Makalu | 2004 NW Ridge-N Face of Kangchungtse-Makalu La-NW Ridge

A France expedition to Makalu in 2004 via NW Ridge-N Face of Kangchungtse-Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by Jean-Christophe Lafaille. Summit reached on 18th May 2004. 1 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 4648
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA04108
Peak ID MAKA
Year 2004
Season 1
Host Country 2
Route 1 NW Ridge-N Face of Kangchungtse-Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality France
Leaders Jean-Christophe Lafaille
Sponsor Makalu Tibet 2004
Success 1 False
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed True
Countries -
Approach From Tibet
Basecamp Date 2004-04-21
Summit Date 2004-05-18
Summit Time -
Summit Days 27
Total Days 33
Termination Date 2004-05-24
Termination Reason 7
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7700m due to exhaustion
High Point (m) 7700
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 1
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
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 Climbed Makalu II (MAK2-041-01)
Campsites BC(21/04,4900m),ABC(23/04,5750m),C1(25/04,6500m),C2(27/04,7200m),C3(series of Bivs),Smt-Kangchungtse(16/05,7678m),Biv(17/05,7400m),xxx(18/05,7700m)
Route Notes BC at Kangshung Glacier, west of Pethang Ringmo ABC at Chomo Longo Glacier C1 at top of north ridge on North Face of Kangchungtse C2 at NW Ridge of Kangchungtse High point at NW Ridge. 29th to BC to rest: from ABC 14th May to C2. 18th up Kangchungtse NW Ridge and then over onto its North Face and biv on face at 7400m. 16th up North Face to Kangchungtse at 2:00 pm and then to Makalu La plateau and biv at 7450m. 17th crossed plateau to Makalu La and biv at La at 7400m. At midnight started normal route for top but too tired so stopped at 7700m at 2:00 am of 18th, fingers and toes cold; so returned to biv at La. Route on Kangchungtse not dangerous, very technical, but "beautiful" route. Technically more difficult than Bonington route on Annapurna I South Face; most difficult solo climb he was ever made, that night descended normal route of Makalu to high Makalu BC at 11:00 am of 18th and slept there. 19th down to Barun Glacier and at 5600m. Traversed east and northeast along high side of Barun Glacier to ridge running northeast to point 6140m Schneider Khumbu map and traversed northwest side of his ridge, crossed big flat glacier and crossed back into Tibet via point 6400m north-northwest of Chago down from pass on broken, steep, bad rock and back to ABC and slept there. 20th to BC.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Asian Trekking (Dawa)
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID MAK204101
Checksum 2456048
Year 2004
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) nw ridge-n face of kangchungtse-makalu la-nw ridge

Members

1 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Jean-Christophe Lafaille M 1965 France Leader Vallorcine, Haute-Savoie, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA04108 HIGH - - - 262:8 (Sep 2004) -
MAKA04108 AAJ Griffin, Lindsay - - 79:443-444 (2005) -
MAKA04108 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12200544300/Asia-Tibet-HimalayaMahalangur-Himal-Makalu-II-7678-New-Route-and-First-Ascent-from-Tibet - - -