원정 개요

BC 24/10 4700m
C1 28/10 6000m
C2 29/10 6200m (on the shoulder)
C3 30/10 6400m
C4 31/10 6750m
Smt 01/11 by Fomin and Balabanov at 11 am.

Team was on Makalu for three weeks as they were attempting the West Face. However, due to the heavy snowfall in September they realised that they would not be acclimatised enough to attempt it. They reached C2 on the normal route on Makalu and then decided to go to the Khumbu and attempt the South Face of Ama Dablam. However, after checking it out they realised that it was too dry and they went to the West Face.

C2 on the top of the shoulder with snow flutes which was the psychological crux as there was very little protection. After C3 they fixed some rope and climbed up the ramp. However, there was rockfall and they decided to take a rest and wait for the sun to set as it was safer. They reached their C4 at 10 pm after doing some mixed climbing. They set up their bivy where the face meets the NE Ridge between the seracs.

On summit day, they set out at 9 am and reached the summit at 11 am. They stayed on the right side of the ridge which was easier than expected. It was about 40m up after having broken trail through the seracs. The last 50m were quite flat.

They descended via the SW Ridge all the way to BC which they reached at 8 pm mainly due to the people.

Left BC on 03/11 walking to Lukla.