Makalu II | 1980 S Ridge

A USA expedition to Makalu II in 1980 via S Ridge, led by Armando Menocal III, Gene White. Summit reached on 6th May 1980. 8 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1872
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAK280101
Peak ID MAK2
Year 1980
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Armando Menocal III, Gene White
Sponsor Berkeley Makalu II Expedition
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 Tumlingtar->Shipton La->Barun Glacier (BC)
Basecamp Date 1980-04-27
Summit Date 1980-05-06
Summit Time -
Summit Days 9
Total Days 20
Termination Date 1980-05-17
Termination Reason 7
Termination Notes Abandoned at 6400m due to member's severe AMS
High Point (m) 6400
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 7
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 1
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical True
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(27/04,5000m),C1(30/04,5300m),C2(02/05,5600m),C3(04/05,6100m),C4(06/05,6400m,xxx(06/05,6400m)
Route Notes Gene & Jim White - 20 May 80 Had 4 camps, C4 at about 6400m. Warburton woke up unable to talk, etc about 8 May. Sent Mrs White down for help from lower camps which came up same day. Took him down on 9th for 2 days to C1 where met Makalu I expedition by radio and Makalu I sent over oxygen which helped his recovery from cerebral edema. Could have been complicated by brain damage in USSR. 8 days carrying him to Tumlingtar; has badly swollen legs and pain in both and cannot walk. BC 16,500 ft 27 April C1 17,500 ft 30 April (where US Makalu I have BC) C2 18,500 ft 2 May C3 20,000 ft 4 May glacier C4 21,000 ft 6 May on Chago Glacier west of North Col South Ridge starts at 24,000 ft so not yet on ridge. Had 4 in C4: 3 Whites and Warburton. Doctor left expedition 30 April saying she had cerebral edema; her boyfriend left with her (Tileston). Armando Menocol never went above C2 because didn't acclimatize. Shailendra Raj Sharma Tourism - 18 May 80 Abandoned 11 May after 6300m, bad weather. Menocal & Gene White - 15 April 80 Fly to Tumlingtar tomorrow; 9-11 days to BC at about 5200m. From BC to Chago Glacier to Makalu La. Route = South Ridge About 4 camps above BC just below Col 23,400 feet 300 feet just below Col is gentle rock and way need fixed rope; that's only different part. 20 days at most on mountain; all have commitments back home, i.e., jobs, etc. No oxygen. No Sherpas above BC probably. Sirdar Pasang Dorje Lama might be carrying loads to C1.
Accidents Warburton became seriously ill at C4
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2447246
Year 1980
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) s ridge

Members

8 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Nancy Lane F 1954 USA Exp Doctor San Francisco, California Physician Details Other expeditions
Armando M. Menocal III M 1941 USA Co-Leader Berkeley, California Attorney Details Other expeditions
Fred Tileston M 1947 USA Climber San Francisco, California Corporation Lawyer Details Other expeditions
Michael (Mike) Warburton M 1957 USA Climber Berkeley, California Logger Details Other expeditions
Elizabeth H. White F 1938 USA Climber Berkeley, California Professor at San Francisco State College Details Other expeditions
Gene F. White M 1934 USA Co-Leader Berkeley, California Hydrologist & Sales VP of Denver Mountaineering Equip. Co. Details Other expeditions
James E. (Jim) White M 1939 USA Climber St. Cloud, Minnesota Professor of philosophy at Minnesota State College Details Other expeditions
Pasang Dorje Lama M - Nepal Sirdar - - Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAK280101 AAJ White, Gene F. - - 55:246-247 (1981) -
MAK280101 ROCK Osius, Alison Rescue on Makalu Rock & Ice Magazine 184:54-61 (March 2010) -
MAK280101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198124602/Asia-Nepal-Makalu-II-or-Kangchungtse-Attempt - - -