At 4:00 PM, the unit reached the summit of Umatateba (732m / 2,402 ft), which was only four kilometers from the first day's objective, Tashiro Hot Spring, but the weather changed suddenly, and they were struck by a severe blizzard. In the midst of the deep snow and blizzard, the soldiers wandered the northeast slope of the Hakkōda Mountains for several days, with 193 of the 210 men freezing to death en route. A further six died within two months after rescue. Eight out of 11 survivors had to have limbs amputated due to serious frostbites.