Chapter 12 Final Chapter Untouched Mountains

November 9, 1995 at 12:35 am Altitude eight, eight forty-eight.13 meters I am alone. There are neither rope friends who tie each other with climbing ropes, nor partners who walk together in front, back, left, and right. I walk on the edge of the snow. Walk like a crawl. The wind blows from the right. The wind was not strong. A wind that can't even lift the snow and smoke. As far as the wind on the Everest ridgeline is concerned, it is equal to no wind. In the blue sky near the end of the Rongbuk Glacier, there are a few clouds that look like fine hair of a woman. When you see clouds like that on the Nepal side, it means the sky is about to change.

On this side—— This side? There is no such side or that at all. I walk on the edge. Not part of one of the human-created regions of Nepal or Tibet, this is an aerial corridor that connects the boundary between heaven and earth. Everest's—— Sagarmatha's—— A snowy corridor towards the summit of Everest. What a magnificent scenery. To my left and right is the entire ground as far as the eye can see. The Rongbu Glacier runs from east to west. Countless rock peaks. mountains. Also see Lhotse. You can see the snow and rock peak that you looked up from the Nepal side.Today, I am walking higher than the peak of 8,516 meters.Can you believe it?I am looking down at the top of Lhotse now!

Can you believe it? Hey. There is no answer. The answer is violent panting. I approach step by step. Towards higher ground than Lhotse. King of the hills. the king of this earth. Facing the front, there are only round white snow peaks and blue sky. It is a unique place in this world. Mount Everest. I'm getting closer there. Walk one hundred meters an hour. How long do we have to go? Push the snow away with your knees and step forward. step. Then gasp. In order to take a single step, you have to breathe several times before taking the next step. Repeat that action endlessly.

Repeat that action, will the peak be at the end? Can you reach the summit by doing this repeatedly? anaerobic. alone. Want to climb Mount Everest in this state, is it a foolhardy act? It’s not like trying to climb the southwest face from the Nepal side in winter like Joji Hanyu. In spring, take the traditional route from the Tibetan side. I can only go this route. It is not possible to climb the mountain from Nepal. because it was banned from entering the country. So, from Tibet. As far as routes go, it's easier to climb from Nepal. Compared to the southwest face in winter, it's like hiking.

However, in terms of height, Nepal is the same as Tibet.No matter which side you climb from, you must be at the same height and breathe the same thin oxygen. It seems to be a little windy. The wind seemed to be picking up gradually. However, never mind! It is windy here all year round. It is abnormal without wind. This route is the same as when Reinjo Messner reached the summit of Mount Everest alone without oxygen in 1980. This is the route Mallory and Irwin attempted to reach the summit in 1924. Angalin and Ryoko Kishi are at the base camp at 6,500 meters. Saying goodbye to the two was five days ago.

If all goes well, we should see them again at base camp today. At 7,900 meters, I took shelter in a tent due to a snowstorm. I was supposed to spend one night there, but ended up spending three nights there. I wrote a letter to Angarin in Nepal last May. I want to climb Mount Everest alone without oxygen from the side of Tibet.To go is the traditional route.The season is spring. I wrote: Please help me by all means. Angelin did not reply immediately. June passed, July passed, August passed. According to my plan, a reliable Sherpa is indispensable.And for me, the Sherpa tribe I can trust is Angarin.This climb would not have been possible without his assistance.

Angarine replied, after September. I assist you - so wrote the letter from Angarin. Angarin wrote: The reason why I replied late was because I was hesitating. I cannot answer whether to assist you or not to assist you.I don't want to lose anyone close to me on the mountain anymore.However, I am determined to assist you.If you haven't decided on a partner, I want to be your partner--so mentioned in the letter. Then, the days of physical training and information gathering continued. Nearly half of the necessary equipment was transported here by yaks from the Nepalese side of the Langkaba Mountains by Angarin.

In September this year, I climbed Cho Oyu. On this mountain climb, An Jialin carried oxygen on his shoulders. I am not using oxygen. I just carried on my shoulders the food and equipment I might have brought with me when I climbed Mount Everest. Basically, the same as what Hanyu prepared. Once he had prepared the same things by himself, he would understand how Hanyu made his own plans over and over again. The difference from when Hanyu was climbing, at most, is that an extra ski pole was added to the equipment this time. It is not necessary to climb rock walls like the southwest wall, so ski poles are quite useful as auxiliary props for climbing snow mountains.

