Makalu | 2011 Makalu La-NW Ridge (to 8200m)

A Slovenia expedition to Makalu in 2011 via Makalu La-NW Ridge (to 8200m), led by Marko Prezelj. Summit reached on 13th May 2011. 5 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 7197
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA11107
Peak ID MAKA
Year 2011
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 Makalu La-NW Ridge (to 8200m)
Route 2 W Face-W Ridge (to 7000m)
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Slovenia
Leaders Marko Prezelj
Sponsor Slovenian Makalu 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 USA
Approach -
Basecamp Date 2011-04-23
Summit Date 2011-05-13
Summit Time -
Summit Days 20
Total Days 32
Termination Date 2011-05-25
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8200m due to bad weather
High Point (m) 8200
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 5
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 Traversed entire Chago ridge (including summits) (CHAG-111-01)
Campsites BC(23/04,4850m),ABC(25/04,5700m),xxx(13/05,8200m)
Route Notes BC at Hillary BC area near Tangmar ABC at normal BC site High point at NW Ridge. BC was pitched on 23 April at 4850m near Tangmar in the Hillary BC area at a grassy spot pleasant for resting. Two days later, they occupied teh normal BC site at 5700m. Then they immediately went up the normal NW Ridge route to acclimatize before going to climb their chosen line on the West Face. On the 26th they moved up to 6300m on the Chago Glacier and returned to BC the same day. On the 30th they went up to 5795m and on 1 May to 6682m and back to BC that day. Now they divided into two groups. On 5 May House and Prezelj went onto the Chago ridge, which borders the west side of Chago Glacier and in three days with two bivouacs traversed the ridge from its southern end to point 6350m on the ridge (by the Schneider Khumbu map) and down to the tent they had left at ABC (5700m). The other group, Blagus, Lindic and Lorencic, went up onto the Chago ridge and bivouacked there at about 6000m. The next day they took the shortcut over to the normal route at 6700m. On the 7th they moved to the Makalu La at 7400m, then down to 6700m. On the 8th they descended to 5650m and BC. After a few days rest, the climbers moved up again on 11 May. House and and Prezelj climbed to 5550m and the next day they went to the West Face to the Kukuczka-Kurtyka-MacIntyre 1981 route and bivouacked at 6600m. There was a lot of deep wet snow on the route because of the warm sunshine. In the afternoon of the 13th they moved up to 7000m in their final acclimatization climb and to check out conditions on the West Ridge; they went back down to 6600m and were in BC on the 14th. Meanwhile the other three members, Blagus, Lindic and Lorencic, went to the normal route for their final acclimatization. Blagus and Lindic climbed to C2 at 6600m, but Lorencic turned back at about 5800m because he was not feeling well and returned to BC. On the 12th Blagus and Lindic went on up to the Makalu La (7400m). On the 13th they got to 8200m, which turned out to be their high point: they descended to the Makalu La to bivouac that night. On the 14th they were in C2, on the 15th at 5700m, and on the 16th in BC. The three men were now too tired to continue climbing. House and Prezelj carried on for another week attempting the West Face/Ridge but had no success. On 18 May they went from BC back to 5550m. That night it snowed, but next day they started up the ridge and raeched 6600m, where they had left a tent and some gear. To their dismay, they discovered that birds had gotten into the tent and carried away their only sleeping bag, a two-man bag. Then some big rocks came avalanching down five meters from their tent. So with fresh snow, rock fall, a bad night without a sleeping bag, and unsettled weather, they retreated to 5550m on the 20th. They decided to go back to the normal route and reached C2 on the 21st. The morning of the 22nd was clear but windy. Now well-known members of other teams coming down the mountain told House and Prezelj that it was not safe to try a fast climb in the strong wind. They moved down to 5700m that night; on the 23rd they climbed up to C2 to retrieve the oxygen they had left there. A descending American told them incorrectly that a Sherpa had died on the mountain above them. From C3 they retreated to BC, and left BC on the 25th. Their climb was finally over.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Wilderness Experience
Commercial Route False
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2458651
Year 2011
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) makalu la-nw ridge (to 8200m)

Members

5 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Rok Blagus M 1982 Slovenia Climber Brezovka, Slovenia Assistant professor Details Other expeditions
Steven Edward (Steve) House M 1970 USA Climber Ridgeway, Colorado Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Luka Lindic M 1988 Slovenia Climber Zalec, Slovenia Student Details Other expeditions
Boris Lorencic M 1970 Slovenia Climber Maribor, Slovenia Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Marko Prezelj M 1965 Slovenia Leader Kamnik, Slovenia Alpine guide Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA11107 - - http://www.stevehouse.net/Site/Makalu_2011.html - - -
MAKA11107 AAJ - - - 87:339 (2013) -
MAKA11107 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201212256/Chago-Ridge-south-north-traverse - - -