Makalu | 2009 W Face-Makalu La (to 7400m)

A Spain expedition to Makalu in 2009 via W Face-Makalu La (to 7400m), led by Juan Vallejo. Summit reached on 29th April 2009. 4 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 6479
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA09105
Peak ID MAKA
Year 2009
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Face-Makalu La (to 7400m)
Route 2 W Pillar (to 6700m)
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Spain
Leaders Juan Vallejo
Sponsor Makalu West Pillar Expedition
Success 1 False
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 2009-04-14
Summit Date 2009-04-29
Summit Time -
Summit Days 15
Total Days 38
Termination Date 2009-05-22
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7400m due to very strong wind
High Point (m) 7400
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 4
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 Baruntse (BARU-091-05)
Campsites BC(14/04,5300m),xxx(29/04,7400m)
Route Notes High point at Makalu La from West Face. The team went to Baruntse first, as a warm up for tackling the West Pillar of Makalu, their ultimate goal. They made their BC on 14 April to serve their climbs on both mountains at 5300m, just northwest of the junction of the Chago and Barun Glaciers, not far from low base camps for Makalu expeditions. From their BC, Inuarteggi, Vallejo and Zabalza went southwest to Sherpani Col and bivouacked there at 6100m on 22 April. On the 23rd they moved northwest of their first bivvy site and bivouacked at 6500m west-southwest of point 6730m, called Peak 4, at the top end of the Lower Barun Glacier. They left the bivouac at 8:00 am on 24 April and all three were on the summit of Baruntse at 11:00 am via the SE Ridge, then back in BC at 5:00 pm. Next they went to Makalu to acclimatize further via its standard route, which goes up the West Face to the Makalu La before turning right onto the NW Ridge. The three men bivouacked at 6700m on the 28th and on the Makalu La at 7400m on the 29th. On the 30th they returned to BC. Now for their summit bid via the difficult West Pillar. On 6 May they went to 6500m and bivouacked there at the base of the pillar. But fierce winds sent them back to BC on the 7th to wait for the wind to drop. They tried again on the 15th, when they bivouacked at 6500m. The next day they climbed only 200m higher before the wind drove them back again to BC two wait some more for the strength of the wind to lessen. But it did not lessen, so they gave up on 22 May. They left BC the same day to return to Kathmandu.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Thamserku Trekking
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID BARU09105
Checksum 2457905
Year 2009
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w face-makalu la (to 7400m)

Members

4 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Aitor Elduaien M 1975 Spain Journalist Tolosa, Guipuzcoa, Spain Journalist Details Other expeditions
Alberto Inurrategi Iriarte M 1968 Spain Climber Aretxabaleta, Guipuzcoa, Spain Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Juan Vallejo Llanos M 1970 Spain Leader Vitoria, Alava, Spain Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Miguel (Mikel) Zabalza Azkona M 1970 Spain Climber Cordovilla Alta, Navarra, Spain Teacher Details Other expeditions

References

0 recorded references.