Although Angarin was always by my side as a companion, I thought I acted alone, so I took all the necessities and did all the necessary things by myself. Under the same conditions as climbing Mount Everest, climb the 8, 201-meter peak of Cho Oyu.If this mountaineering with the goal of acclimatization gets satisfactory results, I will climb Mount Everest in October. That was the condition that Angarin agreed to assist me with. In September, I fulfilled that condition. In good physical condition. So, I challenged Mount Everest in November. Enter Rongbuk from Tingri in Tibet, and use yaks to transport luggage from there to a point of 6,500 meters, and set up a base camp.

Wait for good weather there, and set off from base camp five days ago. However, Mount Everest is almost 700 meters higher than Cho Oyu.In the Himalayas, if you can climb 500 meters in one day, you can climb up the next day to reach the summit of Notre Dame. Already crossed 8,600 meters. The wind picked up. In the wind at high altitude. Squeeze your energy. then-- The journey to the southwest wall is even more painful! At that time, I was mentally prepared to die. However, this time I accumulated more training than I did back then.Also climbed Cho Oyu under the same conditions. However, I am now in a much higher place than when I climbed the southwest wall.Seven hundred meters higher.Oxygen is thinner.No matter how much you breathe, not much oxygen gets into your lungs.

Why climb? Why are you leaving? Did you make up your mind to repeat this painful thing? How long are you going to do this over and over again? Even climbing, even reaching the summit, this is not the first time in the world.Several people climbed the traditional route without oxygen in this season. There are also photos as evidence. The well-known route. Even if you do this kind of thing, you won't be famous. There will also be no sponsors. With all your money and what little savings you had, you made it here. After going back, will this mountaineering turn into money in Japan? Won't. won't turn into money. However, I'm not climbing for the money. Wow, that being the case, what are you climbing for? What am I climbing for? I don't know, don't ask me! I know! what do you know? You are climbing for repetition. Repeatedly? That's right, what are you going to do after you get to the top of that peak? What should I do after I stand on it? Is that the end? When I returned to Japan alive, I obviously felt that I would never come to such a hard place again, but my heart would start to feel restless again. It will be unbearable again. I pulled out the climbing book, and before I knew it, I began to prepare for the next mountaineering. am I right. Probably that's right. Even if you stand on the top of that peak, there will be no answer. I already know. Neither money nor women will be picked up. Hanyu should also be very aware of this. So, why is that guy crawling? Why climb? You ask me, who do I ask? That sort of thing probably doesn't matter. Why climb a mountain? Hanyu wasn't looking for that kind of answer. me too. That kind of thing may be said, but it is a scene. Talk about the world and your own scenes. In fact, everyone knows deep down that climbing a mountain by oneself is probably not to find the answer to the question of why to climb a mountain. So why climb mountains? Why go there? do not know. At least, I can say so! I don't know how many times who got to the top of that peak, but it was the first time for me. For me, it's the first time. do you know? what do you know? myth. myth? The myth of Sisyphus. It's like Greek mythology, right? Yes, you do know that. That's the story of mountaineering too, right? Ok. Sisyphus climbed the mountain while rolling the big rock. It seems so. Because that is the work God gave him. Work? No, it should be punishment. That is fate. Yes, that was the fate of Sisyphus. Roll the rock and finally put the rock on the top of the mountain. So the rock rolled down the mountain. Then, Sisyphus moved the rolled rock to the top of the mountain. So the rock rolled down again. Then, presumably, Sisyphus would have moved the rock to the top of the mountain again? That's right, endless repetition. So are you. me either? Well, both you and Hanyu are like that. Is it the same for Hanyu? That's right. But what about you? What about me? Not just you and me. Is there anyone in this world who is not Sisyphus? Fukamachi, aren't you thinking about something boring? Because the body is in pain, I can't help thinking about unimportant things. Can't help thinking. However, even thinking, wouldn't it be great to take a step forward? However, once you think too much, your brain will turn into a puddle of mud, and it will flow out of your nose! How far is it? look up - There is nothing to look up. A little further down. Oh, there it is. The ground is only as high as my head. The peak of the snow is at eye level. The pure white peak is there. However, how far away. The last distance will never be shortened. Is there another ten meters? Don't stop! go! firmly. walk on snow. Saw. I saw it! is that one. Saw a tripod there. In 1975, the tripod placed by the Chinese team for correct measurement. Oh. My eyes