Everest | 1998 N Face (Japanese Couloir) (to 7100m)

A Japan expedition to Everest in 1998 via N Face (Japanese Couloir) (to 7100m), led by Masafumi Todaka. Summit reached on 16th September 1998. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 3196
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER98304
Peak ID EVER
Year 1998
Season 3
Host Country 2
Route 1 N Face (Japanese Couloir) (to 7100m)
Route 2 N Face (Great Couloir) (to 8500m)
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Masafumi Todaka
Sponsor Fos Chomolungma Expedition
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 1998-07-31
Summit Date 1998-09-16
Summit Time -
Summit Days 47
Total Days 53
Termination Date 1998-09-22
Termination Reason 7
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8500m due to exhaustion
High Point (m) 8500
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 50
Total Members 2
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
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 Chengzeng Peak
Campsites BC(31/07,5150m),ABC(04/08,5600m),C1(16/08,5900m),Biv(09/09,6650m),Biv(14/09,7600m),C4.Biv(15/09,8200m),xxx(16/09,8500m)
Route Notes C1 at foot of Changtse's West Ridge Biv at bottom of Great Couloir Biv in Great Couloir High point above Great Couloir. Raining & snowing daily to 20 Aug. Acclimatization climb on West Ridge of Changzheng Peak but not to top because of avalanche danger. 25 Aug weather changed and 27th to C1 at foot of Changtse's West Ridge and 28 started up North Face to checking snow conditions by Japanese and Australian routes and decided Japanese Couloir good and back to C1. 29th 3:00 am started up couloir (inside couloir) and 8:00 am at 7100m but very hard; decided could go up this route but not descend it so back to C1 and to ABC. Also many snow showers on this couloir route. Waited at ABC for good chance to Great Couloir. 1st week Sept weather not good; snowing and earthquake on 4 Sept 2:30 am and in daylight saw slab avalanching had taken place and this good chance. 8 Sept to C1 and 9 Sept up to 6650m to Changtse shelf and hoped make attack so not able to go up with snow falling so to ABC on 11th Sept. 13th to C1, 14th 2:10 am left C1 and reached 7600m at 1:46 pm, when snow became soft and had to stop short of day's goal of 7800m. 15th 7:30 am started up from biv site with only biv sack; at 3:00 pm arrived 8200m; 16th at 3:30 am up again but my condition not so good because no sleeping bag so very sleepy and needed to keep energy for descent. "Satisfied with feeling of nearness with nature" and chose descent; safely vs summit; 7:30 am at 8500m and 20 minutes stayed there thinking and decided to go down and to plateau 6000m at bottom of face at 4:15 pm (2:00 pm had descended to 6000m) and reached C1 at 6:30 pm (wife had joined him at 6300m - he was "very tired"). ABC in 17th and climb finished. "Must think deeply" about return to Everest. 10 years ago would probably have gone for summit but now he was more concerned about safe descent. Todaka was alone on face at all times. 30 Sept 98 - French Everest climber Sam Beaugey said Todaka's effort "a great attempt."
Accidents No accidents, 'just tired'
Achievement -
Agency Cosmo Treks
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453341
Year 1998
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n face (japanese couloir) (to 7100m)

Members

2 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Masafumi Todaka M 1961 Japan Leader Yugawara, Kanagawa, Japan Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Yumi Todaka F 1969 Japan Climber Yugawara, Kanagawa, Japan Outdoor teacher Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER98304 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 73:374-375 (1999) -
EVER98304 HIGH - - - 198:38 (May 1999) -
EVER98304 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199937402/Asia-Nepal-Everest-Ascents-in-the-Post-Monsoon - - -