원정 개요

BC at Zemu Glacier
C1 at Nepal Gap Glacier
C2 at Nepal Gap Glacier
C3 on east ridge of Twins East (7005m)
C4 on east ridge of Twins East Peak
C5 at north side of ridge between east and main peaks.

Route was same as that in Aut 1993 E Ridge from North to E Summit and on towards main summit.

Twins (7350m) - Gimmigela Chuli

From September to November 1994, a Japanese expedition led by Kenshiro Otaki with 7 members climbed Twins, in North Sikkim. The summit was climbed on 29 September 1994 by Kazunori Chikui and Ishimori Takashima. The summiters were reported missing and a helicopter rescue and search was mounted. After anxious days due to a hail storm, they could be traced only on 4 Nov and reached base camp on 8 November. Earlier on 29 October Shigeru Yokokuwa with Pasang Tenzing, Dawang and Pasang had climbed the summit of Twins. They all returned with serious frostbites and had to be evacuated. Thus this was an eventful expedition to Twins.


Iwa-to-Yuki, April 1995

The Twins (Gimmigela 7350m)

As reported in our previous issue, The Japan Sikkim Climbing team, who made the first ascent of this peak, was involved in an accident. On Oct 31, Ishimori Takashima (47) and Kazunori Chikui (34) made the second summit after the first one on 29th. They however had to bivouac 3 nights at 7000m point due to sudden deteriorating weather on their way down. On the 4th day they returned C5 (final camp, 6700m) where they were welcomed by a Sherpa who had been waiting for their coming down. They however needed to take a rest for a while there. Then a Sherpa, leaving 2 members at C5, descended down, which resulted in their isolation from lower camps again. A helicopter, which was expected to find out the whereabouts of these 2 isolated climbers, researched on Nov 10 and found them who were coming down to C4, but failed to pick them up to helicopter. A rescue team was dispatched on Nov 15th. Sherpas reached C4 as late as on 21st but only to find two dead bodies.

On 28th Oct, Ishimori Takashima (47) and Shigeru Yukokawa (43), plus Pasang Gyalzen Sherpa (30), Dawa Wangchuk Sherpa (23) and Dawa Sherpa (22), crossed over East Peak and pitched C5 on Nepalese (north) side of ridge connecting East and Mani Peaks. Next day, these 5 climbers made summit bid and reached point right beneath main summit at 5:00 pm. Sherpas refused to go farther because "summit sancturary boundary should not be stepped on," and they returned to C5. Takashima and Yokokawa could not claim summit success, and Takashima insisted on trying again.

On 31st Oct, he [Takashima] and Kazunori Chikui (34) made second summit bid. They succeeded, but had to bivouac for 3 nights at 7000m because weather suddenly deteriorated during their descent. They reached C5 on 4th day (3 Nov) and met Dawa there (he had waited there for them) they had to rest there. Dawa left them at C5, leaving them isolated from lower camps. Helicopter search for them found them on 10th Nov descending to camp but did not pick them up. Rescue teams went up on 15th Nov and on 21 Nov Sherpas found them both dead in C4.