원정 개요

BC with other team
C4 at South Col.

Did just practice climbs to C3 on Lhotse Face but not slept there. Did a lot of climbing up and down and even trekking below BC getting into condition. 16 Oct 4:00 pm from BC started up alone. Climbed alone from BC to South Col; arrived C2 6:30 pm 16th, stayed 5 hours to eat and drink and change clothes. 7:00 pm 16th up from C2 and arrived at C4 Oct 17th 2:30 am after stopping at 7600m for 1 hour because of wind. At 3:00 am Kaji, Tashi and Kami set out from C4; Kami stopped at 8700m below South Summit (it was cold, his oxygen regulator damaged and oxygen leaking) at 8:30 am. Kami and Tashi used oxygen up from South Col but Kaji only in descent from South Summit. Kaji and Tashi to top 12:24 pm with Tashi 5-10 minutes ahead. "I am very, very tired." At top saw scarfs and poles but not prisms. Photo taken by Tashi just below these items from previous expeditions. At top 4 minutes only because Tashi afraid that bad weather could come very quickly and Kaji very tired. Tashi gave Kaji Tashi's oxygen at South Summit because Kaji very tired and they wanted to get back to C4 quickly. Back to C4 at 4:00 pm and slept in C2 (9:00 pm arrival) where good food supply and Kaji stopped using oxygen at arrival at C4/S Col. Kaji also stopped at South Summit in ascent while Tashi fixed rope where route not easy with crust on deep snow above S Summit to Hillary Step; Kaji stopped one hour while rope being fixed. Kami and Tashi had made all routes above South Col; Tashi very strong." Kaji followed in their tracks slowly. Kami waited at Col and made hot water and tea. All three men down from Col together.

"I have confidence in my speed" and can do climb in 18 hours - want to do it in 2 years before strength diminishes with age.

26 Oct 98 - Matsumoto, leader of Japanese expedition on Everest at same time: "I don't think they [Spaniard Pitarch and Kaji] reached summit." Kaji's teammates oxygen supply "pipe" froze and broke before "summit" and Kaji then alone with only good oxygen set. Kaji's "a liar": lied about not using Japanese radio and so many other things" - "where's the evidence? no pix."

Oxygen used:
Kaji from South Summit to C4 in descent;
Tashi and Kami in ascent from C4