Makalu | 1977 W Face

A USA expedition to Makalu in 1977 via W Face, led by Jeff Long, John Roskelley. 21 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2177
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA77101
Peak ID MAKA
Year 1977
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Jeff Long, John Roskelley
Sponsor Makalu Himalaya Expedition
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 UK, Yugoslavia
Approach Dharan->Shipton La->Barun Glacier
Basecamp Date 1977-03-28
Summit Date -
Summit Time -
Summit Days 0
Total Days 46
Termination Date 1977-05-13
Termination Reason 5
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7000m due to avalanche danger and many member illnesses
High Point (m) 7000
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 21
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
O2 Used False
O2 None True
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken True
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(28/03,4875m),ABC(5600m),C1(07/04,6400m),C2(16/04,6700m),xxx(7000m)
Route Notes Jeff long - 22 May 77 All members now in KTM except Korich; "expedition of hypochondriacs." Highest point was 23,000 ft, 2 ropes short of C3 site. Jha, MFA - 20 May 77 Abandoned attempt to scale on 9th May due to illness and injury of some members and big avalanche near C2. Bad weather caused avalanches and rockfall. C2 buried under 5m snow. Team managed to clean West Face of all ropes and equipment except C2. Established BC 28 March, C2 7660m. Team left for KTM 13 May. Johnson & Bozman - 16 May 77 Left Makalu BC 5th May; he had thrombosis, went down to lower BC to recover, tried to go back up but health wouldn't permit more climbing; she goes where he goes. All others leaving BC in one group on 12th May. In KTM about 24th May. Highest point reached = just under 23,000 ft by Boris and Matija probably. Maybe made C3, maybe didn't and instead cleared mountain of all trash, fixed ropes, everything to leave it as virgin as possible. Rock fall hazard. Vicenzi - 11 May 77 Conley still in KTM ill Vicenzi retinal hemorrhage Lowe pulmonary edema Childs cracked ribs from falling rock Hutter couldn't sleep Johnson bloods clots (leaving BC) Nuefeld frostbitten toes Vicenzi left BC 3rd with Rodney Korich who came to T'tar for rest - arrive KTM today. 2 days later Narka came down to collect porters to clear BC about now Young terrible cold at BC Matija grazed by rock through tent at C2 and really tired None of girls carrying were climbing. 2 Yugos, Collins, Childs They were working on C3 but probably abandoned it. No strong leadership to keep people from going too high. Adv BC too high. Food bad: breakfasts and lunches inedible at BC. HA food good, but people not eating enough to keep strength. Pandey, MFA - 4 May 77 C2 22,000 ft, 16 April 4 members left because of health and 1 for personal family reasons. Snow most days after 12 noon. Big avalanche almost to BC 23 April Al Read - 24 April 77 Mike Lowe and Peter Quesada, both suffering from high altitude sickness, left expedition (Mike 10 days ago) and are now in KTM. Quesada left BC 1 week ago; the expedition should have had Quesada to C2 by now and on way to C3. 2 Yugoslavs very strong. Quesda and Lowe leave for USA. Drummond - 14 April 77 Drummond left BC 6 days ago on 8th (personal problems at home and doesn't like siege technique); almost to C1 - illnesses Quesada - hypothermia Johnson - pulmonary edema and embolism Diane Spitzer - pneumonia BC now at 18,500 feet (old BC is left as R+R place) Real difficulties begin at 25,000 feet and expedition hasn't much fixed rope. Corley - 8 April 77 Geoff Corley returned to KTM from Tumlingtar yesterday afternoon hoping to return to expedition, but first to seek medical advice in KTM whether he has typhoid fever or not. Msg dated 30 March from Korich to MFA, received KTM 7 April 77 Makalu Base camp, 28 March, 16,000 feet Weather clear mornings afternoon clouds Geoff Corley sick with fever and stomach disorder Roskelley - 16 March 77 Roskelley and Burns returning to States without climbing; Roskelley ill (bladder stones?, etc). Jeff Long - 6 March 77 2 face members arrive day after ridge; rest arrive 11th or 12th; fly to Tumlingtar - 2 + weeks to BC. Probably South Face. Not much hope of West Face because of technical difficulty at high altitude. No Sherpas above BC. Relaxed expedition above BC; relaxed expedition but not so much as Fritz's. 10 really strong climbers and 5 helpers - will be leadership 3 medical oxygen only, so climbing without oxygen KTM Guest House 51 - Long 14 - Roskelley Roskelley - 3 March 97 Internation Makalu Expedition John Roskelley, 28, from Spokane Wash Dane Burns, 23, from Kellog, Idaho West Ridge pair 15 total including 3 women (maybe climbers) Jeff Long, 28, coleader from Boulder, Colorado. He's in Delhi, arrive maybe 4 March USA British Yugo and Canada (?) 11 1 2 2 Roskelley & Long, co-leaders Longs's party try West Face if any problems then South Face. West Face never tried before. West Ridge = French 1971 route Roskelley and Burns leave KTM soon as possible to Tumlingtar Only Sherpas at BC Establish BC 3rd week March at 16,000 ft at base South Face on Makalu Glacier Roskelley and Burns 4 or 5 camps above BC; not alpine-style; others 5 or 6 camps depending on route. Only medical oxygen; climb without oxygen; long term more a hindrance than asset; oxygen sets fail and mean extra weight. Total cost $60,000
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2967
Year 1977
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w face

