Everest | 1969 S Col (recon)

A Japan expedition to Everest in 1969 via S Col (recon), led by Yuichiro Miura. 17 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2502
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER69302
Peak ID EVER
Year 1969
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Col (recon)
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Yuichiro Miura
Sponsor Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Success 1 False
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date -
Summit Date -
Summit Time -
Summit Days 0
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 14
Termination Notes Recon only for skiing
High Point (m) 7500
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 5
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 16
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 1
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb True
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC,ABC(6400m),xxx(7500m)
Route Notes Muira & Co - 1 Nov 69 Arrived KTM today: Yuichiro Miura, Yukihiko Kato, Eiichi Yamamoto glaciologist assistant professor Hokkaido University. All others to come by 5 Nov by plane. Great possibility from South Col to Western Cwm to ski all distance, but some perhaps too steep and snow conditions unknown. Huge crevasse in Western Cwm: wants to go straight down from South Summit of Everest and by then by ordinary alpine skiing to South Col and from South Col to Western Cwm straight down with parachute as stabilizer (very small, special kind - first time ever tried by skier Miura used on Fuji and now improved parachute and tried now at foot of Geneva Spur - 9-10 ft diameter); also has emergency brake parachute 15 ft diameter. Tried from bottom of Geneva spur into Western Cwm. Wants to try new route and avoid Lhotse Face, but go between Lhotse Face and SW Face of Everest. Crevasse at bottom of spur and of Cwm is 10m deep, so must jump over. Tried parachute 2-5 times 10 days ago; Miura went up to 7000m. Advance base at 6400m (didn't use oxygen). Dr. checking friction coeffecient of snow. Glacier difficult - some crusty, some = very large flakes weakly connected together (causes avalanches sanctuaries). Depth hoar some places crust is broken and in such places ski cannot be controlled there - crust in not so hard as first believed. Oxygen will be reached when goes up to South Summit; below South Summit is blue ice couloir 8400m high and from here will try skiing by ordinary alpine skiing techniques; steep part straight down (Schuss technique) and then parachute. Will have control center at 6700m at place where slope gentles in Western Cwm and then speed will be monitored and tell Miura by radio when should use stabilizer or breaking parachute. Very beautiful place - fantastic views skiing. Altitude of Everest an unknown experience for Miura; 7000m not so easy but endurable, 8500m doesn't know; highest 5400m so for him (maximum 2 years ago). Miura goes to Japan to improve equipment especially oxygen system and radio control system; leaves soon as possible. JAC team (Miyashita) to 7500m; achieved one week ago and still going up aiming at 8000m max; had found [SW Face] route. Met Hillary, Dyhrenfurth and Bishop and discussed route with them. Phu Dorje wanted to ski with Miura and expedition to succeed, so we must to succeed for him. As 21 Sept 1969 1. arrive KTM 27 Sept 2. 3. in KTM 4. trekking to Khumbu 5. trekking to Khumbu 6. trekking to Khumbu 7. trekking to Khumbu 8. in KTM 9. arrive KTM 23 Sept 10. arrive KTM 23 Sept 11. arrive KTM Oct 12. arrive KTM Oct 13. in KTM 14. arrive KTM 23 Sept 15. arrive KTM 23 Sept 16. Yukihiko Kato, Mgr Japanese ski expedition - 21 Sept 69 Miura arrives 27 Sept ex-NDH. Arrive 23 Sept ex-NDH: members Masaru Tsuchida, Takashi Sasaki, Masaru Otaki and Toshiki Hiyama. These going to Lukla by UN plane on 26 and 28 Sept with Kato, Yamamoto, Seisei Ajisaka and cameraman - 4 flights and Girme Dorje. Tomoi Saeki, Kazunari Yashisa, Kazuhiko Yamada and Hisashi Ishiguro on way to Khumbu by foot with all baggage; left KTM 16th afternoon. 12 arrive Nepal next month and stay in KTM - no a climber. one still film cameraman not on list will arrive maybe end Sept. President of Now JESE committee is Senator of Japan. Takahashi opposed idea 2 Japanese Everest expeditions at same time, but JESE and JAC given HMG permission for pre-monsoon 1970 so no choice about it. Japanese Everest Skiing Expedition (JESE) C/O Science Museum 2-chome, Kitanomaru-park, Royal Park Chiyoda, Tokyo Letter to Nepal Ambassador Tokyo dated 27 Aug 69 re-reorganization of Japanese Everest Skiing Expedition says we have established the executive working committee with: General Commander Mr. Shintaro Ishihara General Mgr Mr. Taisuka Fujishima Skiing Commander Mr. Yuichiro Muira Mr. Akira Takabashi who was leader of JESE, will contribute to this expedition in future as one of the advisor-staff, signed by Fujishima and Takahashi. YK Silwal, MFA - 21 Feb 69 Japanese Alpine club's Japan 1970 Everest expedition can be given permission only when rules published. No assurance even given; when rules are out, start processing all applications and Japanese ski-film expedition specifically instructed not attempt any peaks. Permission given because must begin filming now to be ready for Expo 1970. 10 coming Aug - Nov 20 coming Feb - Apr 70 Akira Takahashi - 27 June 69 25 members to Nepal next Feb - recon party (12 members) this Sept to Nov. maybe inch Takahashi - ski and climbing not together because dangerous in narrow Khumbu Icefall - if too many people together - JAC climbing expedition maybe 1971. Permit for South Col only - not peak of Everest - for ski party. intend ski on Lhotse Face skier - Skier member Mr Miura now going South American training on oxygen - now Defence Ministry develop new type oxygen equipment like 2 Coke bottles one below each shoulder in front - Dr. with expedition will check condition only Miura skiing from top to bottom 8000m on Lhotse Face (has trained in top in low pressure and room) to 7 in one time: party to find this out Yuichiro Miura from Kamakura (city near Tokyo) Takahashi arrived KTM yesterday, staying about 1 week - was leader 1962 AJHE expedition Leongpo Gang (Jugal Himal)
Accidents 1 Sherpa killed by fall into crevasse
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2059
Year 1969
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) s col (recon)

