Makalu | 1975 S Face
A Yugoslavia expedition to Makalu in 1975 via S Face, led by Ales Kunaver. Summit reached on 6th October 1975. 21 members recorded.
Expedition Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| ID | 2077 |
| Imported | 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634 |
| Expedition ID | MAKA75301 |
| Peak ID | MAKA |
| Year | 1975 |
| Season | 3 |
| Host Country | 1 |
| Route 1 | S Face |
| Route 2 | - |
| Route 3 | - |
| Route 4 | - |
| Nationality | Yugoslavia |
| Leaders | Ales Kunaver |
| Sponsor | Yugoslav Himalayan Expedition to Makalu 1975 |
| Success 1 | True |
| Success 2 | False |
| Success 3 | False |
| Success 4 | False |
| Ascent 1 | 6th-9th |
| Ascent 2 | - |
| Ascent 3 | - |
| Ascent 4 | - |
| Claimed | False |
| Disputed | False |
| Countries | - |
| Approach | Dharan->Shipton La-Barun Glacier (BC) |
| Basecamp Date | 1975-09-05 |
| Summit Date | 1975-10-06 |
| Summit Time | 1640 |
| Summit Days | 31 |
| Total Days | 0 |
| Termination Date | - |
| Termination Reason | 1 |
| Termination Notes | - |
| High Point (m) | 8485 |
| Traverse | False |
| Ski | False |
| Paraglide | False |
| Camps | 5 |
| Fixed Rope (m) | 0 |
| Total Members | 21 |
| Summit Members | 7 |
| Member Deaths | 0 |
| Total Hired | 11 |
| 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(05/09,4950m),C1(07/09,5850m),C2(09/09,6300m),Biv(14/09,6600m),C3(16/09,7000m),C4(22/09,7500m),C5(04/10,8050m),Smt(06,08,10-11/10) |
| Route Notes | Hamal, Ministry of Tourism - 9 Oct 75 From LO (Yogendra Thapa): 4th Oct C5 established 6th Oct 8 am started ascent - 4:40 pm reached top: Belak & Manfreda (former used oxygen, latter did not). Summiters stayed there 5 minutes. 2nd group preparing for ascent. Kunaver - Oct 8 2nd assault team: Azman, Zaplotnik climbed mountain Makalu over South Face. Two more assault teams waiting their chance if weather fair. Falling ice caused serious problems on face. Kunaver - Oct 6 30 days after BC established, at 12:40 pm 1st ascent team of 4 reached top of South Face and at 16:40 reached top of mountain - started from C5. Belak used oxygen all but 100m and Manfreda not at all. Other teams to reach top in 2-days intervals. Kunaver - 19 Aug 75 All memebers probably started today from Dharan; at least majority of goods and members surely left today. LO = Subinspector Yogendra Thapa 5th day Arikan Gaur 10th day Sedua 16th day BC BC - 4950m C1 - 5900m C2 - 6200-6250m Bivouac - about 6600m (prepare camp at first) C3 - about 7000m C4 - 7400-7500m C5 - about 8000m (maybe little less) C6 - pt 75-80 or 85-90 = about 8200m or 8250m March in should take 16 days. Immediately start route up to C2 or even in bad weather using 20 local men and 11 Sherpas. 4 planned summit attacks with 1st opportunity after 21 days = middle Oct for 1st optimistic opportunity. Return to KTM from Tumlingtar (via scheduled flight probably) except 3 to Biratnagar with baggage. Letter from Ales Kunaver - 6 Oct 75 Snowfall on 26th and 27th gave us at present of 1m snow in the Base and seriously damaged C3 and C4. At that moment up in the face was already all technical material for the final phase. To that moment we had an average of 3 days to establish a new high altitude camp. After snow stop we pulled down all tired men and so at once "plowed" the new snow. We reformed in 4 groups putting the tired ones to the tail. First group go a 10 men carry support with the aim to renew C3 and C4 to pitch C5 in 2 days and in further 2 days fix the ropes to the edge of face and to try the top. This was realized today without the delay. The top climbers Belak Stane with oxygen up to last 100m (oxygen ran out) and Marjan Manfreda without oxygen reached the edsge of the face at the point 88 (picture) at 12 and after the top of Makalu at 16. Reported quick return after some snaps due to late afternoon. Had constant radio contact and returned to C5 at the point 69 at 22:15 hours. Reported no problems and high spirits. You can imagine our feelings. In the face now three more attack teams in C4, C3 and Bivouac. The situation at the moment permits to run the machine ahead because all members in very good condition and the route equipped and permits quick return in emergency. If the weather will permit fulfilment of the maximum program the activites on the mountain will stop on Oct 14th and return march started on 16th. Letter from Ales Kunaver - 8 Sept 75 We arrived here on 59 porters on 6 Sept morning. Had one day stop in the junge above Sedua, due to heavy raining. Other conditions normal; water, mud, leaches, etc. On 6 Sept had first transport to 5850-5900m. Up today 50 porter loads, 13 Sherpa loads and 27 members loads in C1 and camp fixed and in action on 7th. Today 10 men sleeping in C1 and tomorrow fixing C2 in a snow hole at 6250m. Have one light pneumonia and a bad chronical bronchitis (sardar) brought with to the trip. He goes tomorrow to Sedua to recover and if not better back to KTM. |
| Accidents | - |
| Achievement | - |
| Agency | - |
| Commercial Route | - |
| Standard Route | - |
| Primary Route | False |
| Primary Member | False |
| Primary Reference | - |
| Primary ID | - |
| Checksum | 2445657 |
| Year | 1975 |
| Summit Success | True |
| O2 Summary | Used |
| Route (lowercase) | s face |
Members
21 recorded members.
