Kokou no Hito 128

A born climber.

[Kokou no Hito 128 Translation by Kewl0210]
Page 103:
Title: 128th Climb Provocation

Page 104-105:
[I'm a FUKKIN NINJA!]

Page 106:
[Apparently he shaved at least.]

Page 107:
Takemura: Well I must say, I'm surprised.
Um... Because Mori, no, Katou Buntarou-san, you have a cell phone.

Page 108:
You're really a member of society now, aren't you?
Katou: ......Your dad was worried about you.
Is it true you haven't been helping out at the shop recently?
Have you been playing around doing stuff like this every day?
Takemura: Playing...?

Page 109:
Takemura: This is a sport called slacklining.
It was originally started by climbers in Yosemite. It's a tightrope walk meant to test bravery.
Wanna try it?
Katou: No, I'm fine down here.
Anyhow, it looks like you're planning to head off to K2 soon, huh?
What about equipment? What's your agenda look like?

Page 110:
Takemura: There are frequent avalanches on the ridge on the K2 East-Face.
In order to lower risk, speed is essential.
Making deep paths in the snow fields of the upper section.
A giant steep ice wall near the peak...
Heavy equipment is just waste of stamina...
The strategy I find ideal
is the ultimate light and fast.

Page 111:
Takemura: First off, I'm aiming to climb during August. So I'll be leaving Japan in the end of June.
Using the smallest possible unite, just 4 or 5 guys including a porter and a kitchen boy,
From Askole to base camp is an over 100 kilometer long-drawn-out trek.
Two weeks from arriving at base camp, I'll make one long burst all the way to the peak!!
Of course, that's only if it's possible based on weather conditions.
Mori: If the weather is bad, you wait for the snow to stop for a good 1 or 2 days so you know it's stable.
If the snow hardens at night, it will make the risk of avalanche lower.
You should set a minimum of a month to wait at base camp.
Takemura: With my stamina in the condition it's at now, a bivouac at 7000 meters will be plenty.
I'll show that I can conquer to the summit in one burst!

Page 112:
Katou: Takemura...
Nature does not move according to how you think it will.
And you'll be in 8500m untrodden territory.
You need to acclimate with the altitude, too. You'll need to make room for that as well.
As you ascertain the weather at the 6500~7000m level, you also need to use that time to scout out your route.
In order to stave off stamina depletion at 7000m, you need to make an area to acclimate to the elevation.
For the whole attack, the bivouac frequency should be a total of 4, with 2 going up and 2 going down...
The first from 5000~6300 and the second at 7500.
The third should be after you've stepped on the peak and gone below the 8000 line, then the 4th at 6000. Then descend down to base camp-----------

Page 113:
Katou: Fundamentally, the descent should be a normal route, but consider going down the same one you went up and you should probably have a thin diameter rope.
In case of an emergency descent, the climbing tools you'll need will be one 50m long 6mm diameter rope, three screws, three hooks, three cams, and three slings.
Also a thread hook...
Rather than just rush in recklessly to claim the peak,
getting yourself back alive to where there are other people are is what's important.

Page 114:
Takemura: If you don't set foot on the peak, then just what is mountain climbing?
Katou: !?
Takemura: This is a steep knife ridge so narrow that you can't even reliably find a place to set your feet.
If you make one false step, you'll tumble down 1000 meters---------------

Page 115:
Takemura: On top of this slackline,
by repeating advance traversing and retreating over and over,
By training balance and muscle cooperation,
Besides that, for staving off exhaustion of stamina in the upper body,
it also serves as training to keep your center of gravity down at your feet.
This is not playing.
It's a gamble to prove my reason for being.

Page 116:
Takemura: Including this past year where you've been infatuated with your family,
I've been progressing in climbing techniques and training methods every day.
In other words, "Solo Climb Katou Buntarou"
is gone and done with.

Page 117:
[Because you're mine...]

Page 118-119:
[I walk the line.]

Page 129:
Kokou no Hito
The Climber