Makalu | 2008 Makalu La-NW Ridge

A Australia expedition to Makalu in 2008 via Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by Andrew Lock. Summit reached on 21st May 2008. 3 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 6061
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA08108
Peak ID MAKA
Year 2008
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Australia
Leaders Andrew Lock
Sponsor Independent team on Makalu
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 110 w/Czech
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Mexico, UK
Approach Helicopter to Hillary BC 23 April
Basecamp Date -
Summit Date 2008-05-21
Summit Time 1115
Summit Days 0
Total Days 0
Termination Date 2008-05-24
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8485
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 3
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 ABC(28/04,5650m),C1(05/05,6200m),C2(06/05,6700m),C3(12/05,7400m),C4(20/05,7950m),Smt(21/05)
Route Notes Independent team on Makalu, led by Andrew Lock - 27 May 2008 C4 was established at 7950m by Lock and Ponce de Leon on 20 May, and at 3:45 am they left the camp for the summit. Ponce de Leon turned back at 8100m at about 6:00 am because of his chest infection, for which he had taken medication that made him weak. He descended to C4 to wait for Lock, who summited at 11:15 am in excellent weather, warm and wind no problem. Lock rejoined Ponce de Leon in C4 at 1:30 pm and both descended to C3 at 4:30 pm. They were back in BC on the 22nd. Ward had turned back from C2 to BC on 12 May with a bad headache. He started his own summit push from BC on 16 May, a day ahead of the Lock and Ponce de Lean, to go to C3 on the 17th and stay there for two nights to acclimatize. But he stayed in C3 only one night and made a low C4 at 7600m on the 18th. On the 19th he tried for the summit with Colombian Fernando Gonzalez-Rubio from 7600m. But Ward managed to get only to 7800m, Gonzalez-Rubio a little higher, and then they descended together to C3. Ward's climb was finished. Email from Billie 25 May 2008 Dispatch from Andrew Lock Success - 23 May 2008 - 18:30 At 11: 15 am, 21 May 08, I stood on the summit Mt Makalu 8470 metres, world's highest mountain and the 13th summit in my quest to climb all 14 of the world's 8000ers. It was a beautiful summit on a beautiful day and a fantastic relief after all the obstacles we'd encountered during this expedition. Success did not come easily and unfortunately neither Hector nor Neil was able to join me on top. Having set out on the 17th, Hector and I climbed directly to C2 in hot but good snow conditions. Neil had gone a day ahead of us to get extra acclimatization and on this day climbed to C3. Hector and I moved to C3 on the 18th, expecting to find him there, only to discover that he'd moved up to C4, obviously feeling strong in the altitude. The 19th brought unforecast winds and a number of climbers, including Neil, were forced to abandon their summit attempts from high on the mountain. Hector and I decided to delay our summit attempt by a day, and spent that day in C3, resting, rehydrating and trying to analyse various weather forecasts. We decided the 21st was the best chance for success and on the 20th moved up to C4 at 7950m. There we crammed into a tiny summit tent and debated the merits of waiting for the warm of dawn or setting off around midnight to beat the regular change in the weather around 10 am. We decided that the weather would hold and went for the late start of 3:45 am. From the start Hector suffered extreme exhaustion, probably a combination fo altitude and all the ailments that had afflicted him throughout the expedition. It was a great disappointment to see him turn around at about 8100 metres. I continued on with 2 other climbers, Ted Atkins (UK) and Radek Jaros (Czech Republic). We made good time over the lower snow slopes and into the rock buttress leading to the summit ridge. Fun scrambling for several hundred metres and a few snow ramps led onto the ridge, followed by a short traverse to the false summit. Lenticular clouds right on the summit had teased us throughtout the morning but as we approached the top they backed off and we traversed along the delicate ridge to the pointed, true summit, 7-1/2 hours after setting out from C4. It had been a long and difficult expedition and it was a great feeling to hug the tiny summit and look down upon the world. Everest stood tall and proud a few kilometres away and hundreds of peaks of the Himalayan chain stretched east and west of me. My only regret was that neither Hector nor Neil were able to share the view. After 15 minutes on top I reluctantly eased back down the ridge and down climbed quickly to C4 and, with Hector, to the safer altitude of C3. Yesterday we descended in storm all the way to base camp. We had been lucky to steal a brief window in the weather. We are now waiting for porters to help us trek back to civilization but in the meantime it is a great relief to sleep on solid ground without worry of avalanche or blizzard. We'll be here for days yet, so plenty of time to collect my thoughts and send a final dispatch. Off now to the dining tent for some fresh food.
Accidents Chest infection by all 3 members
Achievement -
Agency Khumbi-ila Mt. & Trekking
Commercial Route False
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2457516
Year 2008
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) makalu la-nw ridge

Members

3 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Andrew James Lock M 1961 Australia Leader Berowra, NSW, Australia Gov't emergency mgmt expert, but retiring to become consultant Details Other expeditions
Hector Mario Ponce de Leon Gomez M 1966 Mexico Climber Mexico City, Mexico Tour operator Details Other expeditions
Neil Mark Ward M 1971 UK Climber Les Contamines-Montjoie, Haute-Savoie, France Offshore construction worker Details Other expeditions

References

0 recorded references.