Makalu | 1973 SE Buttress

A Czechoslovakia expedition to Makalu in 1973 via SE Buttress, led by Ivan Galfy. Summit reached on 21st May 1973. 22 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2343
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA73101
Peak ID MAKA
Year 1973
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 SE Buttress
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Czechoslovakia
Leaders Ivan Galfy
Sponsor Czechoslovak Mountaineering Expedition Himalaya 1973
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 1973-03-29
Summit Date 1973-05-21
Summit Time -
Summit Days 53
Total Days 62
Termination Date 1973-05-30
Termination Reason 6
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8010m due to fatal fall
High Point (m) 8010
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 6
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 19
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 9
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 True
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(29/03,4750m),C1(03/04,5700m),C2(06/04,6050m),C3(13/04,6600m),C4(30/04,7200m),C5(11/05,7850m),xxx(21/05,8010m)
Route Notes Dr. Wolf & Galfy - 31 May 73 21 May summit group (5 Czechs and 2 Sherpas) started from C5 (7850m) to reach place of C6 (maybe 8200m) and next day to reach summit. Jan Kounicky (34 years) about 8010m 10:00 am slipped on very steep snow slope (terrain not difficult); fell 80-100m down and heavily injured, unable to walk. Summit group stopped ascent, called BC by radio. Injured now brought to C5 and members treated him according to instructions from BC. In some hours he was better and for 6-7 days members and Sherpas (especially members) tried to bring him down but very difficult steep rocks and snow it was not possible to carry him down to BC on fixed ropes and also because lack of oxygen at that altitude and injured man used all supply in C4. Josef Psotka (39) spent 9 days and 8 nights without oxygen with injured man in C5 and he had to be ordered to come down. Another man up with oxygen and food and fuel, after 2 days going up mentally exhausted and had to come down. 26 May he died: Mike Orolin was with him and then new parties went up but knew impossible to bring body down; body [put] in sleeping bag in crevasse with Czech flag over him. Summit team: 1) Jan Kounicky (dead) 2) Josef Pstoka 3) Leopold Palenicek 4) Jan Cervinka 5) Ivan Fiala Leader carried 2 days before BC with pneumonia. 2 groups of expedition 1) Tomorrow in Tumlingtar 2) others with leader Route is ready, possible to climb. This way Czech route SW Pillar between Yugoslavia and Japanese route. Team used Sherpas above BC for setting high camps.
Accidents Jan Kounicky died of injuries related to fall
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2444787
Year 1973
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) se buttress

Members

22 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Ivan Galfy M 1933 Czechoslovakia Leader Stary Smokovec, Czechoslovakia Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Jaromir Wolf M 1919 Czechoslovakia Dep Leader/Exp Doctor Prague, Czechoslovakia Physician Details Other expeditions
Zdenek Brabec M 1946 Czechoslovakia Climber Prague, Czechoslovakia Worker Details Other expeditions
Jan Cervinka M 1930 Czechoslovakia Climber Vrchlabi, Czechoslovakia Factory technician Details Other expeditions
Milan Daniel M 1931 Czechoslovakia Research Prague, Czechoslovakia Scientist (parasitologist) Details Other expeditions
Ivan Fiala M 1941 Czechoslovakia Climber Bratislava, Czechoslovakia Technician Details Other expeditions
Miloslav Filip M 1932 Czechoslovakia Cameraman Bratislava, Czechoslovakia Cameraman Details Other expeditions
Jan Kalvoda M 1943 Czechoslovakia Research Prague, Czechoslovakia Scientist Details Other expeditions
Jan Kounicky M 1939 Czechoslovakia Climber Brno, Czechoslovakia Mathematician Details Other expeditions
Milan Krissak M 1944 Czechoslovakia Climber Popard, Czechoslovakia Technician Details Other expeditions
Miloslav Neumann M 1942 Czechoslovakia Climber Kezmarok, Czechoslovakia Projektant Details Other expeditions
Michal Orolin M 1943 Czechoslovakia Climber Popard, Czechoslovakia Electrician Details Other expeditions
Leopold Palenicek M 1941 Czechoslovakia Climber High Tatra, Czechoslovakia Has a diploma in engineering but works as mountain porter Details Other expeditions
Karel Prochazka M 1951 Czechoslovakia Climber Prague, Czechoslovakia Student of medicine Details Other expeditions
Jozef Psotka M 1934 Czechoslovakia Climber Bratislava, Czechoslovakia High school teacher Details Other expeditions
Milan Simunic M 1940 Czechoslovakia Exp Doctor Bratislava, Czechoslovakia Physician Details Other expeditions
Petr Sirotek M 1946 Czechoslovakia Cameraman Prague, Czechoslovakia Cameraman Details Other expeditions
Ceslav Wojcik M 1940 Czechoslovakia Climber Kuncice, Moravia, Czechoslovakia Mechanician Details Other expeditions
Ludovit Zahoransky M 1939 Czechoslovakia Climber Kuncice, Moravia, Czechoslovakia Technician Details Other expeditions
Ang Temba Sherpa M - Nepal Sirdar Namche Bazar, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Pemba Dorje Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker Namche Bazar, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Ang Chumbi Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker Khumjung, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

7 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA73101 AAJ - - - 48:203 (1974) -
MAKA73101 - Galfy, Ivan & Krissak, Milan Makalu Sport, Bratislava, Czechoslovakia - G20
MAKA73101 - Wolf, Jaromir Reka Jmenem Cervanky Olympia, Prague - W202
MAKA73101 MM - - - 29:13 (Sep 1973) -
MAKA73101 - Orolin, Michal Strme Cesty K Himalajam Sport, Bratislava, Czechoslovakia - O77
MAKA73101 - Daniel, Milan Zivot a Smrt na Vrcholech Sveta Mlada Fronta, Prague - D28
MAKA73101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197420301/Asia-Nepal-Makalu-Attempt - - -