Annapurna I | 1987 S Face

A Japan expedition to Annapurna I in 1987 via S Face, led by Kuniaki Yagihara. Summit reached on 20th December 1987. 14 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 321
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID ANN187403
Peak ID ANN1
Year 1987
Season 4
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Kuniaki Yagihara
Sponsor Gunma Mtng Federation Annapurna I S Face Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 18th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1987-11-23
Summit Date 1987-12-20
Summit Time 1515
Summit Days 27
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8091
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 14
Summit Members 4
Member Deaths 2
Total Hired 12
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used False
O2 None True
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits Climbed Tharpu Chuli (Tent Peak)
Campsites BC(23/11,4300m),C1(02/12,5200m),C2(03/12,6100m),C3(10/12,6850m),C4(17/12,7400m),Smt(20/12)
Route Notes Changed C3 site twice because stone and snow avalanche. 1st one pitched 6th Dec, but one member Sato hit in leg by big stone and stopped climbing. Route above C2 was new and to left of Bonington route: Bonington team was on ridge but "that ridge's left which was a little risky" because of soft ice/hard snow. Difficult climbing was from C3 to C4 because very steep rock and loose rock and often stonefall. 45-50 fixed ropes of 50m from C1 to mini-rockband at 7700m; made route from C4 to mini-rockband in 2 days with about 400m rope here, then to top. 20th Dec 3 men left C2 at 3:40 am and Seagusa at 6 am because headlamp broken and he waited for daylight, joined others at 7700m at 9:40 am; above 7700m slow going (fixed only one rope). The route was basically the Bonington route of spring 1970, but above C2 at 6100m. Bonington's ridge was "very bad" because of loose powdered snow, so team took a couloir to its left; the couloir itself was a "little risky" because of soft ice/hard snow which was difficult to climb. They rejoined Bonington route at section of all was very steep rock between C3 and C4 (6850m and 7400m); rock was unstable and loose pieces were frequently falling, injuring a member and a Sherpa. The site of C3 was changed twice because of stone fall and snow avalanches. No bottled oxygen was used because their entire supply was in C1 and was swept away by an avalanche early in the climb. Kobayashi fell to his death at 7900m. Saito fell just 20 meters above C4. Apparently their falls were caused by fatigue. Accidents besides the fatal falls and Sato's leg was Sherpa's shoulder and head struck by ice 3 Dec avalanche at C1 which took away all oxygen and much fuel, food and gear; but had 2 months supply of food and fuel and many spare pieces of equipment (but not oxygen). Had permit for Glacier Dome for acclimatization but made no attempt. Saegusa had no headlamps so came quickly. Yagihara and Saito down together. 7900m Kobayashi slipped down; maybe snow some places hard and flat and some soft: slipped in bad snow. Saito very tired; with Yamada on same rope and Yamada at C4 just waited 15 minutes and Saito didn't come. Saegusa saw him fall. Yamada called and Saito answered 2-3 times). Saegusa went to Saito and Saito asked for water and then fell in dark (he had no headlamp); searched but couldn't find him with headlamp. Planned 2 summit bids but after accident all stopped. 2nd bid to be by Nazuka, Sato and Akuzawa on 22nd Dec. 3rd Dec avalanche lost much equipment and food but no one hurt. Steve Adamson - 24 Dec 7 Japanese Annapurna I South Face Adamson left 16 Dec. Japanese planning summit bid 21 Dec. Their C1 had been avalanched twice. Bonington route at higher part. Willing to lose 4 Japanese and 4 Sherpas before giving up - they will make it.
Accidents Sato and 1 Sherpa injured by avalanching
Achievement -
Agency Express
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2452152
Year 1987
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) s face

Members

14 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Yoshio Akuzawa M 1957 Japan Climber Tomioka, Gunma, Japan Furniture salesman Details Other expeditions
Toshiki Fujioka M 1957 Japan Exp Doctor Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan Physician Details Other expeditions
Hikaru Hoshino M 1932 Japan General Leader Numata, Gunma, Japan Owner, construction company Details Other expeditions
Makoto Kambe M 1963 Japan Climber Tomioka, Gunma, Japan Gravestone maker Details Other expeditions
Fumie Kimura F 1955 Japan Climber Kiryu, Gunma, Japan Teacher, pre-primary school Details Other expeditions
Toshiyuki Kobayashi M 1965 Japan Climber Kiryu, Gunma, Japan Student of textiles Details Other expeditions
Tsutomu Miyazaki M 1947 Japan Deputy Leader Maebashi, Gunma, Japan Unemployed Details Other expeditions
Hideji Nazuka M 1954 Japan Climber Maebashi, Gunma, Japan Landscape gardener Details Other expeditions
Yasuhira Saito M 1953 Japan Climber Nagoya, Japan Engineer, petroleum Details Other expeditions
Mitsuyoshi Sato M 1961 Japan Climber Maebashi, Gunma, Japan Salesman Details Other expeditions
Teruo Saegusa M 1957 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Salesman, sports shop Details Other expeditions
Kuniaki Yagihara M 1946 Japan Leader Maebashi, Gunma, Japan Unemployed Details Other expeditions
Noboru Yamada M 1950 Japan Climbing Leader Numata, Gunma, Japan Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Koichi Yano M 1964 Japan Climber Kiryu, Gunma, Japan Student, engineering Details Other expeditions

References

10 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
ANN187403 AAJ Cheney, Michael J. & Hawley, Elizabeth - - 62:220 (1988) -
ANN187403 JAC Yagihara, Kuniaki First Winter Ascent of Annapurna South Face - 83:A31-36 (1988) -
ANN187403 HJ Yagihara, Kuniaki First Winter Ascent of the South Face of Annapurna I, 1987-1988 - 46:24-30 (1988-1989) -
ANN187403 - Gumna Annapurna Expedition Annapurna South Face in Winter Gunma-ken Mountaineering Union, Maebashi, Japan - jK214
ANN187403 MM - - - 120:11 (Mar 1988) -
ANN187403 JAC Yagihara, Kuniaki First Winter Ascent of Annapurna South Face - 83:79-83 (1988) -
ANN187403 IWA - - - :279-280 (1988) -
ANN187403 IWA - - - :72 (1988) -
ANN187403 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198822002/Asia-Nepal-Annapurna-South-Face-Ascent-and-Tragedy - - -
ANN187403 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/46/5/the-first-winter-ascent-of-the-south-face-of-annapurna-i-1987-1988/ - - -