Absolutely delighted to share some photo’s from my 2019-trip to the Makalu-region, which was part of a trek from Tumlingtar via East Col, West Col and Amphu Labtsa pass and Chukung to Lukla.
Featuring here are photo’s from Makalu, worlds fifth highest mountain. I took the liberty to find some more info on the known routes and plotted them on my photo, let me know what you think! -Vincent Kroes
Here is an overview of the south side: with some of our party on it (to give it some scale)
View from Makalu Base Camp:
If you ever have the chance: do the trek. It’s a very remote area, nothing compared to the Khumbu region.
Some detailed info:
First Makalu summit was in 1955 by the French from the North side. However, it would take untl the 70’s before the first climbs on this south side of the mountain would succeed. This photo shows the routes on the south side, which are among the hardest alpine climbs on 8000m peaks, are seldom climbed and some of the were never repeated.
Disclaimer: routes are drawn on the photo as a estimation of where they are based on multiple sources. If you see any flaws please don’t hesitate to let me know.
A nice description of the first West Ridge acscent
A story by Pierre Beghin, who did the solo direct south route
A good story on the Slovenes (back then: Yugoslavia) who did the first ascent on the South Face: Rock and Ice: History of Alpinist in Yugoslavia
Stef Schuermans further adds about the Czech climb:
1976 – South pillar route completed by Czechoslovak expedition (first attempt in 1973 ended shortly before Makalu South at 8010m due to the fatal fall of Jan Kounický). Route goes via south buttress to Makalu South and then via southeast ridge. Makalu South was climbed by 11 expedition members. Two of them – Karel Schubert and Milan Kriššák summited main summit together with Jorge Camprubi from Spanish expedition which climbed southeast ridge. Karel Schubert died after bivouac near the summit. The route wasn’t repeated till today.
Click here to check out some nice footage from 1973 and 1976 Czech team on Makalu.
Summit, up close:
This close up from the summit of Makalu gives a good perspective of the complexity and the dimensions.
This is actually a close up from just a little east of the actual mountain, but I liked it enough to include it in this feature:
