Himalchuli East | 1978 S Face-SW Ridge
A Japan expedition to Himalchuli East in 1978 via S Face-SW Ridge, led by Yoshio Ogata. Summit reached on 6th May 1978. 12 members recorded.
Expedition Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| ID | 2139 |
| Imported | 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634 |
| Expedition ID | HIME78101 |
| Peak ID | HIME |
| Year | 1978 |
| Season | 1 |
| Host Country | 1 |
| Route 1 | S Face-SW Ridge |
| Route 2 | - |
| Route 3 | - |
| Route 4 | - |
| Nationality | Japan |
| Leaders | Yoshio Ogata |
| Sponsor | Yuki-To-Iwa-No-Kai Expedition |
| Success 1 | True |
| Success 2 | False |
| Success 3 | False |
| Success 4 | False |
| Ascent 1 | 3rd |
| Ascent 2 | - |
| Ascent 3 | - |
| Ascent 4 | - |
| Claimed | False |
| Disputed | False |
| Countries | - |
| Approach | Dordi Khola |
| Basecamp Date | 1978-03-28 |
| Summit Date | 1978-05-06 |
| Summit Time | 1315 |
| Summit Days | 39 |
| Total Days | 48 |
| Termination Date | 1978-05-15 |
| Termination Reason | 1 |
| Termination Notes | - |
| High Point (m) | 7893 |
| Traverse | False |
| Ski | False |
| Paraglide | False |
| Camps | 5 |
| Fixed Rope (m) | 0 |
| Total Members | 10 |
| Summit Members | 3 |
| Member Deaths | 0 |
| Total Hired | 5 |
| Summit Hired | 0 |
| Hired Deaths | 1 |
| No Hired | False |
| O2 Used | True |
| O2 None | False |
| O2 Climb | False |
| O2 Descent | False |
| O2 Sleep | True |
| O2 Medical | False |
| O2 Taken | False |
| O2 Unknown | False |
| Other Summits | Climbed illegally Himalchuli West (HIMW-781-01) |
| Campsites | BC(28/03,3650m),C1(01/04,4700m),C2(06/04,5500m),C3(19/04,6000m),C4(28/04,6500m),C5(04/05,7300m),Smt(06/05) |
| Route Notes | SR Sharma, Tourism - 2 Aug 78 Leader of Himalchuli expedition barred from climbing in Nepal for 5 years from June 1978 as penalty for his expedition's climbing West Peak without official permission (West Peak not on permitted list). Shailendra Raj Sharma, Tourism Ministry - 20 June 78 Himalchuli expedition said they had to climb W Peak to reach Main Peak, but they climbed W Peak day after Main Peak. Action will be taken against them, but when and what he cannot say. Ogata - 25 May 78 All arrive KTM yesterday. West Peak by leader Ogata and Sugeno 7th May. North Peak not attacked. Very long way to Main Peak by Fujikura, Miyazaki and only Tamura. Only one attack on Main and W Peaks. Bad weather (snow and wind) prevented further efforts. C5 main summiters start 5:00 am, reached summit 1:00 pm and returned C5 8:00 pm. Very long: 3000m from C5 to Main Peak (route on ridge to Main Peak went behind West Peak and little bit down behind W Peak). Most difficult points in climbing were rock immediately below C2 and ice above C3. From 5050m to 6500m needed 3000m fixed rope. This the bottom of South Face to top where their route got onto SW Ridge from South Face. 11 April Lhakpa Norbu Sherpa killed while returning to KTM which is why took so long to established C3: all distracted by his death. All other Sherpas and all members good health. No accident or frostbite. Sigenori Tamura used oxygen after summit, very tired and used oxygen for sleeping - only use of oxygen by summiters. SR Sharma, Tourism - 16 May 78 Success - 6 May Kazumi Fujikura, engineer, born 3/50 Hisawa Miyazaki, cook Sigenori Tamura, born 3/50, gardener C5 4 May 7300m Weather fine but rains and hails everyday since 6 May. Stopped climbing. All well. Ogata - 4 March 78 Ogata was on 1974 Tukuche expedition. Route near same as 1975 expedition. 