous mountaineers from all around the mountaineering community in the world and this has a positive impact in our country’s image,” he said. “In return, these celebrations are also an opportunity for Nepal to show deep appreciation and gratitude to the mountaineers and mountain lovers who have done so much to promote Nepal.”
Throughout the Himalayas, the ice and the glaciers are melting at an alarming rate,” he continued. “Unfortunately, Dhaulagiri is no exception to this trend.”
“We have noticed that the routes are more unstable and avalanches and rockfalls are becoming more common due to the increased temperatures. Also, the weather patterns are becoming more unpredictable and extreme.
The Nepal Mountaineering Association is very concerned about these circumstances. We are now focusing on making climbing more secure as these changes occur on the mountains by constantly improving the skills of Nepali mountaineers and their awareness of the climbing environment.”
The association is working with the Nepali government to finalise details of the Dhaulagiri celebration. Then more information will be available on the Nepal Mountaineering Association website.
The UIAA has published its Mountain Ethics Declaration on December 11 to mark International Mountain Day.
The Declaration spells out ethics of sportsmanship, respect for cultures and care for the environment, and it was approved at the UIAA General Assembly on October 10.
It includes 12 maxims, addressing issues such as the responsibility to assist others in need, the factual reporting of ascents and the use of supplementary oxygen.
“It is most appropriate that this declaration be announced on International Mountain Day – a declaration that has been endorsed by more than 40 mountaineering federations from across the globe,” said UIAA President, Mike Mortimer.
The Declaration also includes a maxim on Access and Conservation, endorsed by the UIAA’s Access Commission.
“Responsible access to practice our sport is not simply about environmental protection, albeit a very important part. Wider responsibilities are detailed throughout the ethics code including respect for: local and national mountaineering ethics, local people, cultures and religions and responsibility to others,” said Access Commission President, Clare Bond.
Medical issues
“Medical emergency situations can always arise in a remote setting and hopefully, after reading the Declaration, people will be encouraged to help others,” said Buddha Basnyat, UIAA Medical Commission President. “This will help foster a culture of sensible behaviour and selflessness.”
Doug Scott, the famed British mountaineer, worked diligently on the document. “The Mountain Ethics Declaration is very timely,” Scott said, “especially to help those climbers in areas where there is no strong consensus of opinion as to the best way forward.”
The final Declaration was many years in the making, and drew on the work previously presented at various times as the Mountain Code, the Summit Charter and the Tyrol Declaration.
The UIAA will review the Declaration on a periodic basis ensuring that it will be a living document.
Japanese climbing team says it was turned away by locals from attempting a first ascent of Bugyai Kangri (6,328m) despite having received official permission from the Chinese authorities.
The climbers, through the UIAA, want to raise awareness of permit issues in the sensitive border area in Tibet for other alpinists considering visiting the region.
According to Takao Ohe, lead climber of the five-member group from Tohoku University Alpine Club, the team had received formal approval for the July attempt from four official bodies and the China Tibet Mountaineering Association (CMTA), but were refused access to the mountain by local police in the town SokXian.
Perspective of SokXian and the tributary of Nu-Jiang, where the local police stopped the team. (image: T.Aihara, July 25, 2009)
The local people objected to the climb because, as Ohe explained, they claimed the mountain was a holy one and had concerns about foreigners.
Don Changshen, former office director of CTMA, and Zhang Shaohong, Vice President of Sichuan Earth Expedition Inc, had helped them to arrange the logistics for the expedition in Tibet. They had organised local transport, accommodation and porters, as well as obtaining the permits, before leaving Japan.
Upon arrival in Tibet, the group completed all registration formalities for the Nakchu District, without problems, and travelled to SokXian by car and foot. It was only when they arrived in the village that they realised there were objections to their summit attempt.
After being refused access, the climbers were not allowed to continue further in the region, or even take pictures of the area. Reluctantly, the group returned to Nakchu to try to resolve the issue there but were unsuccessful.
The team met with the CTMA who apologised for not knowing that the locals considered the mountain holy. The group returned to Japan where they continued to investigate the decision and claim back their expenses.
Bugyai Kangri, 6,328m: located in the middle of Nakchu and Qamdo along the Sichuan-Tibet North Highway (Chuanzang Beilu). It belongs to the north end of Taniantaweng, Hengduan Shan in Nu Jiang (the Salween) basin, an independent plateau ranging 40km east to west, 20km north to south with no sharp peaks and massive presence.
