Everest | 1993 SW Face (Bonington rte)

A Japan expedition to Everest in 1993 via SW Face (Bonington rte), led by Kuniaki Yagihara. Summit reached on 18th December 1993. 10 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2771
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER93401
Peak ID EVER
Year 1993
Season 4
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Face (Bonington rte)
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Kuniaki Yagihara
Sponsor Japan Gunma Sagarmatha Southwest Face Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 184-186
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1993-11-13
Summit Date 1993-12-18
Summit Time 1520
Summit Days 35
Total Days 44
Termination Date 1993-12-27
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8849
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 5
Fixed Rope (m) 3625
Total Members 10
Summit Members 6
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 20
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb True
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep True
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits Pokalde summit by all 7 Japanese climbers before going to BC
Campsites BC(13/11,5350m),C1(01/12,6020m),C2(01/12,6500m),TempC3(03/12,6900m),C3(09/12,7600m),C4(13/12,8350m),Smt(18,20,22/12)
Route Notes C2 at Cwm TC3 at bottom of SW Face C3 on SW Face C4 on SW Face. Icefall route made by Sherpas 16-19 Nov and then loads ferried to C1 by Sherpas. C1 and C2 really pitched only on 1 Dec with some Sherpas staying in C1 (+1 Japanese) while other Sherpas and members went directly to C2. Temporary C3 pitched at 6900m and removed after route made to permanent C3 (removed 11 Dec). Fixed 24 x 50m rope entire route from C4 to Summit Col; fixed no rope above South Summit's col (used "so many old ropes" on Hillary Step). No tents taken above C4, for above this "only traverse and after rope fixed, very easy and speedy." 1st summit bid was on 18th. 7 Dec snowfall and strong winds and 8 Dec morning strong wind but later in day weather changed and almost every day good weather on face, which is convex and not exposed to stronger winds of West Ridge, N Ridge and SE Ridge. In winter face is very easy after route making "although summit parties had strong winds above South Summit" (so much snow being blown about in swirling wind, could not see Makalu from main summit). Some rock falling because of strong wind and hand lamps and goggles damaged but no one hurt. 10 Sherpas ferried loads to C4 without oxygen but none slept in C4; in winter Sherpas don't like cold and danger. On 22 Dec -36 degrees at 5:00 am at C4; on top -45 degrees probably. Snowfall only on 7 Dec; face had no snow at all except little in snow band (above and right of C4) which is below yellow band; snow that fell on 7th was quickly blown away. Routes followed exactly same as Bonington's. 50 ladders placed in Icefall and 2000m rope. Oxygen: C3 all members and all Sherpas sleeping C3 -> C4 all members, no Sherpas C4 & to top all members (no Sherpas stayed at C4 or went above) 96 Russian oxygen bottles taken to BC; 65 used Most difficult section was couloir below S Summit for 100m; very technical rock from 8500m to 8600m altitude. Success this time (1) made complete camp at 8350m (24 yrs ago did not have light, compact platform which brought now); (2) members well acclimatized and in good health; acclimatization was from autumn ascent of Cho Oyu: then 3 weeks rest and climb of Pokalde; (3) all 7 climbing members had been on same route in winter before in 1991, knew route and its problems; (4) "high pressure" to succeed. "Now I can go back to Japan" said Yagihara. Could not climb Everest in winter without oxygen because of cold; would lose all fingers and toes. No Sherpa problems this time: in 1991 2 months on mountain, this time only 3 weeks. On summit, found US Spring 1992 prism standing, other's poles lying on snow. 13 tons of supplies to BC for 50 people: 7 Japanese climbers 2 Japanese at BC 28 HA Sherpas 2 sirdars (1 BC, 1 C2) 3 cooks (2 BC, 1 C2) 5 kitchen boys at BC 3 mailrunners All seven climbing members after autumn Cho Oyu ascent rested 3 weeks in KTM or Chitwan so when went to Khumbu for Everest climb, first went to 5800m Pokalde to re-acclimatize to that altitude and thus be able on 1 Dec to go from BC straight through to C2. Akiyama and Terada supervised loads to BC and icefall route-making while Pokalde being successfully scaled.
Accidents Sato chest pain: developed chest pain 13 Dec reaching C4 so immediately down to C2 & 20 Dec to BC; Ezuka 5 fingers frostbitten on 20 Dec but will be Ok
Achievement 1st winter ascent of face; 1st Japanese ascent of face
Agency Cosmo Treks
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2451513
Year 1993
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) sw face (bonington rte)

Members

10 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Shinsuki Ezuka M 1961 Japan Climber Isesaki, Gunma, Japan Electronics researcher Details Other expeditions
Fumiaki Goto M 1965 Japan Climber Moriya, Ibaraki, Japan Electronics engineer Details Other expeditions
Ryushi Hoshino M 1967 Japan Climber Kurohone, Seta-gun, Gunma, Japan Gardener Details Other expeditions
Hideji Nazuka M 1954 Japan Climber Maebashi, Gunma, Japan Gardener Details Other expeditions
Yoshio Ogata M 1948 Japan Deputy Leader Migashimurayama, Tokyo, Japan Director of mountaineering association & editor of magazine Details Other expeditions
Mitsuyoshi Sato M 1961 Japan Climber Maebashi, Gunma, Japan Telephone engineer Details Other expeditions
Senya Sumiyoshi M 1926 Japan Exp Doctor Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan Physician & surgeon Details Other expeditions
Osamu Tanabe M 1961 Japan Climber Nagoya, Aichi, Japan Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Kuniaki Yagihara M 1946 Japan Leader, Organizer Maebashi, Gunma, Japan Writer (about mountaineering) Details Other expeditions
Hikaru Hoshino M 1932 Japan General Leader Numata, Gunma, Japan Construction company managing director Details Other expeditions

References

11 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER93401 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 68:214-215 (1994) -
EVER93401 HJ Ogata, Yoshio The Ascent of Sagarmatha Southwest Face in Winter - 51:13-32 (1995) -
EVER93401 JAC Yagihara, Kuniaki Challenged to Mt. Sagarmatha South-West Face in Winter - 89:A21-28 (1994) -
EVER93401 HIGH - - - 138:15 (May 1994) -
EVER93401 JAC Yagihara, Kuniaki Challenged to Mt. Sagarmatha South-West Face in Winter - 89:68-76 (1994) -
EVER93401 IWA - - - :236 (1994) -
EVER93401 IWA - - - :65-66 (1993) -
EVER93401 - Gunma-ken Mountaineering Union Sagarmatha: Southwest Face in Winter By expedition, Maebashi, Japan - -
EVER93401 IM Ogata, Yoshio Winter Success: Sagarmatha SW Face - 30:98-104 (1994) -
EVER93401 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199421400/Asia-Nepal-Everest-Southwest-Face-in-Winter - - -
EVER93401 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/51/3/the-ascent-of-sagarmatha-southwest-face-in-winter/ - - -