1960 via Musi Khola east from Marshyangdi R to SW Ridge of other Peak 7371 to Himalchuli South Face. 1975 Marshyangdi River to Dordi Khola to South Face, not SW Face. 10 members leave KTM 7 March (all now in KTM). By bus Dumre bridge then caravan about 10 days with 130 porters to BC 4000m. 8 Sherpas - 5 HA and 3 BC, Pasang = sirdar. Main summit 5-10 May West Peak and North Peak and summit within 1 week of each other. 3 porters, 3 members each for summit Main Peak 6 members West Peak 3 other members North Peak 9 = all members Main Peak Team = 9 climbers and 1 Dr who stays at BC. Oxygen not for climbing, but sleeping in C6 only. |
| Accidents | - |
| Achievement | - |
| Agency | - |
| Commercial Route | - |
| Standard Route | - |
| Primary Route | False |
| Primary Member | False |
| Primary Reference | - |
| Primary ID | - |
| Checksum | 2446018 |
| Year | 1978 |
| Summit Success | True |
| O2 Summary | Used |
| Route (lowercase) | s face-sw ridge |
Members
12 recorded members.
| Name | Sex | Year of Birth | Citizenship | Status | Residence | Occupation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yoshio Ogata | M | 1948 | Japan | Leader | Tokyo, Japan | Research worker of Central Research of Denkikaga | Details Other expeditions |
| Kazumi Fujikura | M | 1950 | Japan | Deputy Leader | Konosu, Saitama, Japan | Civil engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Satoru Tamura | M | 1948 | Japan | Climber | Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan | Office worker of Japan Aircargo Consolidates Co. | Details Other expeditions |
| Hisao Miyazaki | M | 1949 | Japan | Climber | Tokyo, Japan | Cook of Chikuma Restaurant | Details Other expeditions |
| Sadaichi Omata | M | 1948 | Japan | Climber | Tokyo, Japan | Engineer of Sanei Service Co. | Details Other expeditions |
| Sigenori Tamura | M | 1950 | Japan | Climber | Tokyo, Japan | Gardener of Hirutasyokubutsuen | Details Other expeditions |
| Tadashi Okamoto | M | 1949 | Japan | Climber | Tokyo, Japan | Electrical engineer (Osawadenkiseisakujo Co.) | Details Other expeditions |
| Kenji Morohashi | M | 1954 | Japan | Climber | Yokohama, Japan | Electronics engineer (Nihondenki Co.) | Details Other expeditions |
| Kazuhiro Sugeno | M | 1949 | Japan | Climber | Fukushima, Japan | Architect for Mitsubishikensetsu Co. | Details Other expeditions |
| Tetsuo Nagatani | M | 1949 | Japan | Exp Doctor | Yokohama, Japan | Physician at Yokohama City Medical College | Details Other expeditions |
| Lhakpa Norbu Sherpa | M | - | Nepal | H-A Worker | Thami, Khumbu | - | Details Other expeditions |
| Pasang Sherpa | M | - | Nepal | Sirdar | - | - | Details Other expeditions |
References
7 recorded references.
| Expedition ID | Journal | Author | Title | Publisher | Citation | Yak 94 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIME78101 | AAJ | - | - | - | 53:266 (1979) | - |
| HIME78101 | AAJ | Ogata, Yoshio | - | - | 53:270 (1979) | - |
| HIME78101 | IWA | - | - | - | 67:145 (1979) | - |
| HIME78101 | IWA | - | - | - | 67:44 (1979) | - |
| HIME78101 | - | - | http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197926601/Asia-Nepal-Disciplinary-Measures-Taken-by-the-Nepalese-Government | - | - | - |
| HIME78101 | - | - | http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197927002/Asia-Nepal-Himalchuli-South-Face | - | - | - |
| HIME78101 | MM | - | - | - | 63:11 (Jul 1978) | - |