Makalu | 1978 Makalu La-NW Ridge

A W Germany expedition to Makalu in 1978 via Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by Hermann Warth. Summit reached on 1st May 1978. 8 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2128
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA78101
Peak ID MAKA
Year 1978
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality W Germany
Leaders Hermann Warth
Sponsor -
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 11th-13th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Austria, Nepal, Switzerland
Approach Tumlingtar->Shipton La->Barun Glacier (BC)
Basecamp Date 1978-04-01
Summit Date 1978-05-01
Summit Time 1445
Summit Days 30
Total Days 54
Termination Date 1978-05-25
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8485
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 8
Summit Members 7
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
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 SouthBC(01/04,4900m),NorthBC(04/04,5400m),C1(07/04,6300m),C2(7000),C3(24/04,7400),C4(30/04,7900m),Smt(01,10,21/05)
Route Notes K. Diemberger - 3 June 78 C4: highest camp at 7900m or 8000m C2: 7000m North BC 5400m for NW Face and South BC 4900m - usual BC for SE Face/Ridge Climbed northwest side, same as French '55 (+2 New Zealand attempts). Did not do traverse. In last 1000m French went to left and used turned to right but we went straight through, thus route little shorter than French route. When arrive at SE Ridge, conditions very bad: much too dangerous seracs. So went to northwest side to go up with idea possible SE Ridge might be done later by fast very strong team and then Von Kaenel, one of such a team, got frostbite. C4 made by Warth and 2 Sherpas, Ang Chepal and Nawang Tenzing on 30 April. Very small camp - Nawang Tenzing belonged to 3rd summit team. 1st May best weather of all 3 teams but 50 cm deep snow made it difficult. Warth climbed on high flow of oxygen; otherwise would not have been able to make it. Ang Chepal not familiar with oxygen and never used it. Ang Chepal from bottom to top no oxygen. All foreign members used oxygen only climbing above C4. Necessary to put 2nd tent at C4 for next summit team and support team. Expedition now successful; so not so much pressure to get 2nd team on top quickly. Von Kaenel, Landvogt and Nga Temba had lot of trouble with oxygen systems and by 8200-8300m all without any oxygen. Without to top only at 18:00 hours and in descent biv at 8250m (stopped climbing at 19:30 hrs); had 1 biv bag. Von Kaenel's toes on right foot and Landvogt's feet and fingers frostbitten. Von Kaenel's will probably heal and also Landvogt's fingers. Took several days for them to get down. Spent 11/12 May night at C4, exhausted. Von Kaenel painful snowblindness from 11 May for 2 days. Reached BC 15 May. In beginning of 2nd attack Deimberger was at 3500m for 3 days because in his helping 1st attack got terrible cough; then had to rush up for 3rd attack. On 17 May Deimberger, Nawang Tenzing and support team of Warth and Ang Chepal - started up - C1 18 May - C3 at Makalu La 19 May - wind, waited in C3 20 May - C4 found completely destroyed but repaired it for use for 1 night 21 May - Diemberger started alone at 06:00 to break trail. Warth and Nawang Tenzing started up 07:00. Diemberger waited at 8100m for them. After this rest by 3 men, Warth and oxygen system didn't work; went up to 8200m without oxygen and then gave up. Nawang also had oxygen trouble but kept on going up. At 8350m both systems not working. Had long rest and D's again worked well and Nawang at reduced flow. Summit at 13:30 hrs and left bottles on top (now 3 bottles on top - 1 Czech/Spain and 2 from this team). Reached C4 with very heavy wind which stated at 14:00 hrs; reached C4 17:60 hrs. I was very tired but went down to C3. Arrived there soon after dark at 20:00 hrs and Diemberger got snowblind when reaching C3, but next morning could see very little and Warth led him. Reached BC on 22nd. No other Sherpas on mountain - food all bought in KTM. Warth also Lhotse and Makalu summits. SR Sharma, Tourism - 21 May 78 Von