Saipal | 1963 S Ridge

A Japan expedition to Saipal in 1963 via S Ridge, led by Kanji Kojima. Summit reached on 21st October 1963. 7 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2532
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID SAIP63301
Peak ID SAIP
Year 1963
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Kanji Kojima
Sponsor Doshisha Himalayan Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 1st
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach Pithoragarh->Baitadi->Bojang->BC
Basecamp Date 1963-09-27
Summit Date 1963-10-21
Summit Time 1205
Summit Days 24
Total Days 34
Termination Date 1963-10-31
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 7030
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 6
Summit Members 1
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 5
Summit Hired 1
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used False
O2 None True
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(27/09),C1(02/10,4750m),C2(08/10,5800m),C3(17/10,6070m),C4(20/10,6450m),Smt(21/10)
Route Notes Hirabayashi - 12 Dec 63 Still in Pokhara: K. Sato and K. Okada; they return Kathmandu 10 Dec. Hirabayashi (leader) arrives Kathmandu today. 2 others Matsumura and Fukuda coming to Pokhara another route and return to Kathmandu in 10 days. Stay here 3-4 days, then 4 to Delhi (4 days) and to Calcutta; at end of this to Japan (all members to meet in Calcutta, then to Japan together). Hirabayashi - 27 July 63 Doshisha University is foremost Christian University in Japan (Doshisha means gathering of Christians) - Kyoto 5 Sherpas: (1) Pasang Phutar III from Darjeeling (born 1933 Solokhumbu) Sirdar - Swiss Everest 1952 Kanchenjunga British 1954 (success 1954) With Tucci in 1955 northwest Nepal Argentine Dhaulagiri 1956 and 1957 Indian Nanda Devi 1956 Austrian Cho Oyo 1954 (2) Lhakpa Tshering from Darjeeling (born 1920) Dyhrenfurth Lhotse 1955 Makalu 1955 (not successful) Manaslu 1956 (successful) Japanese Himal Chu (3) Pemba Tenzing from Khumjung - 31 Japanese Api 1960 (successful) American Everest [Makalu?] 1954 Ama Dablam 1958 and 1959 4) Kami Pasang from Khumjung - 25 Makalu 1961 Chamlang 1962 (Japanese) 5) Ang Pasang from Darjeeling - 30 Rest of Japanese members arrive Bombay 26 July, go to Delhi. Leader to KTM 29 or 30 July. Other 4 separate into 2 parties: one to Calcutta for for equipment and thence to Tanakpur; other 2 members direct to Tanakpur to hire porters. Hope to enter Nepal from Pithoragarh north of Tanakpur but its in restricted zone and may have to go from Tanakpur into Nepal to Baitadi. Hope to leave from India into Nepal about 7 August. Scientific: archeological work around Simikot - 1000 BC (according to Tucci) - will attempt discover origins of Tilhare in Simikot-Jumla area. Scientific leader is Expedition's deputy leader. All members live in Kyoto. 1st will climb mountain after that will then do scientific work. All to Jumla, where separate into 2 parties: one to Nepalgunj, one to Pokhara. All meet in Kathmandu 1st Dec. Establish base camp last of August. Attempt summit 2nd of Oct. Sponsored Sankei Newspapers of Tokyo and Osaka and all Japan and Doshisha University. Deputy leader only member in Himalayas before; he one of those reached Api summit in 1960. Letter from Kanji Kojima - Oct 29, 1963 Deputy leader K. Hirabayashi and sirdar Pasang Phutar stood on the summit of Mt. Saipal at 12:05 on 21st of Oct 1963. This mountain was far above our former imagination, difficult and dangerous. We established C1 (altitude 4700m) on 3rd and C2 on 8th of Oct. It was one of the most important point how to establish C2. There were 1200m height icewall (average 45 degree) from C1 to C2. We made ice face plane with duraluminum ladders, poles and hangers after spending several days to find that place. We could not find the place even to squat except only one deposit place on the steep icewall between C1 and C2. One more important point was how to carry the loads to expected C3 over the difficult rock ridge. Even experienced Sherpas hesitated to carry the loads over that rock ridge. We persuaded and encouraged them and ourselves. Members and Sherpas made great efforts to get over the problem ridge and build up the attack camp - C4 (altitude 6450m) on 20th Oct. On the following day, 21st we got the summit by the above pair on the rope. Few days after ascent of the summit, all members and Sherpas gathered at base camp, making fire and singing a song of joy. We got drunk not only with brandy but also our success. I saw the Saipal that rose in the star light sky just same figure as I met it first. This memorial night became dark and dark calmly, and the expedition that thought it might be one of the most difficult one after the World War II has been over.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2441817
Year 1963
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) s ridge

Members

7 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Kanji Kojima M 1910 Japan Leader - Supervisor of Doshisha Alpine Society Details Other expeditions
Katsutoshi Hirabayashi M 1934 Japan Deputy Leader - - Details Other expeditions
Tashiro Matsumura M 1937 Japan Manager - Staff of Sankyo Seiko Co. Details Other expeditions
Katsuichi Fukuda M 1936 Japan Climber - Staff of Nippon Rayon Co. Details Other expeditions
Kazuo Sato M 1938 Japan Climber - Dunlop Rubber Co Japan Details Other expeditions
Keijiro Okada M 1939 Japan Climber - Student of economics, Doshisha University Details Other expeditions
Pasang Phutar Sherpa M 1933 Nepal Sirdar Darjeeling, India Teacher in Darjeeling Mountaineering Institute Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
SAIP63301 AAJ Kojima, Kanji - - 38:229 (1964) -
SAIP63301 JAC Hirabayashi, K. Saipal Climbed, 1963 - 59:1-3 (1964) -
SAIP63301 JAC Hirabayashi, K. Saipal Climbed, 1963 - 59:30-56 (1964) -
SAIP63301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12196422902/Asia-Nepal-Saipal - - -