원정 개요

BC at 25 minutes south of Barun Pokhari
C1 at south end of Chago Glacier on west side
C2 at middle of united Chago Glacier
C3 at Makalu La.

Had planned for all members to go to normal NW Ridge route and reach summit, but lost 10-12 days from accident on 14th May, the day before planned summit bid. Chlekht fell 300m from 7900m; no one saw him fall. Body found next morning; fell about 5:00-6:00 pm. No snow at the mountain, all very hard ice, so probably slipped, crampons perhaps not sharp enough; body left where he fell inside tent and covered him with snow blocks. Those of who were to get to top on 15th went down to BC.

All decided to continue expedition and another group started up from C1 and 19th 4 reached summit while 4 turned back 200m so from top; on top were Sokolov, Plotnikov, Kogemiako and Koroteev, all from C3 except Koreteev who started from C4. All in good health and returned from camps they had started from. Others six refused to climb now because of friends death and "their spirit was very low" (and one of six was Chlekht's widow).

Second summit party started up from BC on 19th and on 23rd on top from C3 via normal route, one [Savkov] using oxygen from C2 because he was tired, weak. This party were Bachkirov, Bogomolov, Foigt, Stalkovski, Vegner and Outchev and down to C3.

Now plan to rest 4-5 days and go to summit via West Face. On 31 May started from BC and reached 5800m on glacier on west side of Makalu; 1 June weather bad (snowing) and down to BC some days (stayed bad to 6 June) so did not go again on mountain. Expected to take 4-5 days to climb face and now no time; flight from KTM set for 8 June.

18 members reached C3 during expedition.


Bachkirov article in American Alpine Journal for 1997 says a summiter on 23 May was Outechev and Savkov not listed. On 19 April 1999 Abramov and Cherny of 1999 Spring Russian Cho Oyu expedition confirmed that this was correct; Savkov was not a high climber.