ネパール・パンドラ（6850ｍ）北東壁、 完登！ Pandra（6850ｍ）NE Wall Climbing Successfully
パンドラ登山に成功しました。
辺境の地で、ギリギリのクライミングができました。
人との出会いと別れが作った流れのなかで、たどり着いた6850ｍの山頂。
この成功を胸に、さらなる山に向かっていきたいと思います。
先月は、パンドラの記録を雑誌、新聞などでご紹介して頂きました。日本語を読めない方や海外からも記録を知りたいとのお声を多く頂きましたので、このnoteでは、英語併記で編集させて頂きました。
We successfully climbed Mt. Pandora.
We were able to climb to the limit in a remote area. I reached the 6,850m summit through a flow of meetings and farewells with people. With this success in mind, I would like to continue climbing even more mountains.
Last month, my record was featured in Japanese magazines and newspapers.I received requests from people overseas who wanted to know about my record, so I have edited this note to include both Japanese and English.
Kei Taniguchi
「萩原さん、この山なあに？ ちょっと気になるだけどなぁ」谷口けいは、萩原編集長(元ROCK&SNOW編集長）が撮影した写真を見ながらそう言った。2013年、ネパールの東端のアウトライアー東峰（7035ｍ）に、萩原編集長率いる青山学院隊が初登頂。山頂からの写真には、未踏のパンドラ北東壁が鮮明に映し出されていた。２年後の2015年秋、けいは、和田淳二とそのパンドラ北東壁に挑戦。けいは女性で唯一、ピオレドール賞を受賞した者として世界的に知られていた。だが、それまでのヒマラヤ遠征は、平出和也が見つけた山を共に登ることが多かった。自分で着眼したパンドラは、並々ならぬ想いがあったに違いない。しかし壁を三分の二ほど登ったところで撤退。けいは、SNSにこう書き残していた。「開けてしまったパンドラの箱。中身を確認するために、また必ず行きます」しかし帰国の翌月、けいは北海道の黒岳で滑落遭難をしてしまう。
”Mr. Hagiwara, what mountain is this? I'm a bit curious," Taniguchi Kei said as he looked at the photo taken by Editor-in-Chief of ROCK&SNOW Hagiwara. In 2013, the Aoyama Gakuin Univ team led by Hagiwara was the first to summit the Outlier East Peak (7,035m) at the eastern end of Nepal. The photo from the summit clearly showed the unclimbed northeast wall of Pandra. Two years later, in the fall of 2015, Kei challenged the northeast wall of Pandra with Junji Wada. Kei was known worldwide as the only woman to have won the Piolet d'Or award. However, in previous Himalayan expeditions, they often climbed mountains discovered by Kazuya Hiraide. She must have had extraordinary feelings about Pandra, which she had discovered herself. However, he retreated after climbing about two-thirds of the wall. Kei wrote the following on social media. "I've opened Pandora's box. I'll definitely go back to check what's inside."However, the month after returning to Japan, Kei falls and gets lost in Mt.Kurodake.
Kei Taniguchi and Junji Wada tried Pandra in 2015.
Nine years ago, Kei Taniguchi was heading towards Pandora on a flat and stable glacier.
Pandra NE Face. Photo by Kei Tanigchi
エネルギーに満ち溢れていたけいのけいの人生を本にまとめるために、私は多くの方々に取材を行った。その中心となった平出とは同じ歳で、21歳の時、一緒にチョ・オユー（8201ｍ）に登頂していた。その登山報告会にけいが来たのが、三人の出会いだった。平出の話のお陰で、けいのヒマラヤ登攀は、詳しく文字で残すことができた。
その本『太陽のかけら』の最終章には、同じく同年齢である鈴木啓紀と、和田と、私の三人でパンドラに登るシーンを入れるつもりで、執筆と同時に遠征準備を進めていた。しかし、出発前に和田が大けがを負ってしまい、パンドラ遠征は延期。必ず挑戦することを宣言して最終章を閉じた。
だがそこから長かった。和田の怪我にはじまり不吉な「パンドラの箱」の中身が次から次へと出てくるようだった……。
I interviewed many people to compile a book about Kei's life, which was full of energy. Hiraide, who was the central figure in the book, was the same age as me, and we had climbed Cho Oyu (8,201m) together when we were 21 years old. The three of us met when Kei came to one of those mountaineering report meetings. Thanks to Hiraide's stories, I was able to leave a detailed record of Kei's Himalayan climbs in writing. In the final chapter of the book, "A peace of the Sun," I had intended to include a scene in which Wada, Suzuki Hiroki, and I, who are also the same age, climb Pandora Mountain, and we were preparing for the expedition at the same time as writing. However, Wada was seriously injured before we set off, and the Pandra expedition was postponed. I closed the final chapter by declaring that we would definitely attempt it. But it was a long journey from there. Starting with Wada's injury, it seemed as if the contents of the ominous "Pandora's box" were coming out one after another...
