Makalu | 2017 Makalu La-NW Ridge

A USA expedition to Makalu in 2017 via Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by Richard Morse. Summit reached on 10th May 2017. 8 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 9428
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA17108
Peak ID MAKA
Year 2017
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Richard Morse
Sponsor The Bali Four Makalu 2017
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 Canada
Approach Tumlingtar, Jeep to Num, trekked to BC
Basecamp Date 2017-04-12
Summit Date 2017-05-10
Summit Time 0900
Summit Days 28
Total Days 33
Termination Date 2017-05-15
Termination Reason 8
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8460m due to lack of fixed ropes
High Point (m) 8460
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 3000
Total Members 4
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 4
Summit Hired 0
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(12/04,4800m),ABC(16/04,5600m),C1(25/04,6300m),C2(30/04,6600m),C3(08/05,7500m),xxx(10/05,8460m)
Route Notes Cole, Loeb and Tokarska began summit push on 9 May at 10 pm. Cole turned around at 7800m due to weakness and moderate AMS and Loeb turned around at 8200m due length of day and concerns about getting back down safely. Tokarska continued on to about 8460m with Dawa Chhiri and Pasang Gelje, then turned about about 9 am. Fixed rope: approx. 3000m from C1 to C3. Oxygen: Used by members from 7300m to high pt to 7300m Used by Sherpas from 7500m to high pt to 7500m. Urszula Tokarska - 7 June 2017 Makalu is a beautiful mountain and it was a great experience but unfortunately there was much confusion about the summit. Up until summit attempt on May 10th the ropes were only fixed to camp 3 and once few teams decided to take advantage of the early weather window the ropes had to be fixed at the same time as climbers were attempting the summit. There was Altitude Junkies team and our team amongst few others. The ropes were fixed only to the fore summit and that’s where the Altitude Junkies team stopped, we got there at 8:35 am and I went little further but the very top was deemed impossible and as far as I know nobody reached it that day. Unfortunately there was also bad communication and confusion afterwards as people were posting summit news. I’ve attached couple of pictures from the fore summit.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Peak Promotion
Commercial Route False
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2460846
Year 2017
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) makalu la-nw ridge

Members

8 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Richard Paul (Dick) Morse M 1951 USA Leader West Chester, Pennsylvnia Retired civil engineer Details Other expeditions
Rodney William Cole M 1959 USA Climber Fairbanks, Alaska Civil engineer Details Other expeditions
Jennifer Brook (Jen) Loeb F 1976 USA Climber Marengo, Iowa Manufacturing worker (Cheerios) Details Other expeditions
Urszula Elzbieta Tokarska F 1963 Canada Climber Toronto, Ontario Architect Details Other expeditions
Dawa Chhiri (Dawa Tsiri) Sherpa M 1967 Nepal H-A Worker Kurima, Lokhim-9, Solukhumbu - Details Other expeditions
Pasang Gelji (Pasang Gelze) Sherpa M 1967 Nepal H-A Worker Walung, Makalu-9, Makalu-Barun - Details Other expeditions
Lhakpa Sherpa M 1965 Nepal H-A Worker Makalu-9, Makalu-Barun - Details Other expeditions
Lakpa Tenje (Lhakpa Tenzing) Sherpa M 1970 Nepal H-A Worker Sanam, Gudel-4, Solukhumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

1 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA17108 - - http://www.peakpromotionnepal.com/getDis/0/148 - - -