Makalu | 2008 Makalu La-NW Ridge

A Romania expedition to Makalu in 2008 via Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by Alex Gavan. Summit reached on 12th May 2008. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field	Value
ID	6057
Imported	2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID	MAKA08104
Peak ID	MAKA
Year	2008
Season	1
Host Country	1
Route 1	Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2	-
Route 3	-
Route 4	-
Nationality	Romania
Leaders	Alex Gavan
Sponsor	Romanian Cloud Climbing Makalu Expedition 2008
Success 1	True
Success 2	False
Success 3	False
Success 4	False
Ascent 1	99th
Ascent 2	-
Ascent 3	-
Ascent 4	-
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Countries	-
Approach	Lukla to BC by helicopter
Basecamp Date	2008-04-23
Summit Date	2008-05-12
Summit Time	1400
Summit Days	19
Total Days	22
Termination Date	2008-05-15
Termination Reason	1
Termination Notes	-
High Point (m)	8485
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Camps	4
Fixed Rope (m)	0
Total Members	2
Summit Members	1
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	-
Campsites	BC(23/04,4800m),ABC(25/04,5700m),C1(29/04,6200m),C2(04/05,6800m),C3(10/05,7400m),C4(11/05,7800m),Smt(12/05)
Route Notes	C3 at Makalu La. Gavan left C4 at 2:30 am on 12 May, reached summit at around 2 pm, stayed on summit for about 20 minutes, descended to C4 between 6-7 pm. Next day to ABC on 14th to BC. Weather was perfect till the summit time. After that it became cloudy but no wind. The morning was very cold. Other summiters on that day were Urubko, three Kazakisthanis, one Basque and one more climber whom Gavan met on his ascent. Radulesku when trying to go to C3 from C2 in the morning on 9 May, found that he was not walking in normal manner. He said that everything was normal except that his legs were not under his control. Then he descended to go to ABC alone same day. Gavan said that he has summited in 20 days, BC to summit it may be shortest time in which somebody has summited so far. BC to summit and to BC on 22 days. Did somebody has done this before? The team returned to Kathmandu on 15 May by helicopter from BC. Radulescu trying to leave on 24 May. Gavan will leave on 7 June. The team did one day trek to Namche.
Accidents	Radulescu suffered from altitude sickness
Achievement	1st Romanian to summit Makalu
Agency	Nepal Trans Himalayan Explorer
Commercial Route	False
Standard Route	True
Primary Route	False
Primary Member	False
Primary Reference	False
Primary ID	-
Checksum	2457507
Year	2008
Summit Success	True
O2 Summary	None
Route (lowercase)	makalu la-nw ridge

Members

Field	Value
ID	45482
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	MAKA08104
Member ID	01
Peak ID	MAKA
Year	2008
Season	1
First Name	Alexandru Costin (Alex)
Last Name	Gavan
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1982
Calculated Age	25
Citizenship	Romania
Status	Leader
Residence	Bucharest & Cepari, Romania
Occupation	Photographer
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	False
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	8485
Summit Date 1	2008-05-12
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	1400
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	99
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	2442965
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	alexandru costin (alex) gavan
Year of Birth	1982
Year	2008
Age at Expedition	26
Role	Leader

Field	Value
ID	45483
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	MAKA08104
Member ID	02
Peak ID	MAKA
Year	2008
Season	1
First Name	Mihnea
Last Name	Radulescu
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1979
Calculated Age	29
Citizenship	Romania
Status	Climber
Residence	Harrow, Middlesex, England
Occupation	Engineering geologist
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	False
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	7000
Summit Date 1	2008-05-09
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	0
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	1
Summit Term	6
HCN	0
Checksum	2441904
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	mihnea radulescu
Year of Birth	1979
Year	2008
Age at Expedition	29
Role	Member

2 recorded members.

Name	Sex	Year of Birth	Citizenship	Status	Residence	Occupation
Alexandru Costin (Alex) Gavan	M	1982	Romania	Leader	Bucharest & Cepari, Romania	Photographer	Details Other expeditions
Mihnea Radulescu	M	1979	Romania	Climber	Harrow, Middlesex, England	Engineering geologist	Details Other expeditions

References

0 recorded references.