I have written the life story of Kei Taniguchi.
2019年5月、鈴木と私はパンドラのシュミレーションとしてアラスカ・ハンター（4442m）北壁に向かった。しかし天気は最悪だった。チリ雪崩を受け続けながら登攀するも、壁の上部で撤退。
翌2020年に計画されていたパンドラは、コロナ渦の影響のためにまたも延期。
2022年になり、コロナもある程度落ち着いたが、鈴木と私は、まずはハンター北壁を越えてからパンドラに挑みたいと思うようになっていた。そこで5月に再びアラスカに向かうことに。
その出発2カ月前に「ハンター挑戦を映画化したい」と映像制作会社から企画があがった。そのカメラマンとして名乗りをあげたのが平賀淳だった。私は、平賀とも20代前半からの付き合いだった。私と平賀、けい、平出で、山岳番組作成のために山行を共にしてたこともあった。
氷河の上で彼がカメラを回し、見守ってくれているという安心感もあり、私と鈴木はハンターに登頂することができた。だが氷河に降りてくると、全く予期せぬことが……。平賀がクレバスに落ちて亡くなってしまっていた。
In May 2019, Suzuki and I headed to the north face of Mt.Hunter (4,442m) in Alaska to simulate Pandra. However, the weather was awful. We continued climbing while being hit by Chilean avalanches, but we retreated at the top of the wall. Pandra, which was planned for the following year in 2020, was postponed again due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the COVID-19 situation had calmed down to a certain extent, but Suzuki and I wanted to climb the north face of Mt.Hunter first before attempting Pandra. So we decided to head to Alaska again in May. Two months before the departure, a video production company came up with a plan to "make a movie about Hunter's challenge." Jun Hiraga stepped up to be the cameraman. I had known Hiraga since my early 20s. Hiraga, Kei, Hiraide and I had also gone on mountain trips together to create mountaineering programs. With the peace of mind that he was filming and watching over us from the glacier, Suzuki and I were able to reach the summit of Hunter. However, when they descend to the glacier, something completely unexpected happens... Hiraga has fallen into a crevasse and died.
Mountain photographer Jun Hiraga fell into a crevasse in the glacier at the base of the north face of Hunter.
帰国後の夏、私の町は台風による豪雨に襲われた。自宅と仕事場が浸水し、多くの物を失った。だが、けいや平賀のことを思えば、悲観にくれることはなかった。生きていれば、先に繋げられるのだ。
それから２年後の今年2024年、いよいよパンドラに挑むことになった。けいの遭難から9年もの月日が経ち、私と鈴木は、彼女の年齢を越えた44歳になっていた。
和田は、結婚し子どもが生まれ、新生活がはじまり参加することができなくなっていた。その和田に代わりカメラマンでクライマーの高柳傑（36歳）が参加することになった。
遠征前、平出和也と中島健郎が私の地元に来て講演会を行った。彼らは昨年ティリチミール（7708ｍ）に登りヒマラヤクライミング界の最前線にいた。対談役として私も壇上にあがったが、平出は「これまでの集大成としてＫ２に向かいます。大石さんもパンドラに行って、けいさんの分まで登ってください」と言ってくれた。
しかし、その平出までもＫ２で亡くなってしまった。
The summer after I returned to Japan, my town was hit by torrential rains from a typhoon. My home and workplace were flooded, and I lost many things. However, thinking about Kei and Hiraga, I did not become pessimistic. As long as I'm alive, I can connect to the future. Two years later, in 2024, we finally attempted Pandra. Nine years have passed since Kei's accident, and Suzuki and I are now 44 years old, older than Kei. Wada got married, had a child, and started a new life, so he was no longer able to participate. In place of Wada, photographer and climber Takayanagi Suguru (36 years old) decided to participate. Before the expedition, Hiraide Kazuya and Nakajima Takeo came to my hometown to give a talk show. They were at the forefront of the Himalayan climbing world, having climbed Tirich Mir (7,708m) last year. I also appeared on stage as a talker, and Hiraide said, "I'm going to K2 as the culmination of my efforts so far. Oishi, please go to Pandra and climb for Kei." However, Hiraide also passed away on K2.
