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§10. Mount Yotei ski mountaineering by Lerch.

 April 17, 1912. Lerch and others party left hotel at 6:00 a.m. Fall wind is strong, and some snow which fell at midnight are piled up. We arrived at office of Ezo Fuji mountain climbing society through in front of fourth elementary school (existing HIRAFU Elementary School). Member is 11 people including guide of mountain climbing society or reporter of Otaru newspaper. Weather did not improve, and sleet was mixed in StormWind.


羊蹄山登山風景

 Party climbs slow slope with one line zigzag. They arrive at the third stage (550m above sea level) smoothly at 10:00 a.m. However, at the fourth stage, they take off ski and will trail them because snow is firm, and slope became steep. They arrived for fifth stage and a half at 11:00 a.m. However, we judged that further skiing was impossible because point became steep slope more from there. We left ski there and decided to climb with one Staff. When we finally reached the sixth stage, it was noon.

 In the top, slope such as precipice stood in the way more from the seventh stage, and Snowstorm as we could not open eyes attacked. In that way reporter Okuya and others of Otaru newspaper gave voice when we appeared in flat place at last when “it was top”. Party was pleased with success of the climbing. However, staying long is impossible by this bad weather. We ordered that lieutenant colonel descended a mountain immediately to them.


1羊蹄下山中の一行

 It is 5:40 p.m. that we put on ski again at spot of fifth stage and a half leaving ski, and exhausted party arrived at mountain climbing fair office. This is the first-ever Mount Yotei ski mountaineering.

針葉樹林を行く一行

 For history of ski of NISEKO, mountaineering of Lerch and others was event with extremely important value.

羊蹄登山レルヒ中佐一行