Mount Dhaulagiri Expedition spring 2026

First climbed by the Swiss in 1960, Dhaulagiri (8167m.) is one of the highest peaks in the world. The name "Dhavala" means "White" and the name "Mountain" means "Mountain". It was sighted by British surveyors in India in the early 1800s and mapped by one of the secret Indian surveyors, the pundits, in 1873. However, the region remained largely unknown until a Swiss aerial survey in 1949. In 1950, a French expedition was granted permission to climb either mount Annapurna or mount Dhaulagiri, but they chose Annapurna after a reconnaissance of Dhaulagiri. In 1953, a Swiss party failed, as did an Argentine group one year later. Following four more failed attempts, eight Swiss climbers reached the summit in 1960. From Tukuche, over Dhampus pass, the climb followed a circuitous route around the mountain.

It is necessary to follow the French Col in order to reach the summit from the North-East Col. The expedition was supplied by a Swiss Pilatus Porter aircraft, the "Yeti", which landed at 5977 meters on the North-East Col. The plane crashed near Dhampus pass, and the pilots, including Emil Wick, walked down the mountain to Tukuche peak after the crash. The East Dhaulagiri Glacier was struck by tragedy in 1969 when an avalanche killed seven US expedition members. From a Pilatus Porter aircraft, Captain Emil Wick dropped supplies to the US expedition in the 1970s. The Japanese climbed the peak in the 1970s, the Americans in 1973, and the Italians in 1976. Two bottles of wine and a live chicken were among the delicacies he dropped. Since the Sherpa wouldn't let the chicken be killed on the mountain, it became the pet of the expedition. Snow-blind and crippled with frostbitten feet, it was carried to Marpha where the cooking pot eventually ate it up.