Makalu II | 1977 NW Ridge

A Japan expedition to Makalu II in 1977 via NW Ridge, led by Makoto Numata. Summit reached on 15th May 1977. 12 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2173
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAK277101
Peak ID MAK2
Year 1977
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Makoto Numata
Sponsor Himalayan Expedition of Chiba University 1977
Success 1 False
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1977-04-27
Summit Date 1977-05-15
Summit Time -
Summit Days 18
Total Days 20
Termination Date 1977-05-17
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7450m due to strong winds and snowfall
High Point (m) 7450
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 10
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 4
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used False
O2 None True
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(27/04,4800m),C1(29/04,5300m),C2(02/05,5800m),C3(07/05,6420m),C4(14/05,7000m),xxx(15/05,7450m)
Route Notes Yoshinaga & Toriumi - 22 June 77 Weather bad, strong wind and snowfall; reason for defeat. NW Ridge route, same route as 1976. In March-April only acclimatization, BC established 27 April. 15 May Murata and [Sonam] Sherpa in summit attempt reached 7450m 3:30 pm and then returned because snowfall. No 2nd attempt. 1 member broken finger. No manpower. Jha, MTA - 20 May 77 Abandoned on 16th May. Reached 7450m 15th May 3:30 pm before finally called off attempt. 2 men, Akira Murata and Sonam Sherpa, reached high point. C4 7000m 14th May at 2 pm by Nobukazu [Toriumi]. Leaving BC and reaching KTM 20 June by foot. Johnson and Bozman of Makalu I expedition - 16 May 77 Japanese Makalu II expedition leaving their BC 17th May, They too plagued with illness; only one member healthy; they started climbing well before late April. Jha, MFA - 13 May 77 Makalu II: Chiba U, Japanese C3 6420m on 7th May 15:00 hrs by Akira Murata Sonam Sonam Tshering Danu All members well weather fine - snowing at base camp every morning. (5 camps planned - NW Ridge). Jha, MFA - 8 May 77 BC 27th April 4800m C1 29th April 5300m C2 2nd May 5800m All through weather fine and all in excellent health. C2 established by Murata and 3 Sherpas. Nobukazu Toriumi - 5 March 77 Trying 1st spring ascent. Same NW Ridge route as No Japanese success 13th Oct 5 camps. Spring warmer and longer last time from Chiba U. In 71 much snowfall and 1 dead. This expedition brings memorial for dead member from KTM and put it on a rock face. Toriumi flies to Turlingtar 10 March meets others. Main party left KTM 25 Feb to Dharan and leader by air 1 March. Started caravan 2 March and reach Sedua 15 March to change porters to cross Shipton pass. Arrive BC area 1 April (permit for bringing climbing only 28 April so officially BC 28 April). Climbing 6 weeks with C5 7300m. C3 same as Sepyo party but main C4 much closer to C3 the Sepyo and now add C5. Walung Dorje sirdar and 3 HA Sherpas and cook, etc. Numata Leader - same as but comes only to KTM to meet friends and arrange for survey expedition which begins April. Some stay in Nepal to late June.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2446156
Year 1977
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) nw ridge

Members

12 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Reiko Aota F 1953 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Was office worker for Caravan Sports Co. Details Other expeditions
Akira Murata M 1945 Japan Climber Kitami, Hokkaido, Japan Works in Kitami municipality's city planning section Details Other expeditions
Naoko Satomi F 1949 Japan Climber Chiba-shi, Chiba, Japan Physician Details Other expeditions
Tekemitsu Sugimoto M 1943 Japan Climber Susono, Shizuoka, Japan Florist (owns 3 flower shops and teaches Jap. flower arrangement) Details Other expeditions
Nobukazu Toriumi M 1948 Japan Climber Yamakita, Kanagawa, Japan Draftsman Details Other expeditions
Hideki Yoshinaga M 1941 Japan Climbing Leader Tokyo, Japan Staff member, Sakai Appraisal of Real Estate Co. Details Other expeditions
Toshihiko Naito M 1939 Japan Ecological Survey Sendai, Miyagi, Japan Assistant professor of ecology, Tohoku university of agriculture Details Other expeditions
Shozo Takiguchi M 1949 Japan Ecological Survey Chiba-shi, Chiba, Japan Staff member, nature conservation society of Japan Details Other expeditions
Masahiko Oosawa M 1946 Japan Survey Party Leader Chiba-shi, Chiba, Japan Lecturer in ecology at Tokyo University of Agriculture & Technol Details Other expeditions
Sonam Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions
Walung Dorje Sherpa M - Nepal Sirdar - - Details Other expeditions
Makoto Numata M - Japan Leader - Assistant professor of ecology at Chiba University Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAK277101 AAJ Cheney, Michael J. - - 52:593 (1978) -
MAK277101 IWA - - - 61:II (1978) -
MAK277101 IWA - - - 61:26-27 (1978) -
MAK277101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197859301/Asia-Nepal-Makalu-II-or-Kangshungtse - - -