Japanese Climber Speaks at Local School

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Brian Malone

Story Created: Apr 2, 2009 at 11:15 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Apr 2, 2009 at 11:15 AM AKDT

A 37-year-old climber from Japan is back at sea-level after tackling one fo the most technical mountains in Alaska in the dead of winter.

Masatoshi Kuriaki spoke to a group of Japanese-speaking students and parents at Sand Lake Elementary School about his winter climb of Mount Hunter.

Kuriaki is also known as the "Japanese Caribou" from when he successfully walked from Anchorage to Prudhoe Bay. He has also successfully climbed both Mount Foraker and Denali solo in the winter.

In all he has spent more than 500 days on Alaska's peakes by himself. What is different now? He has two daughters waiting for him at home.

He tells us that while he used to love being in the mountains, his kids make him want to get back home. Kuriaki didn't summit Hunter this winter but he spent nearly 50 days trying. He says he will be back next winter to try again.