Makalu II | 1985 W Face-S Ridge

A Netherlands expedition to Makalu II in 1985 via W Face-S Ridge, led by Ronald Naar. Summit reached on 11th October 1985. 12 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 208
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAK285301
Peak ID MAK2
Year 1985
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Face-S Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Netherlands
Leaders Ronald Naar
Sponsor Kangchungtse Summit Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 13th,14th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach Shipton Pass
Basecamp Date 1985-09-23
Summit Date 1985-10-11
Summit Time 1100
Summit Days 18
Total Days 21
Termination Date 1985-10-14
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 7678
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 10
Summit Members 4
Member Deaths 2
Total Hired 5
Summit Hired 2
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(23/09,5400m),C1(25/09,5800m),C2(28/09,6600m),C3(02/10,7400m),Smt(11,13/10)
Route Notes BC at 5400m on ridge west side of south end of Chago Glacier C1 at 5800m middle moraine of Chago Glacier C3 at 7400m at Makalu La. All camps at same sites at Italian early Oct in BC to rest for several days and then up. 9th Oct so bad weather no progress possible and all in C1 and C2. 10th Oct first party went to C3 in heavy snowstorm. 11 Oct good weather till 9:15 am, then snow fall again but went on to top and reached it 11:00 am. 13th Oct clear, beautiful day and all camps cleared and all in BC that evening. 14th Oct left BC and reached KTM 22nd Oct. Between C2 and C3 always deep snow but not difficult route. Two members (Frank Merjenberg and Walter Roos) left expedition on the return trek and attempted to cross over into Khumbu via Sherpani Col, West Col and Amphu Laptsa. An unusually severe storm on Oct 16 trapped them just below Sherpani Col. They suffocated to death when their tents collapsed under the weight of 3 meters of new snow. 2 members failed to return from BC to KTM; it is assumed they perished in the deep snow of West Col-Sherpani Col region. Walter Roos and Frank Merjenberg: 17-19 Oct trekking via Sherpani Col and West Col. Took with them no Sherpas, 3 days food only. Never turned up and now must presumed lost. Were due in KTM 4 weeks ago. Hermann Tollemaar - 18 Nov 1985 All hope of finding them has been abandoned. Naar - 6 May 1986 2 missing climbers were found recently dead in their tent on Sherpani Col. Probably died of suffocation under heavy snowfall. Their bodies were found by a trekking party lead by Richard Salisbury in the following May 1986. The bodies were buried in a collapsed tent on the Barun side of Sherpani Col at about 5500m.
Accidents 2 members failed to return from BC to Kathmandu (they perished in major snowstorm below Sherpani Col; bodies found by trekking group May 1986)
Achievement 1st Dutch ascent
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2449235
Year 1985
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w face-s ridge

Members

12 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Tilleke Lippmann F 1955 Netherlands Climber Hague, Netherlands Linguist and travel writer Details Other expeditions
Frank Alexander Merjenberg M 1954 Netherlands Deputy Leader Eindhoven, Netherlands Dentist Details Other expeditions
Ronald Naar M 1955 Netherlands Leader Hague, Netherlands Photojournalist & alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Walter Roos M 1946 Netherlands Climber Hoorn, Netherlands French teacher Details Other expeditions
Ang Pasang Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions
Nawang Thile (Pemba Dorje) Sherpa M 1953 Nepal H-A Worker Beding, Dolakha - Details Other expeditions
Wim Teeuwisse M 1946 Netherlands Climber Den Bosch, Netherlands Urban planner Details Other expeditions
Lodewijk (Loek) Vermeulen M 1948 Netherlands Climber Hazerswoude, Netherlands Owner, sporting-goods mfg & importing business Details Other expeditions
Evert Wesker M 1952 Netherlands Climber Amsterdam, Netherlands Chemist & cycle-racer Details Other expeditions
Chris Zwarts M 1938 Netherlands Climber Gouda, Netherlands Photolab owner Details Other expeditions
Ria De Barre F 1957 Netherlands Climber Goes, Zeeland, Netherlands Police officer Details Other expeditions
Pieter De Jong M 1945 Netherlands Climber Ryswyk, Netherlands Builder Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAK285301 AAJ Naar, Ronald - - 60:219 (1986) -
MAK285301 - Naar, Ronald Ijle Horzon De Toorts, The Hague, Netherlands - N02
MAK285301 MM - - - 108:11 (Mar 1986) -
MAK285301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198621902/Asia-Nepal-Kangchungtse-Ascent-and-Tragedy - - -