The UIAA is updating a mountain code, putting into ink mountaineering’s longstanding values of good sportsmanship, respect for cultures and care for the environment.
The draft code is intended to reach all who love mountain sport, from the hut-to-hut hiker to the expedition alpinist.
It also addresses some of the biggest debates in mountaineering today, such as the use of bottled oxygen on 8,000-meter-peak attempts.
The intent, say mountaineers involved in the process, is to create a document that reflects the sport’s high ideals and evolves with changing times.
And the UIAA hopes to receive feedback from the mountaineering community to further shape the draft. It is expected to go before the UIAA General Assembly for adoption in October.
“We are living in times of rapid change, not least the advance of commercialism into many areas of human activity and pressures on the mountain environment from developments of many kinds,” says UIAA Management Committee member John Nankervis, a New Zealand mountaineer who is assessing the work on the code.
“It is important therefore to impart to new generations of mountaineers the inspiration and values of past mountaineers … Indeed principles and standards might change over time but an awareness of the traditional values of the sport is needed, now more than ever.”
Joining Nankervis in editing the code is Doug Scott, the renowned British mountaineer who has netted numerous first ascents in Asia and completed the seven summits.
Scott is also known for advocating that mountaineers honour the cultures of countries where they climb. He was key in founding Community Action Nepal, a non-profit organisation to help the people of the Himalayan nation. He is also a UIAA Management Committee member.
The draft code
The draft includes 12 maxims on a range of topics relating to mountaineering. One key theme is the interaction with the landscape and the people who inhabit it.
The document calls for climbers to be knowledgeable and conscientious of the cultural norms of host nations.
The same holds true for environmental issues. It stipulates that mountaineers should practice their activities in “an environmentally sensitive way and be proactive in preserving nature”. “We strive to leave no trace,” the draft states.
Mutual respect and team commitment are core climbing ideals, the paper adds. This ranges from how clients should treat their guides to how alpinists should approach a first ascent.
A separate maxim is devoted to the use of supplemental oxygen. While this issue is highly controversial, the draft code puts medical aspects above all other concerns.
Moving forward
The UIAA will continue to take comment to shape the mountain code, although some sections have already undergone thorough debate, Nankervis says. He expects the finished text to be subtly different.
“I have an open mind on the use of the ‘code’ to describe the document, especially with the different nuances its translation to other languages can bring,” he says. “Comments on this too would be welcomed.”
After adoption by the General Assembly, the UIAA hopes that member associations will help spread the word about the code through education and promotion.
The UIAA Mountaineering Commission will also apply the code in praising positive climbing feats and sanctioning negative ones.
The UIAA plans to hold a symposium in 2014 to track the code’s effectiveness and re-evaluate it if necessary.
If you would like to have your say on the draft of the mountain code, please send us your comments (office@uiaa.ch).
Engineer and mountaineer Pit Schubert was honoured by the UIAA and DAV (German Alpine Club) on July 16 at the OutDoor trade fair in Friedrichshafen, Germany.
The international federation and German club chose to put the spotlight on Schubert for his lifetime contributions to making mountaineering and climbing safer.
The German climber played a major role in establishing the UIAA Safety Label, recognised as the world’s leading standard for mountaineering equipment.
“When I started my work on safety for climbers and mountaineers in 1968, it was very easy to make big developments because there was a lot left to do,” Schubert told the UIAA last year when he was named a UIAA honorary member. “At that time man was making the first flight to the moon a reality, but we were still using ice axes with wooden shafts – which could break on the first use on the ice – so a lot of things were waiting to be done.”
The UIAA Safety Label is now used for 19 different categories of equipment, including helmets, harnesses and crampons.
Schubert was a member of the UIAA Safety Commission from 1973 until 2004, and served as president for the last eight years. He founded the Safety Commission of the DAV in 1968 and was the association’s safety director for 32 years.
The OutDoor in Friedrichshafen is considered a leading trade fair for companies and operators active in the outdoor branch
The UIAA is moving forward on issues of key concern to the world’s mountaineering community.
At the recent meeting in Plas Y Brenin in Wales, the Management Committee took action on the reform of UIAA commissions, drafting a “Mountain Code” on ethics and best practices, and examining the role of the UIAA in the Olympic Movement.
The Management Committee (executive level responsible for policy implementation) agreed to merge the Access and Expeditions commissions to improve effectiveness. Clare Bond of the UK will head the new body as president.