Members

17 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Yuichiro Miura M 1932 Japan Leader - President of Miura Ski operation; owner of Snow Dolphine Ski Team Details Other expeditions
Mitsuru Nakano M 1925 Japan Advisor - Business counselor Details Other expeditions
Yukihiko Kato M 1933 Japan Climber Aichi, Japan Secretary of Japanese Everest Skiing Expedition Details Other expeditions
Tomio Saeki M 1929 Japan Climber Toyama, Japan Alpine guide of Japanese Alps Details Other expeditions
Kazunari Yasuhisa M 1938 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Professional photographer Details Other expeditions
Kazuhiko Yamada M 1938 Japan Exp Doctor Japan Physician, Shinshu University Details Other expeditions
Hisashi Ishiguro M 1945 Japan Food Manager Niigata, Japan Graduate student of Nihon University Details Other expeditions
Eiichi Yamamoto M 1929 Japan Reporter Tokyo, Japan Staff writer of The Yomiuri Shimbun, Tokyo Details Other expeditions
Seisei Ajisaka M 1933 Japan Photographer Tokyo, Japan Staff photographer of The Yomiuri Shimbun, Tokyo Details Other expeditions
Masaru Tsuchida M 1945 Japan Skiing Demonstrator Japan Staff member of Miura Ski Operation Details Other expeditions
Takashi Sasaki M 1946 Japan Skiing Demonstrator Japan Staff member of Miura Ski Operation Details Other expeditions
Isao Zeniya M 1933 Japan Producer, Director - Executive staff of Ishihara International Production Details Other expeditions
Hideo Chiku M 1938 Japan Climber Japan Production manager of Ishihara International Productions Details Other expeditions
Masaru Otaki M 1942 Japan Climber Japan Movie-photographer of Ishihara International Production Details Other expeditions
Toshiki Hiyama M 1945 Japan Climber Japan Movie-photographer of Ishihara International Production Details Other expeditions
Masato Akiyama M 1932 Japan Climber - President of Kyotetsu Kogyo Co. Details Other expeditions
Phu Dorje Sherpa M 1937 Nepal H-A Worker Khumjung, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER69302 AAJ - - - 44:183 (1970) -
EVER69302 MM - - - 7:2 (Jan 1970) -
EVER69302 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197018302/Asia-Nepal-Mount-Everest - - -