Makalu | 2008 Makalu La-NW Ridge

A Portugal expedition to Makalu in 2008 via Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by Joao Garcia. Summit reached on 19th May 2008. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field	Value
ID	6062
Imported	2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID	MAKA08109
Peak ID	MAKA
Year	2008
Season	1
Host Country	1
Route 1	Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2	-
Route 3	-
Route 4	-
Nationality	Portugal
Leaders	Joao Garcia
Sponsor	International Makalu
Success 1	True
Success 2	False
Success 3	False
Success 4	False
Ascent 1	107
Ascent 2	-
Ascent 3	-
Ascent 4	-
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Countries	Belgium
Approach	Hillary BC by helicopter on 23 April
Basecamp Date	2008-04-28
Summit Date	2008-05-19
Summit Time	1100
Summit Days	21
Total Days	26
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)	30
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(28/04,5680m),C1(02/05,6300m),C2(06/05,6700m),C3(17/05,7400m),C4(18/05,7900m),Smt(19/05)
Route Notes	International Makalu, led by Joao Garcia - 27 May 2008 Both members went to 7900m and established C4 there on 18 May. They made their summit bids separately on the 19th. Garcia left C4 at 2:00 am, while Fohal, who was dehydrated from the climb to C4, stayed longer in camp and didn't leave until 6:00 am. Fohal was not strong. He got to just above 8000m alone at 7:00 am and then turned around and descended to C3 for the night. Garcia thinks he was the first to reach the summit on the 19th when he got there at about 11:00 am, having passed Kazakhstani Denis Urubko, Australian Blair Fahaley and his Sherpa, Frenchman Francois Marsigny and his Sherpa on his (Garcia's) way up. He spent the night in C4. In his descent on the 20th, he joined Fohal at C3 at 7:00 am, and they both went all the way down to BC that day. Garcia's nose got frostbitten on the 19th on his way to the summit, so he asked for helicopter evacuation. On the 24th he left BC and went to Hillary BC, and on the 25th to Yangri Kharka, where a helicopter picked him up on the 27th and flew him to Kathmandu.
Accidents	Garcia frostbite
Achievement	-
Agency	Khumbi-ila Mt. & Trekking
Commercial Route	False
Standard Route	True
Primary Route	False
Primary Member	False
Primary Reference	False
Primary ID	-
Checksum	2457514
Year	2008
Summit Success	True
O2 Summary	None
Route (lowercase)	makalu la-nw ridge

Members

Field	Value
ID	45497
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	MAKA08109
Member ID	02
Peak ID	MAKA
Year	2008
Season	1
First Name	Jean-Luc Michel Alix
Last Name	Fohal
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1965
Calculated Age	42
Citizenship	Belgium
Status	Climber
Residence	Ath, Hainaut, Belgium
Occupation	Geography teacher
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)	8000
Summit Date 1	2008-05-29
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	4
Summit Term	7
HCN	0
Checksum	2436915
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	jean-luc michel alix fohal
Year of Birth	1965
Year	2008
Age at Expedition	43
Role	Member

Field	Value
ID	45498
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	MAKA08109
Member ID	01
Peak ID	MAKA
Year	2008
Season	1
First Name	Joao Jose Silva Abranches
Last Name	Garcia
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1967
Calculated Age	40
Citizenship	Portugal
Status	Leader
Residence	Lisbon, Portugal
Occupation	Alpinist & 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	False
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	8485
Summit Date 1	2008-05-19
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	1100
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	107
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	True
Injury Date	2008-05-19
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	3
Injury Height (m)	8400
Death Notes	Frostbitten nose
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	5
Summit Term	1
HCN	0
Checksum	2437524
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	joao jose silva abranches garcia
Year of Birth	1967
Year	2008
Age at Expedition	41
Role	Leader

2 recorded members.

Name	Sex	Year of Birth	Citizenship	Status	Residence	Occupation
Jean-Luc Michel Alix Fohal	M	1965	Belgium	Climber	Ath, Hainaut, Belgium	Geography teacher	Details Other expeditions
Joao Jose Silva Abranches Garcia	M	1967	Portugal	Leader	Lisbon, Portugal	Alpinist & guide	Details Other expeditions

References

0 recorded references.