Kangchenjunga | 1984 SW Face-Main Smt

A Japan expedition to Kangchenjunga in 1984 via SW Face-Main Smt, led by Katsuhiko Kano. Summit reached on 17th May 1984. 37 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1059
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID KANG84101
Peak ID KANG
Year 1984
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Face-Main Smt
Route 2 W Face-S Smt-Central Smt-Main Smt
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Katsuhiko Kano
Sponsor Nepal-Japan Kangchenjunga Expedition 1984
Success 1 True
Success 2 True
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 16th
Ascent 2 17th
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Nepal
Approach Hile->Taplejung->Yalung Glacier
Basecamp Date 1984-03-07
Summit Date 1984-05-17
Summit Time 1300
Summit Days 71
Total Days 76
Termination Date 1984-05-22
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8586
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide True
Camps 5
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 36
Summit Members 4
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 28
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 Climbed Kangchenjunga Central (KANC-841-01) and South (KANS-841-01); permit for Yalung Kang (YALU-841-01)
Campsites BC(07/03,5500m),C1(20/03,6150m),C2(25/03,6600m),C3.ABC(13/04,7200m),C4.M(7800m),C5.M(01/05,8250m),Smt(19-20/05)
Route Notes South Peak climbed on 18 May by Shigehiro, Wada, Mitani and Nima Temba. Central Peak climbed on 5 May by Isono, Otani and Nawang Yonden and on 18 May by Shigehiro, Wada and Mitani traversing from South Peak. Main Peak climbed on 19 May by Ozaki and Ang Tshering and on 20 May by Wada and Mitani. Kano - 7 June 84 South Central Main C4 - 29 Apr - 7850m 1 May - 7850m 5 May - 7800m C5 - 17 May - 8250m 16 May- 8200m 18 May - 8200m C5 not on ridge but just below to protect from wind and because little use of oxygen below C5's. Traverse party went along ridge from South to Central Summits, then down to C4 and Middle and up, not along ridge between Central and Middle summits. Less snow than usual this season, no time to make route on this long knife ridge. No attempt on Yalung Kang because no time. 2 weeks between C3 and 1st C4. Very strong wind above 7000m in last half April and climbing members sent down for 1 week rest after C3 established. Strong cold winds threatened frostbite. Generally weather clear but strong winds till 10 May after which good weather Summits: 17 May Central Summit by Isano, R Otani and Nawang Yonden. 18 May South Summit by Shigehiro, Wada, Mitani and Nima Temba (Nima Temba to South C4 and ABC while 3 Japanese to Central Summit and thence to C5). 19 May Main Summit by Ozuki and Ang Tshering by normal route and to ABC via Main C4. Shigehiro's (on poor oxygen flow) to ABC good condition; Wada and Mitani traversed from C5 to C4 and Main C4 and Main C5. 20 May traverse Wada and Mitani Main C5 to Main Summit to Main C5 hoping to try for Yalung Kang next day along ridge, but was not possible to send support party with oxygen, etc supplies because party too tired to reach Main C5. That night Kano decided to give up idea of Yalung Kang and told Wada and Mitani to descend next morning. 21 May Wada and Mitani to ABC. 22 May all members and Sherpas to BC. All climbing finished. South to Central summit ridge strong cold wind but technically only one part difficult. 50m section took 3 hours to overcome bare rocks this section. Oxygen use: Sleeping from C4 and climbing from C5's but some from C4 to C5. All attack parties used from C4's including Sherpas. Routes to South and Central Summits probably almost same as Poles (routes in German photos to South Summit probably not correct). Main part - ridge there almost impossible. Hang-gliding from M C4 to just below BC by 1 member [Tadano] who was not expert climber, who needed support and delayed climb 10 days. Tadano glided on 10 May. Support for that project, scientific work also distracted climb. Would like to see attempt in just to climb to all 4 summits by 15-16 members and 20-25 Sherpa ala porters, but would still need support camps for each summit in order to supply oxygen. Limit above 8000m without oxygen is 2 days normally and would take 3 days minimum for traverse if support parties put in some fixed ropes in advance. Oxygen supply system must be improved to last 4-5 days or support routes and supplies are required. Shrestha, Tourism - 20 May 1984 On May 16 Gota Isono, Ryo Otani and Nawang Yonden (member) established C5 Central Peak at 8270m and on 17 May these 3 started to Central summit 07:00 hours from C5. Reached top 15:43 hours and returned to C5 at 18:30 hours safely. Weather that day fine. South Peak: 17 May C5 established by Tsuneo Shigehiro, Seishi Wada, Toichiro Mitani and Nima Temba Sherpa (member). 18 May started up from C5 to 06:30 hours and reached top at 07:30 hours; stayed there till 09:00 hours. Weather fine but strong wind. From summit Nima Temba returned to C3 safely and 3 Japanese went towards Central Peak in start of traverse. Reached Central Peak at 16:30 hours in face of strong winds. Reached C5 of Central Peak at 18:25 hours safely. 19 May Wada and Mitani plus Masashi Teramoto planned to traverse to Main Peak while Shigehiro descended to C4 of Central Peak because of his health. Shigehero had not used oxygen from South to Central Peak and in descent to C5 of Central Peak (he was leader of traverse team). 18 May Takashi Ozarki (born 1952, mountain guide) and Sirdar Ang Tshering (35 years, Namche) established C5 Main Peak 8250m and planned on 19 May to prepare route up to Main peak to help traverse party; only after success of traverse to Main Peak and descent to C5 of Main Peak, they will decide to traverse to West Peak (Yalung Kang). Film team say plan leave BC 23 or 24 May depending on Yalung Kang traverse.
Accidents 1 Sherpa hit by falling stone between ABC & S C4 (recovered in 10 days); only slight frostbite by anyone; 2 small avalanches between central C4-C5 & near C2 but only equipment damaged & lost
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2448362
Year 1984
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) sw face-main smt