are already higher than the peak. Not so much. Oh-- Something crawled up my ass. Climb up the spine. Climb up the veins. It climbed up slowly. what is it what is this? Oh shit! Isn't there a little left? There is only a little left. Saw. Saw the Nepal side. I saw the snow slope in the West Valley. Saw Lhotse Peak. Saw Nubu Peak. Saw Pumori Mountain. The scenery stretches as far as the eye can see. In the wind. The wind whistled against my body. The sky is so blue. I poked my head into the blue sky. The head belongs to the sky. And chest. eyelid. waist. knee. What a nice view. What a beautiful scenery. I want to join this landscape. Thick things pierced through the back and rushed to the forehead. Why climb a mountain? Why live? That kind of question and answer disappears like garbage, and the body and consciousness penetrate the sky. The knees tremble frequently. This is how the same thing? am i shaking Oh-- What a delight. Dip your left foot into the snow, lift your right foot, then lower your right foot. then-- I set foot on the earth. November 10, 1995 at 10:28 8,100 meters above sea level How far have I come? It should have descended 200 meters from the northeast edge. He clearly guessed the location by looking around, but he didn't know where he was.The viewing distance is at most 20 to 30 meters. Snow gallops through the fog. Look at the downside of the slope on the left, and climb down the slope.In this way, you should come to the ridge line descending from the northeast ridge to the North Col. If you can reach the North Col at an altitude of 6990 meters within today, there is always a way. Because if the food and fuel ran out, Angarin would climb up from below. However, if the route is wrong—— It is a dead end. Death must be waiting for me. It's that cirrus cloud. It was the bad cloud. Starting to descend from the peak, I suddenly realized that a large number of clouds had risen to the height of Khumbu Peak and were approaching Mount Everest. As the wind picked up and clouds covered directly overhead, snow began to drift. Descend in the snow. Because if you don't manage to get back to the tent at 8,350 meters, you will die. At that time, the only way he could manage to get back to the tent was because the footprints left in the snow had not disappeared. There, listening to the wind all night in a sleeping bag.All kinds of auditory hallucinations began to strike. I always feel that someone is calling me for a while, and someone comes to visit and knocks on the door that cannot exist.In addition, voices and laughter were heard. I also saw the figures of Ioka and Funashima, and had a conversation with them that I didn't even know what I was talking about. "Fukamachi." "Fukamachi." do not go. don't go back. They even got into sleeping bags and hugged me tightly with their icy bodies. I wrestled dimly all night with auditory hallucinations and hallucinations. Could hardly sleep.The boundary between dream and reality became blurred, and I didn't even know where Jinggang and Chuandao belonged. He clearly saw the figures of Jinggang and Funashima several times, but only Hanyu's figure, even if it was a hallucination, he didn't see it. "Hayu, come out!" I also heard my own voice saying that. "Once you show up, I will find out that you died and turned into a ghost, so you don't show up, right?" Hanyu, come out! I can do it- Although not as good as you. But I conquered Mount Everest myself! alone. Hey, let's drink! I muttered and talked to my inner dead all night in my frozen sleeping bag. Morning-- The wind and snow did not stop. Use the radio to communicate with Angarin in the base camp. Fatigue is at its peak. If I stay at this altitude for another night, even if the weather improves, I probably won't be able to move. Now, I can still move. The wind and snow are not as good as when climbing the southwest wall. There is only enough food left for one meal. Immediately there is a conclusion. Eat what you can eat in one go. Keep the food that can be eaten during the operation, and eat the rest. Every second counts. Don't stay at an altitude of more than 8,000 meters for an extra second. Keep walking and arrive at the North Col within today. The drop altitude difference is 1,300 meters. If you spend another night here, there is only one dead end. No matter how hard it is, you can only go down the mountain desperately. "I'm going up to the North Col." Angalin said so. I will climb up to the North Col with food and oxygen, and set up a tent there to wait for you. "No problem. You can do it. I will prepare a sumptuous hot pot for you at the base camp—" Ryoko said so. Six thousand five hundred. For Ryoko, this is the first height experienced. Although after training, I have experienced 5,800 meters on Cho Oyu, but 6,500 meters is not an easy height. Ryoko was waiting there. "I will definitely go back." With that said, I started preparing to descend the mountain. The weight of luggage must be kept to a minimum. Put tents and sleeping bags at 8,350 meters. Because it's useless to take it back. Down the mountain to the North Col, there are tents, sleeping bags, and food.With a difference of a thousand meters, even the air would thicken. So, I started