Kangchenjunga | 1998 NW Ridge

A Japan expedition to Kangchenjunga in 1998 via NW Ridge, led by Taro Tanigawa. Summit reached on 15th May 1998. 10 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2632
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID KANG98102
Peak ID KANG
Year 1998
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Taro Tanigawa
Sponsor Japanese Alpine Club Youth Section Kangchenjunga Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 50th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1998-03-28
Summit Date 1998-05-15
Summit Time 1330
Summit Days 48
Total Days 52
Termination Date 1998-05-19
Termination Reason 6
Termination Notes 2nd attempt canceled due to fatalities
High Point (m) 8586
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 10
Summit Members 5
Member Deaths 2
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep True
O2 Medical True
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(28/03,4940m),C1(07/04,5600m),C2(17/04,6500m),C3(26/04,7400m),C4(14/05,7900m),Smt(15/05)
Route Notes Chose route different from Americans route because from reading report of 1980 Japanese expedition understood route Americans also followed was dangerous from avalanching in 7400m zones. Also wanted easier route for young members of this team. On 15 May summited first party at 1:30 pm and last party at 2:30 pm. All members left top together at 3:00 pm. Shiina very tired and descended slowly and part of top section of route not fixed. At 10:00 pm all 5 men reached top of rope at 8200m and now Shiina sitting but unable to move or talk; others propping him up and massaging him - not on oxygen because team used it only sleeping and not climbing up or down. Tanigawa bivouacked with Shiina, went down but lost route to C4, unable to find section of fixed rope, went too far right. Hirose found route and reached C4 3:30 am 16 May while Okuda, blinded by altitude at 8000m rock band, could not move further and Akasaka maybe fell 50m down snow slope and hit head, bleeding from scalp and mouth. 3:00 am Shiina died in biv. 5:00 am Tanigawa started down and at 6:30 am found Akasaka and both moved down 100m (Tanigawa almost carried him as he stumbled down); then Akasaka could not move down. Rescue party including Tanabe up from C3 and 9:15 am met them at 7900m to C4. At 9:30 am Akasaka died probably of head injuries. Hirose carried oxygen up to Okuda from C4 very slowly and Tanabe up to Okuda at 4:00 pm first also with oxygen. Okuda blind and could not move; now priority is to rescue Okuda who after oxygen use able rope all down. Hirose, Tanigawa, Tanabe and Okuda reached C4 at 5:00 pm and stayed in C4 that night; bodies covered by bivouac sack and snow. 17 May reached C2 and 18 May called for rescue helicopter to C1, but had to descend to Ghunsa to get in helicopter. Okuda very bad frostbite fingers and toes; Tanigawa right toes; Hirose 5 night fingers (Okuda will lose some parts of fingers and toes). These men "not so strong to climb without oxygen." Schiina slipped often and probably hit his head also and died of these injuries probably. Note: More climbing abandoned on 16 May due to fatalities. 2nd attack planned for 17 May.
Accidents Akasuka died from head injuries; Shiina also died of head injuries or general collapse
Achievement -
Agency Cosmo Treks
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453487
Year 1998
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) nw ridge

Members

10 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Kenzo Akasaka M 1968 Japan Deputy Leader Funaba-shi, Chiba, Japan Office worker Details Other expeditions
Kenta Hirose M 1970 Japan Climber Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan Office worker Details Other expeditions
Koji Nagakubo M 1969 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Gardener Details Other expeditions
Kazusada Nakamura M 1973 Japan Climber Ashigarakami, Kanagawa, Japan Student of agriculture (graduating in April) Details Other expeditions
Ryuhei Ohashi M 1973 Japan Climber Takarazuka, Hyogo, Japan Economics student (graduating in April) Details Other expeditions
Masakazu Okuda M 1966 Japan Climber Ise, Mie, Japan Salesman in golf shop Details Other expeditions
Atsushi Shiina M 1970 Japan Climber Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan Salesman in bookshop Details Other expeditions
Osamu Tanabe M 1961 Japan Climber Nagoya, Aichi, Japan Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Taro Tanigawa M 1967 Japan Leader Tokyo, Japan Office worker Details Other expeditions
Shigehisa Yamamoto M 1968 Japan Climber Funaba-shi, Chiba, Japan Draftsman Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
KANG98102 JAC Tanigawa, Taro JAC Youth Section Mt. Kangchenjunga Expedition 1998 - 93:A47-51 (1998) -
KANG98102 HIGH - - - 193:20-21 (Dec 1998) -
KANG98102 JAC Tanigawa, Taro JAC Youth Section Mt. Kangchenjunga Expedition 1998 - 93:136-143 (1998) -