Himalchuli East | 1981 SW Ridge

A Japan expedition to Himalchuli East in 1981 via SW Ridge, led by Ken Hashimoto. Summit reached on 24th October 1981. 9 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1808
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID HIME81301
Peak ID HIME
Year 1981
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Ken Hashimoto
Sponsor Nihon University Himalchuli Expedition 1981
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 Dumre->Dordi Khola->Dordi Glacier
Basecamp Date 1981-09-01
Summit Date 1981-10-24
Summit Time -
Summit Days 53
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7600m due to bad weather and shortage of food
High Point (m) 7600
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 6
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 9
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 6
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
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 -
Campsites BC(01/09,3870m),C1(07/09,5020m),C2(15/09,5620m),C3(24/09,6050m),C4(06/10,6500m),C5(10,6940m),C6(16/10,7280m),xxx(24/10,7600m)
Route Notes Hashimoto & Matsuno - 7 Nov 81 C2 to C3 planned site very long and narrow so made intermediate camp and C4 at C3's site. Route same as that planned for SW Ridge. Highest point = 7600m by Matsumo and Watanabe on very difficult rock face. 1 day 2 pitches (100m) only gained on 24 Oct, last day of climbing. Next day bad weather: snow and wind. Kono and Hashimoto tried to go to C6, but wind blew Kano over at 7200m (did not fall but just lay down). Climbing finished. Japanese C2 to C4 difficult also. No accidents, etc. Last autumn US party were on same route. Made BC at Japanese C1. Reached about 5800m; could not go beyond about 5800m because very difficult. Then tried another way to SW Ridge but avalanche stopped them before able to reach ridge. This was told by village people and Matsuno found their fixed rope and nuts at 5620m. [Ed. note: perhaps villagers are confusing this expedition with the 1979 American expedition that also attempted the Himalchuli by two different routes.] Hashimoto - 18 Aug 81 SW Ridge = unclimbed route, what Tourism calls South Ridge and what 1981 spring expedition tried to reach though spring expedition came from east (from Chhuling Glacier) whereas present team from south. All in KTM: arrived 7 and 16 Aug, leave KTM 21 Aug by road to Dumre, Dordi Khola to BC on Dordi Glacier at 3800m. 10-12 days caravan to BC or BC 1 or 2 Sept. C5 at 7200m probably highest camp, but a C6 at 7650m, a deposit camp with oxygen and biv tent; for attack party from C5 to spend summit night in, unable to reach C5 same day. Most difficult part of route above 7000m, overhang from 7200-7500m. Use oxygen sleeping only, not attack time. 8-10 days acclimatization from BC. Summit 40 days from end of acclimatization. 6 Sherpas above BC. 1958 and 1959 expeditions on Himalchuli were from Nihon Univ also. No recce, 1 attack.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2447288
Year 1981
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) sw ridge

Members

9 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Ken Hashimoto M 1949 Japan Leader Tokyo, Japan Department store member (planning and sales) Details Other expeditions
Noahito Kizu M 1956 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Office worker Details Other expeditions
Yoshiro Kono M 1956 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Student at Japn Biblical Seminary Details Other expeditions
Yutaka Matsuno M 1956 Japan Climber Yokohama, Japan - Details Other expeditions
Shigeru Mukasa M 1959 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Student (commerce) at Nihon University Details Other expeditions
Noriyuki Muraguchi M 1956 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Carpenter Details Other expeditions
Sadao Okada M 1949 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Shopkeeper (wines and spirits) Details Other expeditions
Naohiro Otani M 1960 Japan Climber Yokohama, Japan Student (literature) at Nihon University Details Other expeditions
Masanori Watanabe M 1953 Japan Climber Chiba-shi, Chiba, Japan Office worker Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
HIME81301 AAJ Cheney, Michael J. & Hawley, Elizabeth - - 56:226 (1982) -
HIME81301 IWA - - - 88:189 (1982) -
HIME81301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198222603/Asia-Nepal-Himachuli-Attempt - - -