Me (left) and Takeo Nakajima and Kazuya Hiraide (right) who came to Shizuoka for a talk show. The two of them got lost on K2 in the summer before I left for Pandra.
平出の死は多くのメディアで報じられたため「この遭難の直後に、本当に行くのか？」そんな多くの方々の声を頂いた。だが、私の考えは逆だった。けい、平賀、平出。彼らがいなかったら、現在の私はなかった。「パンドラに登りたい」という想いも彼らが作ってくれたものだ。だとしたら、この想いを具現化することが、彼らの死を悼むということになるのだと感じていた。
Hiraide's death was widely reported in the media, and many people asked me, "Are you really going to go right after this accident?" However, I thought the opposite. Kei, Hiraga, and Hiraide. Without them, I wouldn't be who I am today. They also created my desire to climb Pandora. If that's the case, I felt that making this desire a reality would be a way of mourning their deaths.
Kathmandu, the city where humans and gods coexist
We set off with a van loaded with luggage
Takayanagi waits for a porter at a place where roads have been cut off by flooding
Suzuki waiting for heavy machinery to open the road
The car boldly break through the muddy cliffs
The flood had destroyed so many places.
田舎の村からトレッキングを開始してわずか２０分のことだった。村人が行き来する生活道で岩雪崩が発生。必死に逃げたが、キッチンボーイのティカが、頭部に落石を受け死んでしまった。
「ヒマラヤ登山は先進国のエゴではないのか？」私は鈴木にそう言い、三日三晩、遠征決行を悩み続けた。ＢＣまでのガイドのパワンとも話し合った。けいの時もガイドだった彼の言葉は、「続けてほしい。登ってください」だった。そして、私たちもパンドラへの想いは変わらなかった。
残された家族の生活の補償にはどんなことができるだろうか？ そんなことを考えながら村から村へと歩を進めた。集中力を持って山に向かう姿勢からは、かけ離れていたと思う。
Just 20 minutes into our trek from the rural village, a rock avalanche occurred on a road where villagers travel. We ran for our lives, but the kitchen boy, Tika, was hit in the head by a falling rock and died. "Isn't Himalayan mountain climbing the ego of developed countries?" I said to Suzuki, and for three days and nights, I continued to worry about whether to go ahead with the expedition. I also discussed it with Pawan, our guide up to the basecamp. He was our guide at Kei and his words were, "Please keep going. Please keep climbing." And our feelings for Pandra remained unchanged. What can we do to compensate for the livelihood of the family left behind? We walked from village to village with such thoughts in mind. I think this was far from the concentrated attitude we had when we approached the mountain.
Looking back at the scene of the rockfall accident. From the large rock on the left side of the photo to the photo spot, I ran along the river bank amid falling rocks to escape.
The voice of Pawan, our guide up to BC, told me to keep going. Please keep climbing.
A spectacular waterfall near the tree line
We connected small villages at the tree line and aimed for base camp
Janu North Face and Pawan
Janu (left) and Foresobi (center) tower on a grand scale
a magnificent ice-walled mountain, but its name was not on the map
Lonark, a village in the eastern part of Nepal. We could see Mt.Pandra in the cluods.
Going north from Lonark, we enter a deserted valley
Building a base camp in the same place as Kei nine years ago
私たち以外、周囲に人の気配を感じない場所だった
Oishi, Suzuki, Pawan, Lyman, Takayanagi. There was no sign of anyone else around except for us.
We displayed a plate of amulets made by a friend under the fluttering tarcho.
