Asia, India, Garhwal, Dunagiri Attempt and Hanuman

Publication Year: 1976.

Dunagiri Attempt and. Hanuman. The goal of our Austrian Alpine Club (ÖAK) expedition was the second ascent of 23,184-foot Dunagiri. We were originally Fräulein Hermine Müller, German, Frau Ruth Steinmann-Hess, Swiss, Dr. Erich Bosina and I, Austrians. We had difficulty in getting porters at Lata because of the ten expeditions but finally managed to get eleven porters to carry our 28 loads. On the night of May 7 Hermine Müller came down with pulmonary edema at 12,500 feet at Lata Karak and had to be evacuated. With only seven porters left, we had to relay loads to Base Camp. By chance we met the Austrian Erich Straker, who joined our team. We got to Base Camp at 15,250 feet east of Hanuman on May 13. Camp I was set up at 17,725 feet on May 16 and Camp II at 19,425 feet in the col between Dunagiri and Hanuman on the 17th. Heavy snow fell until May 22. We were back in Camp II on May 24. On the 25th we climbed the northwest ridge partially on black ice and partially in two feet of loose snow, reaching the high point of the expedition at 20,675 feet. Time was running out; above the rock step there was windslab and dangerous cornices. We settled for the third ascent of Hanuman (19,882 feet). On May 28 we placed camp at 18,500 feet and on May 29 climbed the southeast ridge, where gendarmes rise above an easy snow ridge. Frau Steinmann, Bosina, Lieutenant Jagad, the liaison officer of the Japanese Kalanka expedition, the porter Sher Singh Rana and I were on top at eleven o’clock.

Erich Vanis, Österreichischer Alpen Klub