Makalu II | 1978 NW Face-Makalu Col-S Ridge

A France expedition to Makalu II in 1978 via NW Face-Makalu Col-S Ridge, led by Bernard Ferrier. Summit reached on 22nd October 1978. 7 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2170
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAK278301
Peak ID MAK2
Year 1978
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 NW Face-Makalu Col-S Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality France
Leaders Bernard Ferrier
Sponsor Rhonalp Makalu II Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 3rd
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach Tumlingtar->Shipton La->Upper Barun Glacier (BC)
Basecamp Date 1978-10-01
Summit Date 1978-10-22
Summit Time -
Summit Days 21
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 7678
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 6
Summit Members 1
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 True
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(01/10,5000m),ABC(02/10,5300m),C1(10/10,6200m),C2(20/10,7000m),Smt(22/10)
Route Notes For brief indication of Poles on Makalu climbing with French. Ferrier & Manificat - 6 Nov 78 French route of 1951 on NW Face to Col and from col up South Ridge between 2 heavy snowfalls able to climb; in early Oct 2 in 3 days and also returned to BC. BC 1 Oct at 5000m ABC 2 Oct at 5300m C1 10 Oct at 6200m C2 20 Oct at 7000m Helped carry 1 Polish sick members at time of early Oct snow: Bonnafoux, Henault, Ferrier. 3 members [Henault, Bonnafoux and Ferrier] reached Col and made route to 7400m and returned and 3 others reached Col on 22 and followed route. On 22 Oct Manificat alone to summit because started earlier. 600m to climb from C2. At 6:00 Manificat left C2 while other two [Lavergne and Chaix] 8:00-8:30 am with problems of overboots, waiting for sun. Much wind for 3 days. After that no time for others to go to top. In 3 days cleared all equipment from mountain and went quickly to Tumlingtar. Would take 1 week to send others to top. For rest first in BC. No oxygen; members did all carrying above C1 because no Sherpas would climb above C1. No accident, no illness; little frostbite Chaix. Ferrier - 15 Aug 78 Route not sure: at first thought to take South Ridge of '54 French - but maybe slightly different. Leave KTM 20 - 21 Sept. Equipment arrives 15 or 16 Sept. Other members arrive 17 Sept. Fly to T'tar and 10 days trek to BC with 30-35 porters (800 kg baggage) Expedition of friends and amateurism, no professional guides. Make expedition to see. 4 sherpas above BC - sirdar Mingma BC about 4800-5000m - 8 porters to stay there - will be just below glacier. If glacier (not steep) will put another camp where it does get steep at about 5300-5400m C2 at about 6000-6200m Little tent near pass at 6800-7000m - not possible to make biv. 5 bottles oxygen for medical and possibly in last camp for sleeping so at least 2 to summit. Arrive BC end Sept. Summit about 20 Oct, but "in fact it will depend on north wind."
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2446682
Year 1978
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) nw face-makalu col-s ridge

Members

7 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Bernard Bonnafoux M 1952 France Climber Beaurepaire, Isere, France Technician in factory producing plastic motorcar parts Details Other expeditions
Dominique Chaix M 1952 France Exp Doctor Grenoble, Isere, France Physician on staff of hospital in Grenoble Details Other expeditions
Bernard Ferrier M 1952 France Leader Villeurbanne, Rhone, France Electrical engineer Details Other expeditions
Jean-Etienne Henault M 1947 France Climber Villeurbanne, Rhone, France Designer-technician in electric utility Details Other expeditions
Christian Lavergne M 1950 France Climber Lyon, Rhone, France Technician in engineering office Details Other expeditions
Jean Francois Manificat M 1950 France Climber Grenoble, Isere, France Medical student Details Other expeditions
Mingma Sherpa M - Nepal Sirdar - - Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAK278301 AAJ Ferrier, Bernard - - 53:261-262 (1979) -
MAK278301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197926102/Asia-Nepal-Kangchungtse - - -