Photos of our friends who are no longer with us. We climbed to the top with this in our pockets
Puja to pray for a safe climb
Kitchen boy Lyman meditating
Suzuki packing for the advanced base camp
9年前に安定していた氷河は、温暖化の影響で数キロにもわたって溶けて陥没し、歩きにくいモレーンになっていた。そしてABCより仰ぎ見たパンドラは、黒々とした岩が露出して威圧的だった。それでも、けいの言っていた「よく見て、山が友達になれたら登ろう！」という言葉を頭の中で反芻し、対岸の山に行動順化で登っていると、登攀ラインが少しづつ見えてくるようになった。
The glacier, which was stable nine years ago, has melted and collapsed over several kilometers due to global warming, turning into a moraine that is difficult to walk on. Looking up from ABC, Pandora was an intimidating sight with its exposed black rocks. Still, I kept repeating in my head what Kei had said: "Look carefully, and if the mountain becomes your friend, let's climb it!" As I climbed the mountain on the opposite bank, gradually the line of the climb came into view.
The difficult-to-walk moraine continues endlessly up to the Advanced Base Camp
Finally, the pyramid mountain appears. This is Pandra.
The glacier that was there nine years ago is gone, and the ice on the northeast face of Pandra has decreased significantly.
We climb the hill on the opposite bank to acclimatize to the altitude.
We climbed to about the seventh station (6000m) of this hill.
After acclimatizing to the altitude, we returned to base camp.
We then descended to the innermost village of Lonark to rest.
Relax in the hospitality of the brothers who run the inn
A villager tells us that in the past, there was a road leading to the pass near Pandra.
We drink many cups of chai and coffee while talking with the villagers.
Our fatigue is soothed by the conversations
We return to base camp again
From base camp to advanced base camp. We are finally ready to attack
The morning of our departure from advanced base camp.
To the base of the northeast face of Pandra
The intimidating wall gradually closes in.
登攀初日、最下部の右上するコーナーはボロボロの岩で、鈴木は浮石を落としながらリードをしていた。
そこが終わると氷のセクションとなるが、そこも固い氷ではなく、脆い部分や、薄い部分のあるアルパインアイスだった。夜は、スノーハンモックを使ってテントを張る。
On the first day of the climb, the bottom right corner was a crumbling rock, and Suzuki was leading while knocking loose rocks off. After that, there was an icy section, but it was not solid ice, but alpine ice with brittle and thin parts. At night, we set up a tent using a snow hammock.
First pitch. Suzuki climbs, shedding loose rocks with each move
The bottom of the rock wall, which looks like it is piled up with loose rocks.
二日目、日本にあっても有名になりそうな長いアルパインアイスを３ピッチ私が登った。フォローしてきた鈴木が「米子不動の氷瀑を登りこんだのは意味があったな！」と言ってくれた。その後、ラインは巨大なクーロワールに入ったが、見た目以上に傾斜があり気が抜けない。時々出てくる脆い岩に、鈴木が確実にプロテクションを決めていく。
On the second day, I climbed three pitches of a long alpine ice climb that would be famous even in Japan. Suzuki, who was following me, said, "It was worth climbing the icefall of Yonago Fudo Falls!" After that, the line entered a huge couloir, but it was steeper than it looked and we had to be careful. Suzuki made sure to protect himself against the fragile rocks that appeared from time to time.
At the end of the first day, the ice finally became suitable for screws.
The morning of the second day. Climbing the "Pandra Great Icicle"
The ice of the great icicle continued for three pitches
After the big icicles, I belayed on the rocks.
The couloir in the middle of the wall.
There were only a few places to take protection or belay points
First pitch of the third day. Looking down on the tent site from the second day.
この北東壁はけいの記録を見たフランス隊が、2017年に初登攀をしていた。三日目からは彼らのルートに合流。彼らにより「Ｍ６」がつけられた岩のピッチが、6000ｍ付近ででてきた。高柳が登って行ったが、あっさりオンサイト。10歳ほど若い高柳は、今後間違いなくヒマラヤの壁で成果をあげていくだろう。その初めの一歩として、そして、後がない鈴木と自分のためにも、絶対に山頂は踏みたいと思い続けていた。
This northeast wall was first climbed in 2017 by a French team that had seen Kei's record. They joined their route on the third day. A rock pitch that they had given the rating of "M6" appeared at around 6000m. Takayanagi started climbing, but easily on-sighted. Takayanagi, who is about 10 years younger, will undoubtedly achieve great things on the walls of the Himalayas in the future. As the first step, and for Suzuki and himself who have no other choice, Takayanagi had been determined to reach the summit.
