Dhaulagiri. The American Dhaulagiri Expedition got permission to climb the east face. The team, Matt and John Culberson, Colin Grissom and I, arrived at Base Camp on September 9. Advance Base was established at the col on September 21. We then got permission from the Japanese to climb the northeast ridge up to 7500 meters in order to leave a cache and to acclimatize. On September 27, Camp I was placed at 6500 meters. At 6700 meters on the 30th, we were caught in an avalanche which carried us 150 meters down the north face before we were stopped by the Japanese fixed lines. We descended to Base Camp for five days to recuperate. On October 6, we returned to the col. Because the avalanche had set us back physically and mentally and because the lower third of the east face was exposed rock with running water, we decided to climb the northeast ridge. We returned to Camp I on October 8. At 6800 meters, Matt Culberson was concerned about avalanche danger and went down. John Culberson, Colin Grissom and I made Camps II and III at 7000 and 7500 meters on October 13 and 15. We summited on October 16 and returned on October 18. The climb was done without Sherpas or supplementary oxygen.

Kitty Calhoun