TrekkingDhawalagiri Expedition
Mount Dhaulagiri (8167m.) was first climbed by the Swiss in 1960. Its name is derived from Sanskrit " Dhavala means" means "White" and girl is "Mountain" The mountain was sighted by British surveyors in India in the early 1800s and was mapped by one of the secret Indian surveyors, the pundits, in 1873; but the region remained largely unknown until a Swiss aerial survey in 1949. The French mount Annapurna expedition in 1950 had permission to climb either Annapurna or Dhaulagiri but decided on Annapurna after a reconnaissance of Dhaulagiri. A Swiss party failed in 1953 as did an Argentine group one year later. After four more expeditions had failed, eight members of a Swiss expedition reached the summit in 1960. The climb followed a circuitous route around the mountain from Tukuche, over Dhampus pass.
As French Col, to approach the summit from the North-East Col., The expedition was supplied by a Swiss Pilatus Porter aircraft, the "Yeti" which landed on the North-East Col at 5977m. Near the end of the expedition the plane crashed near Dhampus pass and the pilots, including the famous Emil Wick, walked down the mountain to Tukuche.
Tragedy struck in 1969 when an avalanche killed seven members of a US expedition on the East Dhaulagiri Glacier. The peak was climbed by the Japanese in 1970s, the Americans in 1973 and the Italians in 1976. Captain Emil Wick airdropped supplies to the US expedition from a Pilatus Porter aircrafts. Among the delicacies he dropped were two bottles of wine and a live chicken. The Sherpas would not allow the chicken to be killed on the mountain, so it became the expedition pet. It was carried, snow-blind and crippled with frostbitten feet, to Marpha, where it was finally eaten up in the cooking pot.
Dhaulagiri Expedition Itinerary:
Day 02: Preparing Expedition Day 03: Briefing in Ministry of Tourism Day 04: Drive by Bus to Beni & Galeshor Camp Day 05: Beni - Darban - Camp Day 06: Darbang - Baskot village Day 07: Baskot village - Bagar - Camp Day 08: Bagar - Dovan - Camp Day 09: Dovan - Pina (forest camp) sallaghari Day 10: Pina (forest) -Italian Base Camp - Camp Day 11: Italian Base Camp - Dhaulagiri Base camp - Camp Day 12-39: Climbing Period of Dhaulagiri 8167m. Expedition Day 40: Prepared for coming back Day 41: Dhaulagiri Base camp - Yak Khark Day 42: Yak Khark - Jomsom Day 43: Fly Jomsom - Pokhara - Kathmandu Day 44: Kathmandu Day 45: Final Departure
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