down the mountain. All pots and stoves stay. Only reach the North Col. That's the only way I can survive. How much has it dropped? The wind blows up with the snow from below, sometimes swirling. Although there is no wind that will blow me off the slope, I know that if I stop for a moment, the wind will immediately take away my heat. There is no feeling in the little finger of the left hand. Even with the right hand holding the left hand through the glove, the feeling of being held disappeared. Just like normal rocks. It's just a frozen stick of stone sticking to the hand instead of the little finger. The little finger and the ring finger of the left hand probably couldn't be saved. Even if he returns alive, his limbs will have to be amputated. In addition, there may be a few toes amputated. walk. Walk all the way. Take a step, breathe in that position for ten breaths, and then take another step. The footprints I stepped on when I came here have disappeared due to the wind and snow. A slice of chocolate. Five biscuits. I want to eat them, while behind a rock, out of my pocket. When I tried to handle them with gloves on, a particularly strong wind blew up from the lower slopes. That gust of wind snatched the chocolate from my fingers. The chocolate was blown lightly into the air, and fell obliquely downward in the blink of an eye. When I wanted to bend down and stretch out my right hand to pick up the piece of chocolate, another gust of wind even snatched the biscuit from my right fingertips. I stood there for a full ten minutes before taking the next step. Despair deepened. Because the food we ate during the operation was gone. step forward. I took a desperate step down the hill. Then-- How long have you been walking? The sense of time has been lost. Fall down several times and then get up. I thought I was walking, but actually I was crawling. He clearly thought he was walking, but before he knew it, he was curled up in the snow or behind a rock. I curled up and muttered to myself. This is not going to work - I told myself so, straightening my back. walk. Take a few steps, then curl up. The waist is weak. Not only that, but my whole body was exhausted. Sometimes a fire-like enthusiasm will be ignited and go forward for a while. Still, ten steps at most. At the eleventh step, he curled up and muttered to himself. "I've already done that, haven't I...?" "I've fully achieved my goal, haven't I...?" I lowered my head and muttered to myself. yes.You have fully achieved your goal... Sounds can be heard. Jing Gang is by my side. Ship Island is by my side. It's time to rest……! Come here...! "no……" I murmured. Stand up slowly... One more step. After another step. If you can move like this, take another step. Then, if you really can't move, when the time comes... So, stand up! Stand up unsteadily. step. two steps. Go to the third step, fall down and gasp. Well, there are rocks there. to the rock— Arrived at the rock. Then walk to the next rock. Go there and rest. It's okay to sleep a little. Even if you fall asleep, it doesn't matter if you don't wake up forever. Hungry. You must move while taking in sugar. However, there was no food left. It took ten minutes to reach the rock ten meters ahead. Two falls on dangerous slopes. It was a miracle that it didn't fall down. Arrive at the rock to shelter from the snow and go around behind the rock. Just one click. Let's get some sleep... So, I saw it behind a rock. Narrow rock shed. A tiny bit of space. Two figures huddled there—— Those were two bodies. The whole body was covered with snow and turned white. It's freezing. One was a long-dead body. However, his body was limp, as if his spine was broken, his body was slightly bent forward, and his size became nearly half of his body length. What are you wearing? Not modern winter clothing. Looks like old duffel clothes.He wore a coat and a woolen scarf around his neck. Protruding from the side of the rock is the head of the ice stick. Those who climbed mountains with this kind of dress must have been in the 1920s—and they must have been British. At that moment, a man's name came to mind. George Mallory. Is it Mallory! At 12:50 on June 8, 1924, the man O'Dell saw for the last time on the northeast edge of this building. O'Dell saw him walking from the first step to the second step, a man who has never been heard from since. No, it could also be Irving. However, if it was Irwin, he probably didn't bring the ice stick.After all, Irwin's ice stick was discovered by the fourth Everest team in England in 1933. Is it Mallory! And another corpse. It died not long ago. He was wearing a fiery red windbreaker jacket. Also, I recognize that color.In the camera's viewfinder, the last seen color. "Hayu...?" I can't help but speak out. It was Joji Hanyu. Like the fossils of the trilobites, like the fossils of the nautilus, the remains of two humans sleep at this height. Hanyu, who climbed from the Nepal side, why is he in such a place on the Tibet side? To protect himself from the wind, Hanyu hugged his backpack on his stomach, rested his chin on it, and raised his head. What's more, Hanyu didn't want to die in peace. His eyeballs were frozen, and ice was everywhere on his