Makalu | 2021 Makalu La-NW Ridge

A Germany expedition to Makalu in 2021 via Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by Felix Berg. Summit reached on 24th May 2021. 12 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 10643
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA21102
Peak ID MAKA
Year 2021
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Germany
Leaders Felix Berg
Sponsor Seven Summit Treks International Makalu Expedition 2021
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 Austria, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Greece, S Korea, Turkey, USA
Approach By Jeep to Num, trekked from Num
Basecamp Date 2021-04-15
Summit Date 2021-05-24
Summit Time -
Summit Days 39
Total Days 41
Termination Date 2021-05-26
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7600m due to bad weather
High Point (m) 7600
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 12
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
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 -
Route Notes Report from Peter Hamel: Approach: By Jeep to Num, trekked from Num BC(15/04,4850m),ABC(18/04,5700m),C1(25/04,6400m),C2(26/04,6600m), C3(22/05,7400m),xxx(24/05,7600m) Abandoned at 7600m due to high wind, blowing snow, low visibility on summit attempt. Didn't try another summit push because of incoming cyclone. 15-20 climbers gathered at C3 for a summit push, but some never left tents, worried about the weather forecast. Hamel started climbing maybe 9 or 10 pm on May 23rd. The weather started clear, but snow started a couple hours later. A few Sherpas were leading the way, with the intent of fixing the route. They turned around first. Allegedly this was prior to the snow starting, and happened because they "heard a noise". The German team turned around after weather deteriorated, and Hamel descended with them. 2 Georgians and 1 Czech climber continued a bit higher in bad weather, to maybe 7800m, but they eventually gave up as well. Oxygen: Hamel planned this trip as an O2 free ascent, but got psyched out by the bad weather window, thought it might be too windy to stay warm without it. A Canadian climber with 7 summits left the trip a week earlier. He left his O2 at C3 and offered it for him for use. He carried 2 of his bottles for the summit push, started using it at C3. He turned it off when they turned around (7600m?) and descended without (it wasn't really useful). Then he breathed it for a few hours at camp that night. Rope-fixing: 2 Georgian climbers fixed sections up to ~7000m. Nepalese army team fixed to 7400m. Left BC on 26/05. Report from Robert Weistreicher: (Berg, Guggemos, Troeger, Westreicher) Approach: Lukla->Zatra La->Mera Peak->Baruntse->Sherpani Col->Makalu BC BC(11/05,4600m),ABC(16/05,5700m),C1(18/05,6500m),C2(24/05,7450m),xxx(24/05,76000m) Abandoned at 7600m due to bad weather, and Sherpas not strong enough. All members reached 7600m. Oxygen: Not taken, not used Left BC on 26/05. Report from Lukas Jasenky website: Approach: By Jeep to Num, trekked from Num ABC(18/04,5700m),C1(6300m),C2(6600m),C3(7450m),xxx(24/05,7600m) Oxygen: Not taken, not used Hired: None We arrived at the camp after nine days of trekking on April 18th. Stable weather in the second half of April made it possible to start a good acclimatization. Without sherpa and without oxygen, I had to rely only on myself. To see if it can withstand body and head. The very stay at this height pleasantly surprised me. My body got used to it quickly and I felt at home without any problems. No headache, excellent pulse and saturation. The acclimatization itself was carried out in the same spirit. Twice to C1. Then C1 (6300) and C2 (just over 6600) with the delivery of a fixed rope to 6800. Stopped by a maze of cracks. The first window for the summit appeared on the first days of May. However, the acclimatization was not completed. After a few days of rest, the boys and I went upstairs again. In C2 I always left only a tent, gas, stove and mat. With everything else always up. The weather began to turn. Zero visibility allowed us to ascend only to 6800 meters. Subsequently, the days of bad weather showed a short window around May 11-12. A couple of us went upstairs, and another change came in the form of wind and snow. Lastly, we turn with bitterness and head back to BC. Bad weather is gaining momentum. We decided to descend to the lower Makalu BC for a few days. We return to the top just in time. Rested and full of strength. Another very short window appeared at 21. But as it quickly turned out, the next morning it was after him. He struck the first cyclone. After weeks of waiting, we are frustrated, but our prayers have been answered. The weather window shows for summit day 24. It's 50 to 50. Let's get to it. The first day in C2 took me 4 hours. The other two kick the platform and pitch a tent. Day two to C3 (7450 ??m) I experienced agony. I literally cried over my own grave at times with the heavy pig on my back. After 10.5 hours I'm in C3. Peter and I share a tent, but it's behind me somewhere. For another good hour and a half, I straighten the platform, pitch and mainly anchor the tent from the strong wind. After Peter arrives at night, we make water. In the morning we decide for a change. Rest in C3 and at night to the top. My head does not hurt, I breathe well and overall I feel good. Fatigue is normal. The joy of the top experiment is starting to spoil the weather again. The cyclone, which should not hit in full parade until around the 26th, is starting to show. During the day he comes from the right, let us run down from there. The psyche gets busy. The mass discussion in the early evening decided that the majority would go to the top soon. I leave the camp around 11 pm. Some are already on the road and out of sight. The weather is turning, the last I see is a string of lights heading for the top of Everest. I'm more calm. Nevertheless, the wind grows stronger, it snows and Makalu begins to shroud in thick clouds. Alone, I head to the top at a tempo of about 30 steps and 10 breaths. The only option is Alpine style. The weather is getting worse. I pass with those who have decided to turn around. Only the lights of two boys from Georgia in front of me. In zero visibility we lose at least this contact. At 7600 meters I am alone. Impenetrable clouds, zero visibility, strong winds and snow. Surrounded by darkness. Everything is frozen to me. It is necessary to keep a calm head and make a decision that is clear and very simple at that moment. I turn like everyone else. Mainly to hit C3, Dext's injection is now a good friend of mine, whom I guard against the cold. The wind takes an incredible amount of energy. But I'm back. A tent full of snow, all frozen and damp. Peter and I lie like two frozen sardines and a strong wind keeps pushing new snow inside. You can't sleep. We're just waiting for the sun. I'm still wondering what the guys. He finally returns at night. Sleepy night and morning mass flight down.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Seven Summit Treks
Commercial Route False
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2464665
Year 2021
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) makalu la-nw ridge

