원정 개요

Tsuyama & Kamimuro - 22 Sept 78

Tsuyama and 1 Sherpa arive KTM today. Avalanche from West Wall and C2 on SW Wall struck by blast of air pressure.

Hisaji Banmi and Takahashi were on West Wall setting up to lift loads from 200m above C2 on West wall to C3 at 5640m. Were at about same altitude as C2. They were hit by blast and Banmi fell 20m into crevasse and Takahashi not found (maybe deeper in crevasse).

Tanaka in C2, Ushigawa 1 meter from him. Ushizawa fell below C2 100m.
Tanaka also fell about 20m but luckily stopped just in front of another crevasse.

Penuri and Kayamori were inside C2 tent out of tent. Penuri also blown out of tent fell 20m through tent. 2 hours before very steep rock. Kayamori in far end of tent and not moved. Tent into 2 pieces.

1 member and 1 Sherpa were in C3. Tanako called men down from C3 and up from C1. Those up from C1 found one body on way up.

Highest point by Misano, Pemba and Banmi on 11 Sept 300m above C3 and said route above very easy.

No other accidents and success seemed sure. 4 yrs ago took 2 months BC->C3. Others arrive maybe 10 Oct. Wing in BC for instruction regarding bodies. Parents were not in Japan.

Tsuyama left BC 17 Sept and still looking for Takahashi body, then very tired.


Tanaka & Miss Kamimure - 31 July 78

Peak 29 - South Peak 7514m

Tanaka was member of 1974 expedition to SW Wall. Present expedition same route (not West Face - that was not correct).

Sherpas and baggage leave 1 August, 150 loads
Members leave 2 Aug by bus to Dumre

3 Aug advance party leave Dumre
5 Aug main party leave Dumre

BC established 16-17 Aug at 4150m (1974 expedition's C1) on Tulagi Glacier.
6 high camps. C6 7300 on shoulder of South Peak.

Climbing South Peak 7514m only. 2000m from South Peak to Main Peak.

Want to climb South Wall, that is the important thing. This route is between West Face and South Face and is broken route following ice (staying off rock). In spring 1974 reached only C3's 5800m because of falling stone; in autumn (now) is colder and expect much less stonefall).

No other expedition except 1974 has been on route expedition will follow

1700 = height of wall (from C3's 5800m = ABC to South Peak)
Last time 1974 C4 at 5400m, will this time be C2
Summit 10-16 Oct

Oxygen only medical (only 4 bottles)
7 Sherpas including sirdar Penuri Sherpa


Hawley Reuter's Report

They had climbed from BC 3950m to C3 5640m in less than a month in contrast to a Japanese attempt four years ago which spent two months to cover this distance. And on 11 Sept, two members, Hisaji Banmi, of Showa plus a Sherpa, climbed 300 meters above C3 and reported that the rest of the route to their goal, the South Summit of Peak 29, appeared to be very easy.

So by 14 Sept, the most difficult part of the climbing seemed over, and a team of men were engaged in setting up a winch to hoist loads of supplies into C3. Then at 11:00 am that day, an avalanche went hurling down the west wall of their mountain.

Avalanches wreck havoc not only with the force and volume of their mass of snow, but also with tremendous air pressures that they create, and it was the blast from this avalanche, not the mass of the avalanche itself, that killed Banmi and two other Japanese, Yoshibumi Takahashi, 24 of Yokosuka city, Kanagawa prefecture, and Mamoru Ushizawa, 31, of Tokyo.