Kaenel, Swiss Dr Karl Landvogt, German Dr. in children's hospital Nga Temba Sherpa, 28 Jubing, Kharikhola Summit 10 May 6 pm Next and last team: Diemberger leave BC 17 May with Warth. Diemberger may go to summit on 20 May. SR Sharma, Tourism - 18 May 78 Dr. Hermann Warth Sirdar Ang Chepal Climbed 1 May 14:45 hrs Ang Chepal did not use oxygen and blood dilution, but Warth did use oxygen. returned to C4 (altitude not known). Other 4 members are trying to go to summit from 7 May All well Warth - 16 Feb 78 SE Ridge route of 70' Japanese and '76 Spanish Fly to T'tar on 10th March and leave T'tar on 11th 130-40 porters Reach BC 26-7 March at 4900m Summit 10-15 May Only 4 camps above BC to 7300m and then summit party carries own light party tent, etc with them and make temporary camp before next day trying for top. Climbing on oxygen only above 7300m - have only 32 bottles. Intend to get at least one Sherpa on top 3 Sherpa members - no other HA Sherpas Using only food available in Nepal (although 1/3 foreign made) Progress Report from Dr. Hermann Warth On March 11th flight from KTM to Tumlingtar in Eastern Nepal. March in with 110 porters and 3.3 tons luggage via Khandbari, Num, Ala till Bungim. In Bungim, the last inhabited village, change of porters is necessary cause the hill porters are not used to carry loads in the higher altitude; there has to be surmounted the "Kongma La," a pass more than 4100m high. Bad weather and unusual much snow caused 55 porters to turn back. In a kind of relay system the loads had been brought over the pass from Bungim till Pematak within 7 days. Also the members of the expedition carried loads. We equipped the porters with sunglasses, blankets and shoes. Their performance apropos of the extremely bad conditions deserves utmost appreciation. According to their information no Makalu expedition had to tackle such bad weather conditions on the Kongma La. In Pematak reeturned further 40 porters cause they had run out of food. The remaining 15 ones we fed out of our own stock. Also in the Barun Valley towards Ribuk and the base camp there were immense masses of snow. That required unusual efforts to break the trail. On 29th of March a group of trail breakers (Ang Chappal, H.V. Kaenel, H. Warth) reached the base camp after 8 hours hard work from Ribuk. The base camp has been established on March 31st by H.V. Kaenel, K. Diemberger, Sherap and H. Warth. It was the 20th day after our departure in Tumlingtar. Since it lasted still 1 week more till all loads had arrived in the base camp we used the time for explorations. Regarding the loss of valuable time during the approach march and the critically looking serac zones of the ice fall at the SE - side we decided to attempt the ascent on the NW side, which was more or less the route of the French expedition 1955 led by Jean Franco which succeeded in the first climb of Makalu. Since then no team could climb the mountain via this route. On April 3rd K. Diemberger and H.V Kernel found the place for our advanced base camp (ABC) which has been established on April 4th by Nga Temba, Nawang Tensing and H. Warth. The other day these found the route to the upper Chago Glacier, where K. Diemberger and H.V. Kaenel established Camp 1 on April 8th. On April 11th, 12th and 13th Ang Chappal and H. Warth provided the partially difficult route to the socialised ice balcony with about 300m fix rope an pitched up Camp 2 on April 13th at 7000m height. In the following days the weather was not that good. Therefore, K. Diemberger, H.V. Kaenel, Nawang Tensing and Nga Temba could not reach the col. The days had been used for extensive carries to Camp 1 and C2. After long lasting and difficult climbings and affixing ropes at the steep rocks leading to the col by H.V. Kaenel, K. Diemberger, Nawang Tensing, Nga Temba, Ang Chappal and H. Warth, these latter 2 and K. Diemberger succeeded lastly in establishing Camp 3 on the col at a height of 7410m on April 24th. By that the first part of the route had been finished. H.V. Kaenel and Nga Temba explored the further route towards Camp 4. After 4 nights above 7000m they descended with