Asia, Nepal, Mount Everest, Winter Attempt, 1981

Publication Year: 1981.

Mount Everest, Winter Attempt, 1981. Six Japanese climbers and five scientists and reporters, led by Naomi Uemura, failed to make the second winter ascent of Mount Everest by the South Col. They climbed the Khumbu Icefall and made Camp I at 19,850 feet on December 9. Camp II was established at 21,150 feet on December 17. On the day when Camp III was placed on the Lhotse Face on January 12, 1981, Noboru Takenaka was killed as he slipped from a fixed rope. Evacuating his body and bad weather stopped things for a week. On January 27, Ken’ichi Matsuda, Toichi Mitani, Uemura and three Sherpas set out for the South Col in high winds. Mitani and a Sherpa got there, but they could not camp. The expedition was given up. (See Iwa To Yuki, N° 80, page 107.)