| Name | Sex | Year of Birth | Citizenship | Status | Residence | Occupation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janez (Janko) Azman | M | 1945 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Mojstrana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Electrician | Details Other expeditions |
| Stanislav (Stane) Belak-Srauf | M | 1940 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Engineering designer of equipment for rehabillitating people | Details Other expeditions |
| Zoran Beslin | M | 1951 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | University chemistry student | Details Other expeditions |
| Danilo Cedilnik | M | 1947 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Art teacher | Details Other expeditions |
| Janez Dovzan | M | 1945 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Mojstrana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Construction engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Boris Erjavec | M | 1950 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Engineering student | Details Other expeditions |
| Viktor (Viki) Groselj | M | 1952 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Student | Details Other expeditions |
| Tomaz Stanko Jamnik | M | 1938 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Kranj, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Electrical engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Stanko (Stane) Klemenc | M | 1950 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Domzale, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Photographer | Details Other expeditions |
| Ivan (Ivc) Kotnik | M | 1951 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Mining student | Details Other expeditions |
| Ales Kunaver | M | 1935 | Yugoslavia | Leader | Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Commercial director of a factory | Details Other expeditions |
| Janez Loncar | M | 1948 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Trzic, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Textiles technician | Details Other expeditions |
| Marjan Manfreda | M | 1950 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Bled, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Maintenance electrician on railways | Details Other expeditions |
| Damjan Mesko | M | 1938 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Physician (surgeon) | Details Other expeditions |
| Bojan Pollak | M | 1943 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Kamnik, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Machine engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Radovan (Rado) Riedl | M | 1938 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Television cameraman | Details Other expeditions |
| Milan Rebula | M | 1952 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Student | Details Other expeditions |
| Roman Robas | M | 1942 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Medvode, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Mechanical engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Joze Rozic | M | 1951 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Ratece, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Maintenance worker in iron works | Details Other expeditions |
| Dusan Srecnik | M | 1949 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Trzic, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Driver of construction crane | Details Other expeditions |
| Jernej (Nejc) Zaplotnik | M | 1952 | Yugoslavia | Climber | Kranj, Slovenia, Yugoslavia | Clerk | Details Other expeditions |
References
7 recorded references.
| Expedition ID | Journal | Author | Title | Publisher | Citation | Yak 94 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAKA75301 | AAJ | Kunaver, Ales | - | - | 50:512-513 (1976) | - |
| MAKA75301 | MM | - | - | - | 46:12 (Nov 1975) | - |
| MAKA75301 | MM | Kunaver, Ales | Makalu - South Face Climbed | - | 48:32-35 (Mar 1976) | - |
| MAKA75301 | - | Kunaver, Ales & Andlovic, Joze | Na Vrh Svijeta | Globus, Zagreb | - | K367 |
| MAKA75301 | - | Groselj, Viki | Do Prvih Zvezd | Zalozba, Maribor, Slovenia | - | G381 |
| MAKA75301 | - | Kunaver, Ales & Kunaver, Dusica | Maklu | Private, Ljubljana | - | - |
| MAKA75301 | - | - | http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197651203/Asia-Nepal-Makalu-South-Face | - | - | - |