Members

21 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Robert Dane Burns M 1953 USA Climber Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Ski-mountain manager Details Other expeditions
John Fenton Charles Roskelley M 1948 USA Co-Leader Spokane, Washington Professional alpinist Details Other expeditions
Geoffrey S. Childs M 1946 USA Climber Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania Alpine guide & journalist Details Other expeditions
Geoff Conley M 1950 USA Climber Santa Cruz, California Power lineman Details Other expeditions
Edwin Drummond M 1945 UK Climber San Francisco, California Steeljack and writer Details Other expeditions
Lensworth (Lanny) Johnson M 1956 USA Climber Fremont, California Student & ski instructor Details Other expeditions
Boris Krivic M 1946 Yugoslavia Climber Postojna, Slovenia, Yugoslavia Bank clerk Details Other expeditions
Jeff Long M 1951 USA Co-Leader Denver, Colorado Writer & stone mason Details Other expeditions
Michael (Mike) Lowe M 1945 USA Climber Eldorado Springs, Colorado Businessman (designs & manufactures alpine equipment) Details Other expeditions
Matija Malezic M 1947 Yugoslavia Climber Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia Biocybernetics engineer Details Other expeditions
Peter Quesada M 1952 USA Climber North Fryeburg, Maine Farmer Details Other expeditions
James Willis M 1948 USA Exp Doctor Telluride, Colorado Physician Details Other expeditions
Margaret Young F 1932 USA Support Member Palo Alto, California Landlady Details Other expeditions
Lynada Bozman F 1958 USA Support Member Fremont, California Nurse Details Other expeditions
Richard Collins M 1946 USA Climber Aspen, Colorado Waiter Details Other expeditions
Peter Hutter M 1946 USA Support Member Aspen, Colorado Equipment designer Details Other expeditions
Rodney Allison Korich M 1947 USA BC Manager Jamestown, Colorado Travel consultant Details Other expeditions
Steve Mullen M 1951 USA Support Member Lakewood, Colorado Art dealer Details Other expeditions
Mark Neufeld M 1953 USA Support Member Moab, Utah Surveyor Details Other expeditions
Diane Spitzer F 1955 USA Support Member Santa Cruz, California Student Details Other expeditions
George Arthur Vicenzi M 1944 USA Climber Aspen, Colorado Entrepreneur Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA77101 AAJ Childs, Geoffrey - - 52:591-593 (1978) -
MAKA77101 - Childs, Geof Stone Palances Mountaineers, Seattle - -
MAKA77101 MM Dyhrenfurth, G. O. & Dyhrenfurth, Norman Makalu - 64:46-49 (Nov 1978) -
MAKA77101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197859103/Asia-Nepal-Makalu-West-Face-Attempt - - -