slight health deficiency to Camp 1 for a longer rest. It is now the turn of the Nawang Tensing and K. Diemberger who carry oxygen bottles to a depot between Camp 3 and the forthcoming Camp 4 and who are going to stay for a longer time in Camp 3 in order to give eventually necessary help to the summit team. On April 29th Ang Chappal and H. Warth climbed from C2 to Camp 3. Supported by Nawang Tensing (trail breaking, carrying load) they reached on April 30th the place for Camp 4 in 7950m height. They slept there without using oxygen. Nawang Tensing descended to Camp 3 on the col. On May 1st 7 am Ang Chappal and H. Warth started for the summit. Since Ang Chappal felt uncomfortable wearing the oxygen mask and breathing through it he decided to camp in Camp 4 to try the climb without the help of artificial oxygen. Therefore, H. Warth had to break the trail on the whole route which was utmost strenuous on the vast snow slopes. Nearly with each step he was breaking in up to his thighs and his hips. Only by high oxygen support this effort was possible. At 8250m they reached the 45-50 degree steep and about 200m high couloir leading to the upper part of the East Ridge. The snow conditions in the couloir were even worse. A difficult rock barrier had to be climbed and prepared for the descent and coming parties by a 50m long rope. Lastly, at 1:30 pm the two climbers stood on the very sharp snow ridge leading to the two summits of Makalu. Carefully belaying each other they had to climb over some till 70-degree steep passages to the very small main peak which they reached at 2:45 pm (8475m). An old yellow oxygen bottle proved a former victory. The view towards north and south (base camp, ABC, Chamlang, Hongu mountains) was excellent. In the west and east clouds there prevented views towards Everest, Lhotse and Kangchenjunga. There was nearly no wind around the summit which was enabling the two to stand 45 minutes on it (better around the summit because it is utmost sharp). At 6 pm they arrived without any accident in Camp 4. The effort of Ang Chappal is especially mentionworty: without artificial oxygen he had reached the proud summit of Makalu after heavily carrying loads and after only three days off since our departure in Tumlingtar. The other day the two climbers met in Camp 3 were Dr. K. Landvogt, and not as they had expected K. Diemberger, and Nawang Tensing. Both of them had to descend to ABC, K. Diemberger even to the forests on 3700m height because of throat indignation and high altitude cough. On 3rd and 4th of May H.V. Kaenel, K. Landvogt and Nga Temba prepared a further attempt for the summit. But bad weather and high altitude troubles of K. Landvogt and Nga Temba forced them to return to Camp 1. Together with Ang Chappal they climbed on 8th of May again to the Col. On 9th of May they reached Camp 3 as a support team and in order to maintain the walky-talky communication between Camp 4 and the lower camps. On May 10th in the morning there is no communication with Camp 4. Nawang Tensing and H. Warth cannot leave the tent because it is a stormy day. Towards 6 pm the heaven becomes clear. At their utmost astonishment they can recognize 3 spots on the top Makalu: H.V. Kaenel, Nga Temba and K. Langvogt. These didn't reach at the same day Camp 4 where Ang Chappal was waiting for them but had a very cold bivouac at the height of 8250m. Bad weather and defects of the oxygen sets were the reasons for the loss of time. On May 11th in the morning they arrived in Camp 4. Ang Chappal and Nga Temba descended to Camp 3, which has been informed by walky-talky communication by Camp 4 that H.V. Kaenel and K. Landvogt are in good condition and will come on the same day to Camp 3 after a few hours rest in Camp 4 whereas Ang Chappal and Nga Temba will descend to Camp 1. After this well seeming message Nawang Tensing and H. Warth left Camp 3 and returned to Camp 1. But the evening walky-talky communication resulted that Ang Chappal and Nga Temba were staying the great height of of 7950m. The other day, therefore, Nawang Tensing and H. Warth climbed up again the 1200m from Camp 1 to Camp 3. On