{"id":30833,"date":"2018-05-20T23:15:53","date_gmt":"2018-05-21T05:15:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/?p=30833"},"modified":"2018-05-21T19:12:34","modified_gmt":"2018-05-22T01:12:34","slug":"everest-2018-dead-on-everest-japanese-alpinist-nobukazu-kuriki","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2018\/05\/20\/everest-2018-dead-on-everest-japanese-alpinist-nobukazu-kuriki\/","title":{"rendered":"Everest 2018: Dead on Everest Japanese Alpinist Nobukazu Kuriki"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stunning news that\u00a0Japanese clim<\/a>ber Nobukazu Kuriki was found dead at Camp 2 on the Nepal side of Everest on the Standard route. The Himalayan Times<\/a>\u00a0reports that\u00a0Sherpas found him at C2. I had just reported that he was feeling better after a cough and was prepared to go higher on an unspecified route. He had struggled in 2018 with a high fever and a cough. Personally, I am shocked as I always found his climbs inspirational.<\/p>\n

Update<\/strong>: Its now being reported that he reached C3 on the Lhotse Face and began to have problems with coughing and pain. Intermittent radio contact prevented searchers from finding him and he was missing around 11:30 pm. \u00a0His body was finally found\u00a0above Camp 2 in the morning.<\/p>\n

A Unique Style<\/h3>\n

Kuriki-san was an alpinist purist – always alone, no supplemental oxygen and in the off seasons. He set a standard for his climbs that seemed impossible even for himself. Only a few teams attempt Everest in the autumn season each year due to shortening, cold days and the quickly approaching winter snows. But his determination and commitment was impressive regardless of the results. \u00a0Climbing alone was his “style” of climbing. He had solo climbs of McKinley (2004), Aconcagua, Elbrus, Kilimanjaro all in 2005 and Carstensz Pyramid in 2006.<\/p>\n

A Strong Determination<\/h3>\n

This was his eighth attempt on Everest and 13th on an 8000 meter peak, all without supplemental oxygen. Kuriji-san had become a legend in Japan with his Everest attempts and going so far as to lose his fingers to frostbite. \u00a0He dreamed of summiting Everest in the autumn – rarely accomplished by any climber – in his unique style of strictly alone and \u00a0without supplemental oxygen. This was his dream and he never let it go.<\/p>\n