Climber Deaths: Junko Tabei, Mike Powell – Different Worlds, Same Love

This past week two climbers died. They were about as different as they could be: Junko Tabei and Michael Powell. Why do I write this post? These two represent ends of the climbing spectrum. People who embraced the sport, and motivated others. Now, thru their deaths, they are shining a light on ambition, achievement and acknowledgement.

Junko Tabei 1939-2016

For many people, Junko is a familiar name as she was the first woman to summit Mt. Everest. She died this past week of peritoneal cancer at age 77.

Junko was introduced to the mountains at age 10 by her fourth grade teacher when they summited a nearby volcano Mount Nasu in Japan. Her climbing accelerated in 1962 after graduating from Showa Women’s University in Tokyo. In her twenties her life became defined with her climbing passion but also thru inspiring other women to tackle the male dominated sport.

Leading Lady  

In 1969, she founded the Ladies Climbing Club. Very telling was their slogan: “Let’s go on an overseas expedition by ourselves”. She was often criticized by men in Japan telling her she should stay at home, take care of her husband and have babies. One of her first big summits was in 1970, Annapurna III (7,555m) thus becoming the first Japanese woman to reach that summit. That accomplishment lead to thoughts of Everest.

In 1975 she took charge as the climbing leader of an all-female Japanese team to Everest. her sub team of 15 aligned with the UN’s “International Women’s Year” and found sponsors with Japanese TV and newspapers. Still Junko spent the equivalent of a year’s income to finance her climb. She left her three-year old daughter at home with her husband.

Everest Near Death

Following the traditional Southeast Ridge aka South Col route, the team reached 6,300m, well above the Khumbu Icefall when an avalanche hit the team. Junko was buried for six minutes and lost consciousness. She was dug out by the Sherpas who were supporting the climb.

She dealt with the unexpected at the Cornice-Traverse leads to the Hillary Step. This is the most exposed section of a Southeast Ridge climb. On one side it is 8,000 ft down the southwest face and on the other, the Kangshung face, a 11,000 ft drop.  She told the Japan Times:

“I had no idea I would have to face that, even though I’d read all the accounts of previous expeditions,” Tabei recalled recently at her office in Tokyo. “I got so angry at the previous climbers who hadn’t warned me about that knife-edge traverse in their expedition records.”

But there was no turning back. With her eyes fixed on the end of the ridge, Tabei slowly and carefully crawled along sideways, gripping it with her hands as she kept her her upper body on the Chinese side while her lower body was on the Nepalese side, and she tried to get some grip by kicking her crampon points into the ice. “I had never felt that tense in my entire life,” Tabei said. “I felt all my hair standing on end.”

Junko went on to summit Mt Everest that day,  May 16, 1975 establishing herself as one of the greatest female climbers of that time.

Continuing her passion for climbing, she went on to become the first woman to summit the 7 Summits. Her last summit was Mt. Fuji in 2011 with a group of high school students. Her goal was to summit the highest peak in 190 countries. She had reached the summits of the highest peaks of 56 countries as of March 2008.

Giving Back

Seeing how climbing was growing so rapidly, Junko became concerned about the environmental impact, especially on Everest. In 2000, she completed her master’s thesis on the trash problem on Everest.

In 2003, as an honored guest at the 50th anniversary parade for the first Everest summit, she was quoted as saying “Everest has become too crowded. It needs a rest now”. She became the director of the Himalayan Adventure Trust of Japan dedicated to preserve mountain environments including an building an incinerator to burn climbers’ trash on Everest. She also led “clean-up” climbs in Japan and the Himalayas.

Born in 1939 in the farming village of Miraru, about 140 miles north of Tokyo, she died on October 20, 2016 in a hospital in Kawagoe after being diagnosed with cancer in 2012. She leaves her husband and a daughter and son.

American climber, Ellen Miller who is the only American female climber to summit Everest from both sides and summit Lhotse and Nuptse told me:

This saddens me deeply. I had wonderful chats over tea with her in Kathmandu. So humble, so gracious, so classy. No ego. RIP Junko.

Junko told the Japan Times in 2011 at age 72 :

“I’ve never felt like stopping climbing — and I never will — even when I myself have seen people killed in accidents in the mountains,” she said. “Of course every time it happens it’s really shocking, but it will never stop me climbing.”

Michael Powell 1980 – 2016

While I never met Junko, I did know Mike.

Michael Powell died this week while descending from the summit of Mt. Whitney in California, the highest peak in the lower 48 States at 14,405 feet. Mike lived in Irvine, California and was a professional photographer, musician and graphic artists.

The details are coming out and it appears that Mike fell, while off-route, in the dark above Mirror Lake, an area known for being dangerous with difficult route finding especially at night. Inyo Search and Rescue and China Lake Mountain Rescue Group retrieved his body.

Partner Inspiration

His climbing partner that day, Angelia Blas, posted:

Well, Mike…we did it! On Oct 17, we stood atop the highest peak in the contiguous United States and had the summit all to ourselves! You fell in love with the Sierras immediately, were crazy excited about Whitney, didn’t doubt our ability to summit, and even kept me in check on and off trail.

You always mentioned that hiking was therapeutic for you. I remember you getting emotional after passing Trail Crest because you knew we would make it, finally. At the summit, you gave me a huge hug with the biggest smile on your face. You wanted it so badly and I’m so so proud of you!

I’ll be forever grateful that hiking caused our paths to cross in life. It’s clear that you’ve touched countless lives near and far, whether you knew it or not. We all miss you already, Mike…but know that you’re still with us. You’re our Trail Angel now. ?? WE LOVE YOU, MIKE ??