Asia, Nepal, Dorje Lhakpa

Publication Year: 1987.

Dorje Lhakpa. Our joint expedition was composed of Germans Klaus Stark, leader, Mathias Rau, Helmut Müller, Dr. Bernd Meyer and me and Nepalese Ang Pasang and Pemba Tarke. We used a new approach from the south through the Balephi Khola. Three Japanese expeditions had climbed Dorje Lhakpa before, all by the west ridge. Their approach was by the Langtang valley and their Base Camps were on the Langshisa Glacier. Our Base Camp at 4500 meters was on the moraine of a glacier coming from the southwest face. Camp I at 5500 meters was at the foot of the west ridge, about five hours from Base Camp. Camp II at 6000 meters was just beyond a horizontal section of the ridge. Meyer, Müller, Rau and Stark established Camp II on November 5. The next day they set out for the summit but got to only 6700 meters, as the distance was too great. On November 7 Meyer and Müller tried it again, setting out earlier. Meyer reached the summit (6966 meters, 22,845 feet) at three P.M. and Müller at 7:30. Meyer got down to Camp II at eight P.M. but Müller was forced to spend the night at 6700 meters and reached Camp II the next day.

Thomas Oeser, Deutscher Alpenverein