원정 개요

C3 before ridge
C4 near Bonington 2nd Snow cave
C5 snow cave beyond Bonington 3rd cave.

Kazakhs did all lead climbing, all fixing ropes and all camp pitching. Sherpas came up behind them to stock camps. Kazakhs fixed entire route from base of NE Ridge to C6. Kazakhs never touched oxygen. They climbed as separate team. Sherpas primarily supported Japanese. 4 Kazakhs pitched C6 thus in position to make summit bid and slept there 2 nights of 16th & 17th May [waiting out bad weather]; went all way down to to BC to rest before trying [again] for top; Viktor and Yuri descended US route (N Ridge-N Col) while Vladimir and Valeri went down their own NE Ridge route. By this time Japanese climbers had given up and down a bit to C4 & C5.

Japanese started for their own summit bid: Ohmyia, Hoshi, Kokobu and 3 Sherpas to C4 & C5; only Ohmyia & Hoshi from C5 to C6 with 2 Sherpas on 22 May. Sherpas on 22nd reached C6 and next day came down US route in snow & windstorm. Japanese never reached C6, but Ohmyia bivouacked at 8300m two nights (several [150m laterally] short of C6) while Hoshi never got to C6: Kazakhs found 100m below C6 a jumar on fixed rope and ice axe standing in snow. Kazakhs had received radio message from other Japanese that no contact with Ohmyia for 24 hrs and they must be in trouble, please help. Kazakhs had reached C4 on 23rd and when distress message came through, they immediately went up, climbing all night and all next day reaching Ohmyia at his bivouac late in afternoon of 24th. Ohmyia was exhausted and irrational, wouldn't take oxygen or water they offered him, was determined to go on to summit. Kazakhs had to get Japanese on radio to insist he obey Kazakhs; he was at 8300m below jummar & ice axe, which were on west side of NE Ridge. 4 Kazakhs practically carried him up to C6, which was close, well-supplied with oxygen and food and at junction of NE & N Ridges and thus on US (normal) route for easier descent; the 5 men got to C6 about 7 pm (Nepali time - nightfall) on 24th. On 25th all 5 down to US C4 at 3:30 pm by 2 Kazakhs, 7 pm by 2 other Kazakhs & Ohmyia; at C4 used German tent and Germans & Americans were there to help. 26th down to ABC despite heavy snowfall previous night with an American (Beazari) breaking trail and Austrian couple helping Ohmyia. US & doctors cared for him at ABC. By time he had reached N Col, Ohmyia could walk; his frostbite not so severe that good hospital probably couldn't save all fingers and toes; evacuated by yak to BC. Hoshi perhaps fell or jumped down W Face of NE Ridge; Ohmyia was not searching for him.

Kazakhs brought oxygen supply and Japanese provided everything else. Kazakhs drove to Kazakh-Chinese border, took public buses to airport in China with connection to Chengdu & then Lhasa; same trip in reverse back to Alma Ata from BC.

On NE Ridge Kazakhs found a tent with 2 sleeping bags, a stove, an ice hammer, a book with Chris's name in it & a diary with May 1982 entries. They took photos of body near these items; on breast of down suit was logs with outline of a mountain & 3 letters, one of which was M; they brought down book and diary.


BC on 03 April at 5100m at the East Rongbuk Glacier
C1 on 06 April at 5500m at the " " "
C2 on 07 April at 6000m at the " " "
C3 on 09 April at 6500m at the " " "
C4 on 15 April at 7100m at the NE Ridge
C5 on 18 April at 7990m at the NE Ridge
C6 on 18 May at 8360m at the junction

High point on 18 May at 8360m, at the junction by four Kazakh members without oxygen. Climb abandoned on 24 May due to the fatal accident and bad weather.

Source: Muneo Nukita, Japanese mountain climber.