Takayanagi breaks through the pitch that was marked "M6" by the French team
Suzuki climbs the mixed zone at the end of the third day
A magnificent view spreads out behind the tent site on the third day
For the first time, he was able to set up the tent properly. However, it was a close call.
その晩の岩のテラスは、なんとかテントが張れる大きさだった。眼下にはすでに1000ｍ近い空間が広がっていたが、それを怖いとは思わなかった。
翌４日目の山頂アタック日は、ボロボロの左上ピッチをまず私がリードしたが、そこでも怖気づくことはなかった。日本の壁で経験を積んだその延長線上で、登攀を淡々とこなしていた。
しかし、その上は正解ラインをなかなか見いだせなかった。最後は、前日付けられていた「M6」よりはるかに難しい岩を、高柳がアックスのトルキングで越えてくれた。
That night, the rock terrace was just big enough to pitch a tent. There was already a space of nearly 1000m below us, but we didn't feel scared. On the fourth day, the summit attack day, I led the climb up the dilapidated upper left pitch first, but even there I didn't get scared. I continued climbing calmly, as an extension of the experience I had gained on the Japanese wall. However, above that, it was difficult to find the right line. In the end, Takayanagi used his axe to torque us over a rock that was much more difficult than the "M6" we had marked the day before.
On the fourth day, Suzuki belays me as we ascend to the left on the crumbling snow
The rocks on the snow are also crumbling, making it difficult to protect ourselves
akayanagi breaks through the overhang with technical dry touring
壁の終わりの雪庇はすぐそこに見えていた。だがそれは錯覚だった。夕暮れの中を、鈴木がロープを伸ばすが、なかなか近づかない。最後は私がヘッドランプの灯りを頼りに登ったが、氷は「砂糖」のように不安定な雪に変わり、スノーバー一本しか取れないランナウトに。壁を抜け出た時には精魂を使い尽していた。鈴木が登ってくると「俺は山頂に行きたいんだ！」と言った。もちろんここで下降する気はなかった。
The snow cornice at the end of the wall was visible right there. But it was an illusion. In the twilight, Suzuki led the rope, but he couldn't get any closer. In the end, I climbed relying on the light from my headlamp, but the ice turned into unstable snow like "sugar", and we ended up in a runout where we could only get one snow bar. By the time we got out of the wall, I was completely exhausted. When Suzuki came up, he said, "I want to go to the summit!" Of course, he had no intention of descending here.
Finally, we reach the snow wall. After this, we climb the wicked sugar snow in the dark
着の身着のままのビバークは、永遠と思えるほど長かった。三人で背中をさすりながら極寒の時間をやり過ごす。一番寒がる私に高柳が時折ダウンジャケットを貸してくれた。待望の太陽の光が差し込み、上を見上げた高柳が、「山頂は近そうですね」と元気に言った。
The bivouac, with only the clothes on our backs, lasted so long it seemed like an eternity. The three of us endured the freezing cold, rubbing each other's backs. Takayanagi occasionally lent me his down jacket, as I was the one who felt the coldest. As the long-awaited sunlight filtered in, Takayanagi looked up and cheerfully said, "It looks like we're close to the summit."
We bivouac in a half-snow cave just below the summit
We didn't have any bivouac equipment.
After a freezing night, the long-awaited morning arrives
It's so cold that it's hard to move even in the morning
もう難しい場所はなく、鈴木が先頭でラッセルをした。鈴木と高柳のトレースを追う私には、もうエネルギーが残っていなかった。これまでの自分の「限界」をさらに超えてた場所まできている感じがしていた。
「ウォー、やった！！」と叫びながら鈴木が最後の斜面斜面を乗り上がった。鈴木と登り始めて20年。初めて聞いた本気の咆哮だった。
There were no more difficult section, so Suzuki took the lead in breaking through the snow. I had no energy left as I followed Suzuki and Takayanagi's trail. I felt like I had reached a place that was even beyond my "limits" up until then. "Woah, we did it!!" Suzuki shouted as he climbed up the last slope. It's been 20 years since I started climbing with Suzuki. It was the first time I'd heard a serious roar.