Linda McMillan, a leading American conservationist who is an executive with the IUCN – WCPA Mountains Biome body, was formally elected to run the Mountain Protection Commission.
McMillan said her vision was to explore how the UIAA can contribute more to research and mountain protection by working closely with the scientific community.
The Ice Climbing Commission will increase the number of annual competitions in the coming years, while the Youth Commission reported strong growth in participation at international climbing events sponsored by the UIAA.
The Management Committee decided to move quickly on a proposal for a new Mountain Code. The timeframe for introducing the guidelines is ambitious: a draft is to be presented to UIAA member federations for comment by July 15, leading mountaineers will be consulted and the approved text will be made public shortly afterwards in order to solicit additional comment.
A final draft should be ready by the middle of August and presented to the annual meeting of the UIAA General Assembly in October 2009. A working group headed by John Nankervis (New Zealand) will lead the process with the key involvement of Doug Scott (Great Britain).
Approved at the meeting was a revised mission statement. The new wording includes a pledge to preserve traditions, advance safe and ethical practices, promote responsible access and support youth participation and the Olympic movement.
The Italian Alpine Club (CAI) offered to host the 2010 Management Committee meeting in Bormio.
Training programmes, climbing accidents and traditional values were discussed at the recent Mountaineering Commission meeting in Chamonix, France.
During the meeting delegates evaluated the work of the commission and its two working groups: the Training Standards Group and Legal Experts Working Group.
A number of key topics were discussed at the event, including the recent collaboration between the commission and the Petzl Foundation. The aim of this union is to assist developing countries to establish national leader training programmes. A manual has already been produced as an aid to countries producing training material and work has been carried out in Nepal. The commission showed delegates its plans to work with India on the topic in the near future.
Chiaki Aoyama, from Japan, was a guest speaker at the event and presented his research on climbing accidents in Japan and abroad. This was directly related to the commission’s aim to, along with Aoyama, compare climbing accidents in different countries. They hope that this will help guides to learn where the highest risks in mountaineering are and that this would improve teaching methods.
The Mountaineering Commission would also like to provide guidance to climbers operating outside of their own country. The issue of traditional values and policies regarding bolted climbing were discussed, in relation to climbers acting inappropriately when functioning abroad. This was often due to differences in policies and lack of awareness, which the commission aims to reduce.
Other work done at the event was on the future policy of the UIAA and the commission’s role within the organisation. The full report of the meeting, written by Phil Wickens (BMC), Secretary, UIAA Mountaineering Commission, is available for download here.
The meeting was a huge success for the UIAA’s Mountaineering Commission and showed the importance of the commission’s work to mountaineering around the world.
Climbing on the impressive traverses of the Bezengi wall and the Northern Array will be the main events of an Open International Mountaineering Meet set in Central Caucasus, Russia.
The meet is organised from July 25 Climbing on the impressive traverses of the Bezengi wall and the Northern Array will be the main events of an Open International Mountaineering Meet set in Central Caucasus, Russia.
The meet is organised from July 25 – August 8 on the occasion of the 50-year anniversary of the Bezengi mountaineering camp. Climbers from all over the world and mountaineering veterans are invited to the event.
Besides ascents on classic routes, there will be a Master Class on Technology for rock and ice climbing and a Retro-Cup, where climbers will compete in the style of the famous mountaineering brothers Abalakov.
The full traverse of the 12-km-long mountain range called the Bezengi Wall includes Lialver (4,250 m), Gestola Pyramid (4,860 m), Array of Katyn (4,970 m) Jangi (5,049 m) with three peaks higher than 5,000 m – Shota Rustaveli Peak (4,960 m) and Shhara peak (5.068 m).
For more information, please contact Anna Stolbova of the Russian Mountaineering Federation.
– August 8 on the occasion of the 50-year anniversary of the Bezengi mountaineering camp. Climbers from all over the world and mountaineering veterans are invited to the event.
Besides ascents on classic routes, there will be a Master Class on Technology for rock and ice climbing and a Retro-Cup, where climbers will compete in the style of the famous mountaineering brothers Abalakov.
The full traverse of the 12-km-long mountain range called the Bezengi Wall includes Lialver (4,250 m), Gestola Pyramid (4,860 m), Array of Katyn (4,970 m) Jangi (5,049 m) with three peaks higher than 5,000 m – Shota Rustaveli Peak (4,960 m) and Shhara peak (5.068 m).
