Himjung | 2003 W Ridge-N Ridge

A Japan expedition to Himjung in 2003 via W Ridge-N Ridge, led by Ayumi Nozawai. Summit reached on 2nd October 2003. 4 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 4486
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID HIMJ03301
Peak ID HIMJ
Year 2003
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Ridge-N Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Ayumi Nozawai
Sponsor Team Peri Himal 2003 to Himjung
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 Marshyangdi to Nurgaon and Phugaon
Basecamp Date 2003-09-18
Summit Date 2003-10-02
Summit Time -
Summit Days 14
Total Days 18
Termination Date 2003-10-06
Termination Reason 6
Termination Notes Abandoned at 6000m due to leader's death
High Point (m) 6000
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 1
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 4
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 1
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 True
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(18/09,4800m),C1(01/10,5450m),xxx(02/10,6000m)
Route Notes BC at 4800m near foot of Himlung NW ridge C1 at 5450m on snow West of Himlung & northwest of start of West Ridge which leads to N-S ridge connecting Himlung and Himjung. 2 Oct 3 climbing members left C1 to ascend. Nazawai killed by snow avalanche at about 6000m: 3 members were climbing together with "safety rope belt." At about 12:00 noon big snow avalanche hit there and they were swept down by avalanche. Nozawai and Imamura were buried by the snow and Kawahara, last man going up together, was untouched by avalanche and dug out Imamura and two searched for Nozawai and found him not far away, buried up to high on his chest, they got him out but dead. The 2 survivors tried to bring him down to BC but were weak and unable to get him to BC so they left him and went to BC same day and abandoned climb. Brought body with them by helicopter from BC to KTM and 13 Oct was cremated in KTM.
Accidents Only fatal avalanche which killed Nozawai
Achievement 1st attempt on Himjung
Agency Cosmo Treks
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2455323
Year 2003
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w ridge-n ridge

Members

4 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Fumiko Imamura F 1958 Japan BC Manager Tokuyama, Yamaguchi, Japan Housewife Details Other expeditions
Hirotaka Imamura M 1959 Japan Climber Takuyama, Yamaguchi, Japan Telephone engineer Details Other expeditions
Nobuteru Kawahara M 1972 Japan Climber Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan Engineer Details Other expeditions
Ayumi Nozawai M 1964 Japan Leader Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan High altude porter on Mt. Fuji Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
HIMJ03301 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 78:414 (2004) -
HIMJ03301 HIGH - - - 265:60 (Dec 2004) -
HIMJ03301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12200441400/Asia-Nepal-Autumn-Fatalities - - -