With the Tibetan mountains in the background, we climb the final slope
Fortunately, the snow was shallow.
The last last and final climb.
山頂にたどり着くと、青空とヒマラヤの山々を背景に、二人の笑顔があった。それが最後にパンドラの箱の底に残されていたものだった。
When they reached the top, the two of them were smiling with the blue sky and the Himalayan mountains in the background. That was the last thing left at the bottom of Pandora's box.
The summit of Pandra. From the left, Takayanagi, Oishi, and Suzuki
We managed to connect the story from Taniguchi Kei.
それから１０日後、私たちはネットが届く村まで降りてきた。メールを開くと、平賀が撮影したのアラスカでの映像がけいの人物像と共に編集され、『A Gift from Kei Taniguchi』としてバンフ映画際で上映されたという連絡が入っていた。
平出も４度目のピオレドールを受賞していた。
ティカのことは、国際協力のNPOに連絡をすると補償を検討してくれるという返事がすぐにきた。
彼らに導かれ、三人で登ったパンドラのラインに「A Piece of the Sun」と名付けたい。「太陽のかけら」はこれからも心の中で燃え続け、さらなる山に導き続けてくれることだろう。
Ten days later, we went down to a village with internet access. I opened my email and found that the footage Hiraga had shot in Alaska had been edited with Kei's portrait and screened at the Banff Film Festival as "A Gift from Kei Taniguchi." Hiraide had also received his fourth Piolet d'Or. Regarding Tika, I contacted an international cooperation NPO and they immediately replied that they would consider compensation. I would like to name the Pandora's Line that the three of us climbed under Kei, Hiraide and Hiraga's power "A Piece of the Sun." This "piece of the sun" will continue to burn in our hearts and guide us to even greater mountains.
Hiroki Suzuki
Akihiro Oishi
Takayanagi Suguru
９月２８日 出国
10月２日 カトマンズ発
10月４日 セカトム着
10月5日 セカトムよりトレッキング開始
10月12日 ＢＣ着 （5100ｍ）
10月16日 ＡＢＣ着 （5300ｍ）
10月17日 高度順応 約6600ｍまで
10月18日 ＢＣに戻る
10月19日 ＢＣレスト
10月20日 ロナーク村でレスト
1０月21日 〃
10月22日 〃
10月2３日 ＢＣレスト
10月24日 ＡＢＣ着
10月25日 ビバーク１ 5500ｍ
10月26日 ビバーク２ 5800ｍ
10月27日 ビバーク３ 6200ｍ
10月28日 ビバーク４（山頂直下不時露営） 6500ｍ
10月29日 登頂 6850ｍ（インリーチのデータは6665ｍ）～Ｃ４
10月30日 ＡＢＣに下山
10月３１日 ＢＣに下山
11月1日 ＢＣレスト
11月2日 ロナーク
11月5日 タプレジュン
11月6日 カトマンズ着
11月11日 日本帰国
September 28th: Departure
October 2nd: Departure from Kathmandu
October 4th: Arrival at Sekhatom
October 5th: Start trekking from Sekhatom
October 12th: Arrival at BC (5100m)
October 16th: Arrival at ABC (5300m)
October 17th: Acclimatization to altitude up to about 6600m
October 18th: Return to BC
October 19th: Rest at BC
October 20th: Rest in Ronak Village
October 21st: Same
October 22nd: Same
October 23rd: Rest at BC
October 24th: Arrival at ABC
October 2 5th Bivouac 1 5500m
October 26th Bivouac 2 5800m
October 27th Bivouac 3 6200m
October 28th Bivouac 4 (temporary bivouac just below the summit) 6500m
October 29th Summit 6850m (in-reach data is 6665m) - C4
October 30th Descend to ABC
October 31st Descend to BC
November 1st Rest at BC
November 2nd Lonark
November 5th Taplejung
November 6th Arrive Kathmandu
November 11th Return to Japan
