Makalu | 2013 Makalu La-NW Ridge

A China expedition to Makalu in 2013 via Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by Yang Chun-Feng. Summit reached on 24th April 2013. 4 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 8144
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA13113
Peak ID MAKA
Year 2013
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality China
Leaders Yang Chun-Feng
Sponsor Chinese Makalu Expedition 2013
Success 1 True
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 2013-04-05
Summit Date 2013-04-24
Summit Time 0930
Summit Days 19
Total Days 25
Termination Date 2013-04-30
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8485
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 2
Summit Members 1
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 2
Summit Hired 1
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb True
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(05/04,5000m),ABC(07/04,5650m),C1(11/04,6600m),C2(15/04,7400m),Smt(24/04)
Route Notes On the 23rd of April, Yang, Liu, Abramczyk and Gheichisaz plus 3 Sherpas: [Lhakpa] Dendi Sherpa, Pechhumbe Sherpa and a third one (Abramczyk's) started at 2:30 pm from C2 for a summit push. At 7 pm, David Abramczyk, his Sherpa and Pechhumbe turned back from 7600m back to C2 for sleeping. On the 24th of April, Yang, Liu, Geichisaz with Dendi Sherpa after climbing all night summited at 9:30 am, then descended back to Makalu La at C2. Between 7700m and 7800m on descent, at the beginning of a long section of blue ice, Liu fell to his death, slipping before Yang's very eyes. Gheichisaz preceding them on descent, did not see the accident. Yang and Dendi Sherpa arrived at 9 pm at C2 where they slept this night and one after, before reaching ABC on the 26th of April, then to Hillary BC on the 28th. On the 30th of April, Yang was helicoptered with other teammates (Gheichisaz, Vickers, Aschwanden and Celikovic) back to Kathmandu. Yang flys on the 3rd of May to Lukla, then Everest BC to help a Chinese expedition led by Xiang Hai-Zhang attempting Everest and Lhotse. He won't climb, staying at BC for help. Oxygen: Yang used oxygen from C2 to summit only, then gave his remaining oxygen (30%) to his teammate Liu and didn't use it at all for descent. Liu used all his 3 bottles from C2 to summit, then used Yang's remnant oxygen for the descent until his accident. Dendi Sherpa used oxygen from C2 until summit, then used it again for 10 minutes on descent when his bottle was definitely empty. No fixed rope above Makalu La and C2. Approximately 1000m fixed by Sherpas. Azim Gheichisaz, Chun Feng-Yang, Xiang Yang-Liu and Lhapka Dendi were attempting to summit from the Makalu La and the team left on 22 April at 3:30 pm. They reached C4 site (7900m) at 7 pm. They saw that there were no fixed ropes and waited for about 3 hours for two Sherpas to fix some rope. As the Sherpas were not very good at it, Gheichisaz helped them. At about 10 pm Liu, Yang, Gheichisaz and Lhakpa Dendi carried on to the summit. Liu reached the false summit and rested while Gheichisaz and Yang carried on to the real summit summit, where they arrived at 9:30 am. They descended to the Makalu La. Gheichisaz reached camp at about 3 pm. When after about one hour Yang Chun-Feng arrived, he told them that Liu had fallen near C4 and died. His body was not found. Oxygen: Taken and used from 7400m to summit by Sherpa and members. Sherpas: Lhakpa Dendi, Gudel-9, Solu, 22/11/1974 David Abramczyk - 8 Oct 1013 Another thing I forgot to mention is that Liu did NOT bring his ice axe on his summit attempt. When we finished the traverse to Camp III from Camp II on Makalu La, I noticed that he only had ski poles and was not using his ice axe. I asked him where it was and he said he did not bring it. Since they took a long time fixing/finding ropes and it took them over 30 hours on the summit push, he was completely exhausted, which is why he couldn't summit and also the most likely reason for his death. My understanding, after speaking to Yang, he slipped and fell off the side of the mountain as they were nearing Camp II on their return. If he had his ice axe and self-arrested he might have made it.
Accidents Liu Xiang-Yang fell to his death above C2 (est 7600m)
Achievement -
Agency Seven Summit Treks
Commercial Route False
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2459365
Year 2013
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) makalu la-nw ridge

Members

4 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Chun-Feng Yang M 1968 China Leader Xinjiang, China Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Xiang-Yang Liu M 1967 China Climber Yunnan, China - Details Other expeditions
Lakpa Dendi Sherpa M 1974 Nepal H-A Worker Gudel-9, Solukhumbu - Details Other expeditions
Pechhumbe (Chumbe) Sherpa M 1987 Nepal H-A Worker Tashigaon, Makalu-Barun - Details Other expeditions

References

0 recorded references.