For more information, please contact Anna Stolbova of the Russian Mountaineering Federation.
New routes and new friendships were made by the climbers from 15 different countries who met in Lofoten, Norway between March 8 and 15.
The international climbing meet, organised by the Norwegian Alpine Club, gave the 40 participants the chance for mixed ice and rock climbing in a special landscape with a view of the North Sea. There was also time for discussions about climbing ethics, and sharing knowledge and experiences.
The participants were full of praise for the organisers and the natural setting of Lofoten. “Maybe the best description of the entire week would be a single word – followed with silence – spoken by Bjorn when I joined him sitting on the summit of Rulten: MAGIC,” said Marko Prezelj from Slovenia. “Myself, often labeled as a perfectionist, can just add: ‘perfect’.”
The meet was informal and it was up to each climber to choose how to spend their days. Several new routes were set by the participants, and information about these will be made available on the Norwegian Alpine Club website.
The Norwegians took the opportunity to advocate the Norwegian culture of “clean climbing” – avoiding the use of fixed bolts in Norway’s high mountains. Naturally, not a single bolt was drilled into the rock during the meet. Some of the international climbers promised to spread the word on the local climbing culture to people back home. “Norway has some of the biggest potential for adventure in the world and it needs to be cherished,” said Andy Cave from the UK.
The organisers also declared the event a success, perhaps to be repeated. “We hope that the participants will return to Norway and attend other meetings we arrange to reveal some other unique climbing locations in Norway,” said organiser Marius Morstad.
A Japanese expedition lead by mountaineer Tamotsu Nakamura has photographed and documented little-known peaks and ranges in the Deep Gorge Country of South East Tibet and Sichuan, China.
Between October 23 and November 30, 2008, the expedition travelled 4,000 kilometres. Leader Nakamura was joined by mountaineers, guides and other support staff from Japan, Tibe and China.
The first goal of the expedition was to explore Dungri Garpo, a 6,090m mountain in Deep Gorge Country. They encountered problems in Yangjing, where they had to stay for four days, since rock falls had closed the roads, but was then able to continue. “Our plan was (…) to approach Damyon and Dungri Garpo from the north. But villagers told us that there was no trail to Damyon and also that deep snow would make it impossible to cross a high pass of 5,300m to enter the valley of Dungri Garpo,” says Nakamura. Instead they drove to Bake village (3,320m) in the Yu Qu basin, and used this as a base to explore Dungri Garpo from the western side.
After three days of travel in a caravan with ten horses and five mules, the expedition got their first view of the west face of Dungri Garpo. The mountain has three peaks and a hanging glacier. The expedition members took pictures of Dungri Garpo, a 6070m peak north of Dungri Garpo and of the Damyon massif. The group also came across several unclimbed peaks of 5,800-6,000m close to Damyon on the Mekong-Yu Qu Divide.
The second goal of the expedition was to explore a 6,079m peak south of Minya Konka and peaks in Sichuan. The 6,079m peak is tentatively named as Ren Zhong Feng. “Access is very easy, but only a few climbers have paid attention to this peak till today,” says Nakamura.
The expedition travelled from Chengdu, Sichuan’s capital, to Caoke hot springs, where they had to wait for the weather to clear. On the fourth day it was possible to take photos for a couple of hours in the morning. “We were in a hurry to go up the valley to Ren Zhong Lake. The valley was deep and it was difficult to see the peak. But we were lucky to avail ourselves of a narrow chance. The photos thus taken must be of much value,” says Nakamura.
The group then moved northward along the Dadu River in order to explore Xiaqingla, a 5,470m peak in the Daxue Shan range. “A beautiful pyramid towering to the sky, the peak undoubtedly allures climbers,” says Nakamura. During the last two days of the expedition the team took pictures along the route from Danba to Chengdu via Ja-ra (5,820m), Kangding, Laoyuling hot spring, the Xuemenkan pass between Lamo-she 6,070m/Baihaizi Shan 5,924m and the Minya Konka massif. “Among others, photos of the east face of Mt. Edgar 6,618m are particularly important, as weather is always bad in this area of Minya Konka massif,” says Nakamura.
You will find more information of the expedition in the full report and a collection of photos in our photo galleries section. Tamotsu Nakamura is a renowned mountaineer, explorer and dedicated editor of the Japanese Alpine News. He is the leading authority on the so-called Alps of Tibet.