KATHMANDU: Pokhara will see a three-day Golden Jubilee celebration -- on May 12, 13 and 14 -- of the first ascent of Mt Dhaulagiri (8,167-metre) -- the seventh highest peak in the world. Various programmes will also mark the day in Kathmandu and Beni, the foothill of the Mt Dhaulagiri.
Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) has announced a special programme on May 13 -- the day of first human ascent of Mt Dhaulagiri’s -- at the International Mountain Museum in Pokhara.
Dhaulagiri was first climbed on May 13, 1960 by Kurt Diemberger, Peter Diener, Ernst Forrer, Albin Schelbert, Nyima Dorji and Nawang Dorji, members of a Swiss/Austrian expedition team. The expedition leader was Max Eiselin and they used the Northeast Ridge route which had been reconnoitered one year earlier by an Austrian expedition led by Fritz Moravec.
Th list of guests for the historic day includes 78-year old Austrian climber Kurt Diemberger -- the only surviving member of the first expedition team -- and other mountaineers from around the world.
“The successful summiting of Dhaulagiri in 1960 holds great importance for the development of mountain tourism in Nepal, globally,” Ang Tsering Sherpa, president of NMA said adding that the celebration of all the 8,000-metre peak’s first ascents in Nepal bring the mountaineering community together. “They are also important for telling the world that things are changing in the Himalaya,” he added.
“During the celebration we expect to have overwhelming support and presence of famous mountaineers from all around the mountaineering community and this will have a positive impact on our country’s image,” he added.
These celebrations are also an opportunity for Nepal to show deep appreciation and gratitude to the mountaineers and mountain lovers who have done so much to promote Nepal.
Speaking at a press meet here today minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Sarat Singh Bhandari expressed his best wishes for the 50th anniversary. He also thanked the people for their cooperation during recent general strike and asked for the support to national campaign ‘Nepal Tourism Year 2011’ to make it a huge success. The government to celebrate the Dhaulagiri 50th anniversary has also formed a celebration committee in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Beni. The committee will coordinate during the celebration on May 12, 13 and 14 that is scheduled to be organised at Pokhara.
Meanwhile, recalling his summit of Mt Dhaulagiri in 1960, Diemberger said that they collected the money through the postcards they sent to 16,000 people in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Italy. They collected mountaineering material from several European countries like they got tents from Poland, special high reindeer boots from Italy and much other equipment from Switzerland.
At 8,167 metres, Mt Dhaulagiri was considered world’s highest mountain until mid-1800s. Even today it has the greatest vertical rise from local terrain, shooting skyward for three kilometres. And in 1960, it remained next to last among the world’s 8,000-metre peaks to be conquered.