face, but Hanyu opened his eyes, staring straight ahead dead. Hanyu maintained his will until the moment of death. However, why is Hanyu in such a place? impossible. Why would you go the wrong way? In any case, one thing can be clearly stated. No matter what happens, this alone is certain. Hanyu stood on the summit of Mount Everest. It is precisely because of standing on the summit of Mount Everest that Hanyu is in this place on the Tibetan side. He did it. I think so. Hanyu, you did it. You climbed that rock wall and stood on a unique place in the world. Yes, I stood there. I always feel that Hanyu answered. Because I am Joji Hanyu. Hanyu said that to me. Good things for you. What are you going to give me? Don't ask so much, just take it. this is yours. I checked Hanyu's pocket. So, two things were discovered. A slice of chocolate, and a handful of raisins. Not eating them all means that Hanyu is not yet desperate in this place. He is thinking about how to live. A slice of chocolate and raisins. It was something I gave to Hanyu. Hanyu intends to rely on them to descend from Mount Everest. Or, even in this situation, did Hanyu still want to act alone until the last moment, and refused to eat them? What a stubborn man. In addition, there is one more thing - small notebook. Open. A few pages were blown into the air and disappeared. read it. Written in Hanyu's handwriting. I see. Did you lose your vision at the summit due to lack of oxygen and then mistook the route? He didn't know where he noticed that he had taken the wrong route. Perhaps he arrived at this place without realizing it.Did Hanyu arrive at the place where he found Mallory's camera by accident, or did he remember that this area was the only place where he could sleep rough, and then arrived here? Think hard. This is the last entry in the notebook. Tears flowed down. I didn't expect the tears that flowed out to be so hot. Hey, Hanyu, let's go. I hold your body. let's go. Hanyu. I will take you with me. Come back with me. Hanyu's body was dragged. I was dragging Hanyu's body in the wind. Move over rocks and snow. I'm crazy. let's go. I will take you with me. Mallory's figure is behind. pant. Lack of air, lack of oxygen. Hanyu's body stopped there as if refusing. Hanyu was still staring at the sky. Not looking at me. Hanyu was no longer looking at the world. I came to my senses. What a fool am I trying to do? Impossible. To move a person's weight at such a height. Oh-- I see. Hanyu, I understand. I can't take you away. Just like when you didn't take me away, I want to keep you here. leave you here. I thought to myself, I must go. Must go. Take Hanyu's last food. If you search Mallory's hiking backpack, there may be negatives. The negatives that could solve the mystery of the first ascent of Mount Everest. However, it doesn't matter anymore. That kind of thing doesn't matter anymore. I can't use physical strength for this. "Hanyu..." I struggled to get something out of my pocket. Two years ago, something that should have been handed over to Hanyu. Beautiful green stone. The turquoise that Ryoko once wore around her neck. Hang it around Hanyu's neck. I'm leaving... I said to Hanyu. I will definitely go back alive. I will definitely reach the North Col. You are listening. Hanyu. Hanyu's soul. You will probably die with regret. Now, you are probably somewhere on this mountain, gnashing your teeth and glaring. Hanyu. attached to me! Attach to me, follow me! Hanyu. I am you. I don't rest like you. If I cry tired and want to rest, just push me down the valley. kill me! eat my meat! Hanyu. I promise you! I will definitely go back alive. Go back alive, and then back up the mountain. I will probably keep repeating this behavior. That's all I can do. I can only do this. Hanyu, I'm leaving. I stared at Hanyu's face, gritted my teeth, and stepped forward again in the wind and snow. Yes, I've been thinking about that all my life.And what's thinking about now is that everyone has a role to play.As a result, history chose me as a witness.Fortunately or unfortunately, history did not choose me as the climber of Mount Everest, but the last eyewitness and witness of Mallory and Irwin.And in my career so far, whether I like it or not, I've told over and over again what I've seen. Now, I will tell you about that time in the same way. Of the two, who is likely to stand on the top of Mount Everest? When it comes to possibilities, of course they have.But relatively, it may not be on the top of Mount Everest. If you think about it carefully, it is my shadow.And, it's yours too. All the people living in this world look like those two people. Mallory and Irving are still walking today. Walking to reach the summit. keep walking. And sooner or later death visits the person on the way. Human life cannot be easily priced.When the man died, what was he on the way?I think that's probably the most important thing. Whether it's good for me or good for you. On the way of what—— If that incident has taught me anything, this is probably it. Interview with N. E. O'Dell, London, January 1987 ——"Yuewang" March 1987 issue "Witness to the Himalayas" N. E. O'Dell died in England in February 1987.I was ninety-six years old.