JAPANESE WOMEN'S ANNAPURNA III EXPEDITION, 1970

EIKO MIYAZAKI

[We are grateful to Miss Miyazaki for the brief account and the beautiful photographs which have been submitted at short notice, in spite of considerable preoccupation with her normal duties.—Ed.]

On 23 March, our caravan started from Pokhara to the Base Camp. After 8 days' trekking we arrived at Khildhung on 30 March, at a height of 3,600 metres. Due to snow the route to the Base Camp was too difficult for the 144 porters, who went back from Khildhung. Therefore we were detained at Khildhung for 16 days, we ourselves carrying the baggage to the Base Camp. During this time we set up Camp I and Camp II.

On 16 April, the members who were searching the route for Camp III descended to the Base Camp. We all gathered there for a Base Camp ceremony.

Next day all the members and Sherpas went to the upper camps. We established the camps as follows:

HeightDate

Camp I ... ... 4,350 metres 8 April

Camp II ... ... 4,800 metres 11 April

Camp III ... ... 5,300 metres 24 April

Camp IV "... ... 5,900 metres 28 April

Camp V ... ... 6,800 metres 18 May

The most difficult route was between Camp IV and Camp V. It is a snow-wall about 700 metres high. We fixed about 900 metres of rope there.

Then, at last, we sent two members-Mrs. Tabei and Miss Hirakawa-and two Sherpas to the summit on 19 May. They left Camp V at 8.10 a.m. and stood on the summit at 2.45 p.m. They spent only 30 minutes there, owing to bad weather. The temperature was 16 °C below zero, therefore the film in the camera was cracked.

They returned to Camp V at 5.20 p.m. All members descended to the Base Camp on 26 May. From there, we returned to Pokhara. The caravan took one week.

All members were in good condition and feeling happy to have accomplished such a difficult task without accident.

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