Makalu II | 1997 S Ridge

A Australia expedition to Makalu II in 1997 via S Ridge, led by Susan Fear. Summit reached on 10th October 1997. 4 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field	Value
ID	2464
Imported	2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID	MAK297301
Peak ID	MAK2
Year	1997
Season	3
Host Country	1
Route 1	S Ridge
Route 2	-
Route 3	-
Route 4	-
Nationality	Australia
Leaders	Susan Fear
Sponsor	Australian Makalu II Expedition 1997
Success 1	True
Success 2	False
Success 3	False
Success 4	False
Ascent 1	24th
Ascent 2	-
Ascent 3	-
Ascent 4	-
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Countries	-
Approach	-
Basecamp Date	1997-09-18
Summit Date	1997-10-10
Summit Time	-
Summit Days	22
Total Days	27
Termination Date	1997-10-15
Termination Reason	1
Termination Notes	-
High Point (m)	7678
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Camps	3
Fixed Rope (m)	300
Total Members	3
Summit Members	3
Member Deaths	0
Total Hired	2
Summit Hired	1
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(18/09,5600m),C1(21/09,6100m),C2(23/09,6800m),C3(09/10,7400m),Smt(10/10)
Route Notes	1st summit attempt on 3 Oct from C2 by Fear, Gregory and Nima Dorje Tamang; went to 40 minutes and Fear turned back with stomach trouble; others another 40 meters more to 6900m+. Down to BC and Fear recovered. Meanwhile Maraz also had recovered from his own illness below BC. From C2 to top (where in ankle-deep snow and weather very cold). From Makalu La went on to glacier on right side of ridge (100m from ridge) and joined South Ridge 80 vertical meters from summit.
Accidents	Maraz, Fear and Gregory slight frostbite
Achievement	1st Australian attempt
Agency	In Wilderness
Commercial Route	-
Standard Route	-
Primary Route	False
Primary Member	False
Primary Reference	-
Primary ID	-
Checksum	2453629
Year	1997
Summit Success	True
O2 Summary	None
Route (lowercase)	s ridge

Members

Field	Value
ID	17183
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	MAK297301
Member ID	01
Peak ID	MAK2
Year	1997
Season	3
First Name	Susan Erica (Sue)
Last Name	Fear
Sex	F
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1963
Calculated Age	34
Citizenship	Australia
Status	Leader
Residence	Wollstonecraft, NSW, Australia
Occupation	Trekking guide
Leader	True
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	True
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	7678
Summit Date 1	1997-10-10
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	24
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	(1963-2006) Died 28 May 2006 on Manaslu from crevasse fall
Summit Bid	5
Summit Term	1
HCN	0
Checksum	2435998
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	susan erica (sue) fear
Year of Birth	1963
Year	1997
Age at Expedition	34
Role	Leader

Field	Value
ID	17184
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	MAK297301
Member ID	02
Peak ID	MAK2
Year	1997
Season	3
First Name	Matthew James
Last Name	Gregory
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1965
Calculated Age	32
Citizenship	Australia
Status	Climber
Residence	Howra, Tasmania, Australia
Occupation	Agricultural researcher
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	True
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	7678
Summit Date 1	1997-10-10
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	24
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	5
Summit Term	1
HCN	0
Checksum	2436812
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	matthew james gregory
Year of Birth	1965
Year	1997
Age at Expedition	32
Role	Member

Field	Value
ID	17185
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	MAK297301
Member ID	03
Peak ID	MAK2
Year	1997
Season	3
First Name	John
Last Name	Maraz
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1962
Calculated Age	35
Citizenship	Australia
Status	Climber
Residence	Bondi, NSW, Australia
Occupation	Trekking guide
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	True
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	7678
Summit Date 1	1997-10-10
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	24
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	5
Summit Term	1
HCN	0
Checksum	2435637
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	john maraz
Year of Birth	1962
Year	1997
Age at Expedition	35
Role	Member

Field	Value
ID	17186
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	MAK297301
Member ID	04
Peak ID	MAK2
Year	1997
Season	3
First Name	Nima Dorje (Monterey)
Last Name	Tamang
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1951
Calculated Age	46
Citizenship	Nepal
Status	H-A Worker
Residence	Pirangding, Kerung, Solukhumbu
Occupation	-
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	True
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	True
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	7678
Summit Date 1	1997-10-10
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	24
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	Born June-July 1951; uncle of Nima Tamang
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	5
Summit Term	1
HCN	0
Checksum	-2097
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	nima dorje (monterey) tamang
Year of Birth	1951
Year	1997
Age at Expedition	46
Role	Hired

4 recorded members.

Name	Sex	Year of Birth	Citizenship	Status	Residence	Occupation
Susan Erica (Sue) Fear	F	1963	Australia	Leader	Wollstonecraft, NSW, Australia	Trekking guide	Details Other expeditions
Matthew James Gregory	M	1965	Australia	Climber	Howra, Tasmania, Australia	Agricultural researcher	Details Other expeditions
John Maraz	M	1962	Australia	Climber	Bondi, NSW, Australia	Trekking guide	Details Other expeditions
Nima Dorje (Monterey) Tamang	M	1951	Nepal	H-A Worker	Pirangding, Kerung, Solukhumbu	-	Details Other expeditions

References

Field	Value
ID	5131
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:36.307770
Expedition ID	MAK297301
Reference ID	01
Year	1997
Type	3
Journal	HIGH
Author	-
Title	-
Publisher	-
Publication Date	1998
Language	-
Citation	188:21 (Jul 1998)
Yak 94	-
Notes	-

1 recorded references.

Expedition ID	Journal	Author	Title	Publisher	Citation	Yak 94
MAK297301	HIGH	-	-	-	188:21 (Jul 1998)	-