Members

37 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Kenji Chikata M 1958 Japan Film Team Tokyo, Japan Cameraman Details Other expeditions
Kazutaka Fujiwara M 1955 Japan Climber Yokohama, Japan Travel agency employee Details Other expeditions
Yasuaki Hayashida M 1955 Japan Researcher Tokyo, Japan Physician Details Other expeditions
Ryuji Hirano M 1947 Japan Climbing Leader Urayasu, Chiba, Japan Salesman, medical supplies Details Other expeditions
Kentaro Hirokawa M 1960 Japan Climber Nagoya, Japan Clerk in International Telephone & Telegraph Company Details Other expeditions
Hajime Iida M 1955 Japan Researcher Nagoya, Japan Graduate student, glaciology Details Other expeditions
Gota Isono M 1954 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Travel agency employee Details Other expeditions
Masahiko Kaji M 1950 Japan BC Manager Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Banker, National Bank of Abu Dhabi Details Other expeditions
Katsuhiko Kano M 1942 Japan Leader Nagoya, Japan Anthropologist Details Other expeditions
Shin Kashu M 1949 Japan Exp Doctor Osaka, Japan Physician Details Other expeditions
Yasuhiko Kataoka M 1955 Japan Climber Matsudo, Chiba, Japan Clerk in steel company Details Other expeditions
Mitsugu Kitamura M 1958 Japan Climber Ise, Mie, Japan Clerk in small construction company Details Other expeditions
Haruyoshi Kobayashi M 1958 Japan Climber Iruma, Saitama, Japan Employee of tea merchant Details Other expeditions
Masashi Kobayashi M 1949 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Office worker, food company (bakery, etc.) Details Other expeditions
Yuji Maruo M 1944 Japan Researcher Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka, Japan Geologist (research consultant) Details Other expeditions
Shigeru Masuyama M 1948 Japan Exp Doctor Chiba-shi, Chiba, Japan Physician Details Other expeditions
Tetsuro Matsuzawa M 1950 Japan Climbing Leader Inuyama, Aichi, Japan Research psychologist Details Other expeditions
Toichiro Mitani M 1956 Japan Climber Marugame, Kagawa, Japan Insurance company clerk Details Other expeditions
Sumiaki Mitsuhashi M 1947 Japan Journalist Kamagaya, Chiba, Japan Cameraman Details Other expeditions
Noriyuki Muraguchi M 1956 Japan Journalist Tokyo, Japan Cameraman Details Other expeditions
Susumu Nakamura M 1946 Japan Journalist Tokyo, Japan Cameraman Details Other expeditions
Takashi Ohara M 1946 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Motorcar parts salesman Details Other expeditions
Naohiro Otani M 1960 Japan Climber Yokohama, Japan Economics student Details Other expeditions
Ryo Otani M 1959 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Student of German literature Details Other expeditions
Takashi Ozaki M 1952 Japan Climber Kameyama, Mie, Japan Motorcar engineer Details Other expeditions
Yoshimasa Sasaki M 1955 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Travel agency employee Details Other expeditions
Koichiro Sato M 1952 Japan Journalist Tokyo, Japan Cameraman Details Other expeditions
Tsuneo Shigehiro M 1947 Japan Climbing Leader Amagasaki, Hyogo, Japan Sporting goods salesman Details Other expeditions
Naotaka Tadano M 1945 Japan Hang-glider Pilot Hirakata, Osaka, Japan Professional skier Details Other expeditions
Hiroshi Tashiro M 1950 Japan Journalist Tokyo, Japan Cameraman Details Other expeditions
Masashi Teramoto M 1948 Japan Climber Tsuchiura, Ibaraki, Japan Computer engineer Details Other expeditions
Satoshi (Seishi) Wada M 1949 Japan Climber Kashiwabara, Osaka, Japan Office worker Details Other expeditions
Munehiko Yamamoto M 1959 Japan Climber Omiya, Saitama, Japan Worker, office of high school (secondary school) Details Other expeditions
Ang Tshering Sherpa M 1949 Nepal Climber Namche Bazar, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Nima Temba Sherpa M 1956 Nepal Climber Lukla, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Lhakpa Tenzing Sherpa M 1940 Nepal Sirdar Namche Bazar, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Nawang Yonden Sherpa M 1952 Nepal Climber Beding, Dolakha - Details Other expeditions

References

8 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
KANG84101 AAJ Matsuzawa, Tetsuro - - 59:247-249 (1985) -
KANG84101 JAC Shigehiro, Tsuneo Kangchenjunga Traverse - 80:19-22 (1985) -
KANG84101 HJ Kano, K. & Kaji, M. Kangchenjunga Traverse 1984 - 42:7-15 (1984-1985) -
KANG84101 - Kano, Katsuhiko & Kaji, Masahiko Kangchenjunga 1984 Tokyo - jN119
KANG84101 MM - - - 99:9 (Sep 1984) -
KANG84101 JAC Shigehiro, Tsuneo Kangchenjunga Traverse - 80:48-61 (1985) -
KANG84101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198524702/Asia-Nepal-Kangchenjunga-Traverse - - -
KANG84101 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/42/2/kangchenjunga-traverse-1984-2/ - - -