the route they met the descending brothers Ang Chappal and Nga Temba who were informing that H.V. Kaenel and K. Landvogt had reached Camp 3 this day but were not willing or able to descend further on today. In the afternoon Nawang Tensing and H. Warth met the considerably exhausted H.V. Kaenel and K. Landvogt. H.V. Kaenel was in addition totally snowblind. Both had frostbities and hands and feet of 2nd and 3rd grade. Nawang Tensing guided K. Landvogt down to Camp 1 which they reached at 8 pm whereas H. Warth did not succeed in bringing down H.V. Kaenel further than Camp 2 (7000m). The steep slope beneath the col (40-50 degrees) required very careful climbing and belaying. On May 14th the whole crew was back in the base camp also K. Diemberger who cured his throat sickness and his cough in the lower region of forests. On May 17th Nawang Tensing, K. Diemberger and H. Warth climbed up again for a 3rd summit attempt. They were accompanied by Nga Temba and Ang Chappal. On May 20th they arrived in camp 4. It was badly damaged by storms and snowfall and nearly totally buried by snow. The other day Nawang Tensing, K. Diemberger and H. Warth left the tents at 6 am. Unfortunately only two oxygen sets were working. H. Warth accompanied Nawang Tensing and K. Diemberger till the couloir leading to the ridge. There at 8250m he checked their oxygen sets and connected a new bottle everybody and returned to Camp 3. K. Diemberger and Nawang Tensing reached as 3rd team the summit of Makalu at 1 pm. At 8 pm they were back Camp 3. K. Diemberger was snowblind and had to be accompanied the other day by H. Warth to Camp 1. At the same day Ang Chappal, Nga Temba and Nawang Tensing started to clear the camps and to carry down the equipment. On May 23rd the whole team was together in the base camp. On May 25th the expedition started the march back to Tumlingtar. On June 3rd it reached KTM. Results Artificial oxygen has been used from 7950m upwards only 25% of oxygen equipment was working satisfactory, 25% with defects, 50% did not work at all. The expedition had not employed any high altitude porters. The members had to carry the loads themselves from the ABC to the higher camps. Ang Chappal has climbed the summit without using any artificial oxygen.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2446598
Year 1978
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) makalu la-nw ridge

Members

8 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Hermann Warth M 1940 W Germany Leader Mauerstetten, Bavaria, W Germany Assistant professor of Political Science, Univ of Munich Details Other expeditions
Dietlinde Warth F 1943 W Germany BC Manager Kissing, Bavaria, W Germany Housewife Details Other expeditions
Karl Landvogt M 1946 Austria Exp Doctor Munich, W Germany Munich Hospital staff Details Other expeditions
Kurt Diemberger M 1932 Austria Deputy Leader Salzburg, Austria Alpine guide & cameraman Details Other expeditions
Johann (Hans) Von Kaenel M 1940 Switzerland Climber Bern, Switzerland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Ang Chopal Sherpa M 1946 Nepal Climber Kharikhola, Solukhumbu - Details Other expeditions
Nga Temba Sherpa M 1950 Nepal Climber Kharikhola, Solukhumbu - Details Other expeditions
Nawang Tenzing Lama M - Nepal Climber Namche Bazar, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

9 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA78101 AAJ Diemberger, Kurt - - 53:259-261 (1979) -
MAKA78101 HJ Warth, Dr. Hermann International Makalu Expedition - 36:23-26 (1978-79) -
MAKA78101 - Warth, Hermann Makalu, Expedition in die Stille EOS, St. Ottilien, W Germany - W69
MAKA78101 - Warth, Hermann Tiefe Uberall Rosenheimer Raritaten, Rosenheim, W Germany - W71
MAKA78101 MM - - - 62:11 (Jul 1978) -
MAKA78101 MM Dyhrenfurth, G. O. & Dyhrenfurth, Norman Makalu - 64:46-49 (Nov 1978) -
MAKA78101 - Diemburger, Kurt Gipfel und Geheimnisse Orac, Vienna - D233
MAKA78101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197925902/Asia-Nepal-Makalu - - -
MAKA78101 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/36/6/international-makalu-expedition-1978/ - - -