Japanese climbers finish a never-before completed Denali expedition, thanks to help from Alaskans

Subaru Takeda, Genya Takenaka, and Toranosuke Nagayama return a selfie while climbing a way connected Denali. (Courtesy of Subaru Takeda)

Toranosuke Nagayama and his 2 climbing partners spent much than 2 years readying a awesome expedition connected Denali. 

“Alaskan climbing is very special,” Nagayama said. “We are really willing successful that, like, a very achromatic world. So we came here.”

Nagayama flew to Anchorage from Canada past period to yet make nan long-awaited trek connected Denali. His 2 partners — Subaru Takeda and Genya Takenaka — traveled each nan measurement from Japan. 

After they arrived, they near their bags unattended successful nan lobby of nan Anchorage flat they had rented. And erstwhile they came backmost a fewer hours later, nan bags were gone. Nagayama estimates that betwixt $10,000 to $20,000 worthy of climbing cogwheel was stolen. They were devastated. 

“I gave up astatine nan time, for illustration I gave up nan expedition,” Nagayama said. “I was really fresh for climbing, and I was truthful excited to spot nan glacier. I was really disappointed astatine nan time.”

The adjacent day, connected a whim, Takeda posted a handwritten motion astatine REI, asking if anyone had accusation astir their stolen gear. Someone took a photograph of nan sign, and uploaded it to the Alaska Rock Climbing Facebook page. 

Subaru Takeda posted a handwritten motion astatine REI aft his climbing cogwheel was stolen. (Facebook screenshot)

Within hours, Alaskans started reaching out, offering to lend equipment. Dana Drummond, proprietor of The Hoarding Marmot, moreover organized a spreadsheet of everything they needed — jackets, crampons, harnesses, crystal axes and more. 

“The Alaskan group were really kind,” Nagayama said. “I didn’t expect it. So it was truthful quick. And past we thought, ‘Oh, we mightiness beryllium capable to proceed this trip.’ It was a really bully day.”

Their scheme was to nexus 2 analyzable climbs together: nan West and East Kahiltna Peaks pinch nan Cassin Ridge of Denali. No 1 had successfully linked these peaks successful 1 self-supported endeavor. 

In 2008, Japanese climbers Tatsuro Yamada and Yuto Inoue tried, but they vanished adjacent nan apical of Denali. In 2011, it was attempted again by Yasuhiro Hanatani and Kei Taniguchi, but they did not complete it. 

After gathering cogwheel from climbers each complete Anchorage, Nagayama, Takeda and Takenaka group retired to make their attempt.

They spent 2 weeks acclimating to nan elevation, and past they started traversing. For 10 days, they climbed done difficult weather, and connected snowfall and crystal they described arsenic “fragile.” They had hoped to besides acme Denali, but a bout of hypothermia turned them astir conscionable earlier nan summit. They were happy to complete their main extremity — linking nan Kahiltna peaks pinch nan Cassin Ridge.

“The glacier was really beautiful, for illustration immense and level glacier,” Nagayama said. “We are truthful excited.”

Takeda took iPhone videos of their expedition, particularly successful uncommon moments of bully weather. One shows nan clouds beneath them arsenic nan endless snowfall glistens successful nan sunshine. There they are, dancing for nan camera and jingling different people’s quickdraws, and dusting disconnected different people’s crampons. Takeda said he thought astir this a batch during nan climb.

“From nan apical of maine and from nan guidelines of me, I deterioration nan different group gears,” he said. “I thought that it is meaningful thing.”

Genya Takenaka (left) and Subaru Takeda (right) are interviewed successful Dana Drummond’s house, wherever they stayed aft their expedition. (Photo by Jeremy Hsieh/Alaska Public Media)

Clint Helander lent skis skins and helmets. He wasn’t amazed that truthful galore were speedy to help.

“I deliberation Alaskans are beautiful resilient and you really benignant of person to trust connected group up here,” he said. “Sometimes you deliberation you’re each abstracted from everybody and you person small disagreements present and there, but it’s really cool conscionable to spot really — successful nan climbing world aliases conscionable successful Alaska successful wide — really group really travel together to thief group out.” 

Takeda said he’s truthful grateful.

“I could ne'er do this without Alaskan people’s help,” he said. 

Before flying location past week, they unpacked their borrowed cogwheel and returned it each to nan section climbers who — together — helped make their expedition successful.