원정 개요

BC at normal BC southwest of lake
ABC opposite West Face (above normal high BC at lower end of Chago Glacier)
C1 at top of Icefall, nearly an hour from start of West Face
C2A at hanging glacier at lower part of face
C2B at Chago Glacier slightly above US C2
C3 at Makalu La
C4 on North Face very close to NW Ridge
High point on West Face.

Expedition rested a day a Tumlingtar, 5 days at Tashigaon for telecasting and acclimatizing, a day at Yangri Kharka, 2 stops below Barun Pokhari BC area before making BC. Rheinberger placed C1 & C2 for W Face route, but fixed rope at bottom of face taken away by falling serac which was repaired a couple of times and then not replaced; placed C2A also. Climbed above C2A to 7000m 60 degrees on 1 May by Reinberger and Taylor and slept with 2 Sherpas at C2A. On 2nd May spindrift came roaring down face down to ABC. Decided summit bid nil and dangerous rock fall so 3-4 May to abandon face. Discussed alternative of W Pillar but finally decided to go for normal route for which permit received on 7th May (for $8000 additional peak fee after some official said $18,000 and leader disqualified for climbing in Nepal for 5 yrs in mistaken belief that leader had actually gone up normal route).

Diplock and Rheinberger chosen for 1st summit, Taylor and Welch 2nd, Flannery, Hudson and Filzek 3rd (but Filzek dropped out). Tents for C2 pitched on 8th and occupied by Rheinberger and Diplock plus 8 Sherpas on 9th, rested there on 10th. 11th May all set out to turn back at c6900m and back to C2 having dropped loads at 6900m. 12th May all got to C3. 13th 6 Sherpas and 2 members set out to place C4 at 7800m and slept there by Ang Jangbu, Dawa Nuru, Rheinberger and Diplock. Intended to leave for summit push at midnight but had started snowing in early evening and kept on snowing; 4:30 am on 14th cleared and left C4 5 am; got to narrow couloir in snow; climbed up this for 6 hrs with Sherpa slightly ahead and at 3 pm emerged at top of it at 8250m, quite weary. Now started snowing, decided to turn back, thinking were only at 8050m and figured 5-6 hrs more climbing well into dark. Now had problem of descending couloir in soft snow which did with some difficulty. 4 men reached C4 about 6:30-6:45pm. 2 Sherpas immediately quickly to C3 and down to ABC late next afternoon.

Welch, Taylor and 2 Sherpas to C4 16th May. Bad weather forecast, tent poles already broken, and wind by midnight prevented their moving out. Left C4 17th May and reached C2.

Hudson and Flannery to C3 17th May where Sherpas were. 18th May down to C2 because of winds & C4 probably blown away.


Adrian Burgess - 30 May 1992

Britain Makalu

"Was well organized - they just didn't have the depth of experience," but "weren't Kamikazi;" admitted West Face too much for them and got off it; no one hurt.

ME Education and BMC refused to endorse it, Bonington and Scott critized it, but people have to climb in their own style and at their own level of experience. These people have learned a lot.