Members

12 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Felix Alexander Berg M 1980 Germany Leader Interlaken, Bern, Switzerland Managing director of a travel company Details Other expeditions
Alain Caron M 1979 Canada Climber Sherbrooke, Quebec Attorney Details Other expeditions
Cheol-Hee Cho M 1970 S Korea Climber Cheongju, North Chungcheong, S Korea Businessman Details Other expeditions
Michael Guggemos M 1985 Germany Climber Weissensee, Berlin, Germany Physicist Details Other expeditions
Peter Samson Hamel M 1979 USA Climber Boulder, Colorado Alpinist Details Other expeditions
Muharrem Aydin Irmak M 1966 Turkey/USA Climber New York, New York Artist Details Other expeditions
Lukas Jasensky M 1992 Czech Republic Climber Zlin, Czech Republic - Details Other expeditions
Patrick Klaus Johannes Heinrich Lahrkamp M 1987 Germany Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Hernan David Leal Barrientos M 1966 Chile Climber Santiago, Chile Entrepeneur for Contact Centre Details Other expeditions
Antonios Sykaris M 1962 Greece Climber Athens, Greece Businessman Details Other expeditions
Florian Troeger M 1980 Germany Climber Forchheim, Bavaria, Germany Sales representative Details Other expeditions
Robert Westreicher M 1971 Austria Climber Serfaus, Tirol, Austria Hotel general manager Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA21102 - - https://www.facebook.com/lukas.jasensky.9 - - -
MAKA21102 - - http://www.lukasjasensky.com/expedice-makalu-2021/ - - -
MAKA21102 - - https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001603660767 - - -