Jalca Himal Expedition 2026 Successfully Climbs Unclimbed Peak Jalca Himal

The 'Jalca Himal Expedition 2026', supported by the Japan Alpine Club (President: Shiwori Hashimoto) as a grant recipient for the second half of fiscal year 2025, achieved the first ascent of Jalca Himal (main peak, 6473m) in the Nepal Himalayas at 12:05 PM (local time) on May 11. The expedition team consisted of three members. Team leader Masayuki Takenaka (36, Japan Alpine Club Kansai Branch) was on his third attempt since 2020. Team members Tatsuo Sugimoto (38, Yamanashi Branch) and Ryota Nomura (31, Hokkaido Branch) were on their second attempt. The three also reached the summit of the adjacent peak, Gyara (6363m). Although weather conditions in the Himalayas were unstable this spring, the three persevered through a 10-day wait at base camp to capture the good weather window. The summit push lasted 4 nights and 5 days. The upper ridge bordering Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China is long, testing both physical strength and mental fortitude. Takenaka climbed the unclimbed peak Nangamari in 2016 during an expedition organized by the Kansai branch, which was his first experience in the Himalayas. Since then, he has gained extensive experience, wanting to climb the Himalayas under his own power rather than being led by seniors. He remarked, 'I have finally been able to climb the Himalayas in a way that I am satisfied with.' After their previous retreat, Sugimoto had decided in Katmandu that they could succeed with revised tactics, later convincing the other two to return. He played a significant role in the climbing sections. Nomura learned to climb with the Hokkaido University Wander-Vogel Club and was awarded the 27th Naomi Uemura Adventure Award for a 63-day solo traverse of the Hokkaido watershed during the snowy season in 2022. On Jalca Himal, he leveraged his experience to lead the team through a whiteout plateau. It was truly a 'team play' ascent. The Japan Alpine Club plans to accept applications for overseas mountaineering grants for fiscal year 2026, with details to be announced on the club's website.