원정 개요

Asada & Kuwahara - 23 Oct 81

BC - 2600m - 4 Sept
Deposit - 3400m - 8 Sept
ABC - 4000m - 11 Sept
C1 - 4700m - 16 Sept
C2 - 5300m - 20 Sept
C3 - 5900m - 23 Sept
C4 - 6400m - 30 Sept
C5 - 7090m - 7 Oct

Storm in late Sept drops 2m snow at C3, 1m at C1 = 1 week between C3 and C4, one week between C4 and C5 for rest. One party of 3 members made route above C5 for 2 days and then tired and parties changed - 7350m reached. Next party arrived C5 10 Oct (Asada, Kondo and Ichikawa). Next day fixing rope making route to 7400m. Ichikawa last man, in very strong wind at noon after 4 hours climbing and little altitude rock, separated from main fixed rope, started slipping and fell at 12:30 500m bouncing 10 times - body all broken. Asada and Kondo went to where body stopped, saw he was dead and brought back ice axe, personal backpack (no watch or camera) and hair. Next day 3 members from C4 go up to C5 and 5 together carried body to crevasse near C5 at about 7000m and buried there. Then expedition finished: "some members tired, some praying to God, so cannot continue" - leader. Summit would have been reached 12 Oct if no accident. All very strong, weather fine if windy.

Route via South Ridge: ridge difficult so 100 meters to right of it on face. Route actually on South Face. C5 a little down and little right as marked on postcard before climb.


Sharma, Tourism - 16 Oct 81

Dead Kyoichi Ichikawa slipped from 24,278 feet/7400m for 500m. Body seen by 2 friends Tsuneo Kondo and Takayuki Asada on same day, 11 Oct. Fell at 12:30. Three men were climbing above C5 (7000m) to summit. Body seen at 6900m at 2:00 pm and was in steep snow and rock ridge so not possible to bring it down - not possible to reach it that day. On 12 Oct buried body at place where fell; buried by 2 friends. Watch, camera and hair were removed and are being taken to Japan.

Expedition abandoned and all leave BC 17 Oct.

11 Oct leader was in C3 (5800m) with other member and 3 others in C4 (6300m); very windy 11 Oct.


Kuwahara - 23 Aug 81

Route Southwest Ridge = virgin route.
Approach via Siklis via Madi Khola to Hoga and then 3 hours climb to BC.
1st BC 3200m
2nd BC 3600m
ABC 4020m
C1 4700m
C2 5400m
C3 6000m
C4 6587m
C5 7000m end of snowfield

1 or 2 bivouacs above C5.
South (SW) Ridge very steep. 3000m fixed rope required: 1000m to ABC, 500m between C1 and C2 and 1500m C5 to top.

9 members: 7 now here and more arrived after 4 days.
Leave together 28 Aug by road to Pokhara.

5 days summit caravan to 1st BC and establish ABC 10 days after arrival 1st BC. Summit 1 month after ABC.

3 Sherpas will go above to C3, but not above C3 because very dangerous.

Oxygen medical only.