29 Facts About Naomi Uemura

Naomi Uemura was a Japanese adventurer who was known particularly for his solo exploits.

Naomi Uemura was a licensed radio amateur operator, signed as JG1QFW.

Naomi Uemura was born in Hidaka, now part of Toyooka, Hyogo, Japan, to a family involved in agriculture.

In 1964,23-year-old Naomi Uemura left Japan with $110 USD and boarded a ship to Los Angeles on a tourist visa.

Naomi Uemura travelled to South America from Spain in December 1967 to hike Mount Aconcagua solo.

Naomi Uemura summited an unnamed mountain peak in Argentina, and named it "Meiji", after his alma mater, Meiji University.

Naomi Uemura was not able to get a hiking permit, so he hiked Mount Sanford instead.

In 1968, Naomi Uemura returned to Japan briefly, then went to Mount Everest twice.

Naomi Uemura wrote that he almost gave up twice during his 1978 North Pole trip.

Naomi Uemura persevered and became the first person to reach the North Pole solo.

Naomi Uemura completed the trip from May 10 to August 22,1978.

Naomi Uemura chose the pinnacles as the ending spot of his 1978 crossing of the island.

Naomi Uemura did this quickly and with a light pack.

Naomi Uemura dreamed of soloing across Antarctica and climbing that continent's highest peak, Vinson Massif.

Naomi Uemura set a record for the long-distance record for a dog-sled journey at 12,000 kilometres.

Naomi Uemura then prepared to climb Denali again solo in winter; however, for people unfamiliar with Alaskan climbing, the difficulty of a winter ascent can often be misjudged.

Naomi Uemura had developed a "self-rescue" device which consisted of bamboo poles tied over his shoulders.

Naomi Uemura planned a very light run, with only a 40-pound pack plus sled.

Naomi Uemura kept his gear light by planning to sleep in snow caves and therefore freeing himself from needing to carry a tent.

Naomi Uemura skimped on fuel and planned to eat cold food.

Naomi Uemura began his climb in early February 1984 and reached the summit on February 12.

On February 13,1984, one day after his 43rd birthday, Naomi Uemura spoke by radio with Japanese photographers who were flying over Denali, saying that he had made the top and descended back to 18,000 feet.

Naomi Uemura planned to reach the base camp in another two days but never made it.

Naomi Uemura was spotted around 16,600 feet the next day.

Doug Geeting, one of the bush pilots who had been "Naomi Uemura spotting" over the previous week, said, "If it were anybody else, we'd have somebody [a rescuer] on the mountain already".

Naomi Uemura had left his self-rescue poles back at 9,500 feet, knowing he was past the worst crevasse fields.

Naomi Uemura gave frequent public lectures and wrote about his travels.

An award named for him, Naomi Uemura Prize, was created in Japan after his death, to honour outstanding adventurers.

Naomi Uemura is remembered not only as a gifted climber and a driven adventurer but as a gentle, self-effacing man who cared about others.