원정 개요

1st push: BC at lower BC site
ABC at higher BC site
Biv at bottom of Roger Baxter Jones Couloir
High point at North Face.

Bivs by Allen and Hinkes.

1st biv on 20th Sep by Miller, Smith, Child and Allen. On 22nd went to Makalu La; at same time others to 7000m. Then big snowstorm and weather now cold which meant couloir now dangerous.

Hinkes and Allen then went to left ridge of couloir, crossed into cwm, bived at 7800m (Spanish C4). On 1st Oct at 4:00 am they went on up and got avalanched. Took 5 days get them off. Winds now strong and route avalanche-prone. Parkin, Scott and Prabhu along with Child, Smith and Miller had gone to Makalu La 29th Sep but wind and snow drove them down. Hinkes and Allen started from ABC 28th Sep. Smith and Child went up on 7th Oct but only to C1.

"So many others on mountain normal route was like a motorway and not many with any ideas of Himalayan climbing" - Scott.

West Face impossible: wind slabs and powdered snow.

Allen fell 400m because unconscious and Hinkes came to him and helped him down. Were at 8100m in summit bid on 1 Oct at 10:00 am. Had been climbing semi-alpine-style using Spanish fixed ropes to C2 and carrying tent (Spanish making their own and summit bid same day). 30 Sept 2 Mexicans had tried for top and planned another try on 3rd or 4th Oct.

None of this expedition had been on West Face till Allen left today by helicopter.