Makalu | 1978 Makalu La-NW Ridge

A Poland expedition to Makalu in 1978 via Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by Janusz Kurczab. Summit reached on 21st October 1978. 20 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2159
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA78301
Peak ID MAKA
Year 1978
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Poland
Leaders Janusz Kurczab
Sponsor Warsaw Himalayan Expedition Makalu 1978
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 1978-09-27
Summit Date 1978-10-21
Summit Time -
Summit Days 24
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7400m due to violent storms
High Point (m) 7400
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 20
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 1
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(27/09,4850m),C1(28/09,5250m),C2(03/10,6100m),C3(17/10,7000m),C4(21/10,7400m),xxx(21/10,7400m)
Route Notes C1 moved slightly down because little crevasse at 6200m - originally at 6200m. C4 on Makalu La. Last occupation 26/27 Oct. Wind so strong decided to abandon attempt. 11 members reached C4 in period 21-6 Oct. Only a few meters above Col reached, trying to get better radio connection with KTM, but wind so strong whipping pieces of ice like stone and tips of fingers frostbitten. Problem was too late: if had one more week, would have reached summit. Lost 1 week at Pakistan-India border, 3 weeks in Delhi including truck breakdown (Indian truckers did not want to brave floods and robbers). Route was French 1954 route = northwest side. From Col would have gave up NW Ridge; and French had an extra camp below Poles C3 with a long traverse which Poles did not make between C2 and C3. Probably same route as 1978 spring expedition led by Dr Warth. Mlynarczyk: 1.60m fresh snow 3 days and 2 nights; he was sleeping and killed by avalanche at 4:00 am on 6 Oct. Wolf: became ill from altitude. French and Poles tried to get him to BC in heavy snowfall and took 14 hours to do so. Poles and French same route to Col French BC about 500m C1 - 50m apart C2 - French 100m higher than Poles C3 - same place: very close - fixed ropes below C3 together French used Polish ropes above C3 and did not make a C4 but went to their summit (Makalu II) from C3. Ferrier (Makalu II) - 6 Nov 78 Polish unsuccessful. Reached Col only. 1 sick member arrive today, rest in KTM after 1 week. Shailendra Raj Sharma, Tourism - 19 Oct 78 Expedition continuing climbing. Mlynarczyk alone in tent - only his tent covered by snow so no one else injured. BC 27 Sept 4700m C1 28 Sept 5250m C2 3 Oct 6200m Kurczab & Glogoczowski - 15 Aug 78 Northwest side (same as French 1954 and this spring at first) but from Makalu Col straighy up NW Ridge. 2 women members - made first women's ascent Gashurbrum II 1975: Anna Okopinska went to C3 on Lhotse. Only 4 here now - 3 more with truck somewhere+13 members probably today in Patna and go direct to Biratnagar. Truck also to Biratnagar and 1-2 to KTM with passports. Fly baggage Biratnagar/Tumlingtar. BC at usual place - 5000m C5 at Col 7400m C6 on ridge about 7800-7900m No Sherpas to save money; have enough Poles; only hire cook and 2 helpers Established BC about 15 Sept - summit late Oct, which starts to be late. Use oxygen for climbing above Col and sleeping on col. 18 Aug 78 Truck 21 Aug at Biratnagar, hope for flights to Tumlingtar 25 Aug. Start caravan after 25 Aug and reach BC 10 Sept. Mlynarczyk's body had been buried near base camp, which is at 4700m, and the expedition's climbing continues. No other member of the the member of the team was even injured by the avalanche. 5 June 2017 - Anna Okopinska The avalanche happened in the night 5/6 Oct in the usual Makalu BC 4850m. After 63 hours snowfall, there was 1.5m deep snow in BC. About 3:00 am, a silent snowslide from the low moraine has deeply covered the tent in which Andrzej was sleeping alone. He was dead when taken off in 30 min. The same night our 3-person team was descending Jan Wolf who suffered from HAPE from C1 to BC in the heavy snowstorm. Terrible night.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2446771
Year 1978
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) makalu la-nw ridge

Members

20 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Leszek Cichy M 1951 Poland Climber Warsaw, Poland Surveyor Details Other expeditions
Tomasz Czarski M 1952 Poland Climber Radom, Poland Electronics engineer Details Other expeditions
Miroslaw Dabrowski M 1949 Poland Climber Warsaw, Poland Chemical engineer Details Other expeditions
Jaroslaw Dobas M 1950 Poland Dep Ldr/Organizer Warsaw, Poland Student of physics Details Other expeditions
Marek Glogoczowski M 1942 Poland Climber Geneva, Switzerland Physicist and geneticist Details Other expeditions
Marek Grochowski M 1942 Poland Dep Climbing Leader Lodz, Poland Civil engineer Details Other expeditions
Jacek Gronczewski M 1948 Poland Exp Doctor Warsaw, Poland Physician specializing in physiological research Details Other expeditions
Jan Holnicki-Szulc M 1945 Poland Climber Warsaw, Poland Civil engineer Details Other expeditions
Wojciech Jedlinski M 1946 Poland Climber Lodz, Poland Alpine instructor Details Other expeditions
Halina Kruger-Syrokomska F 1938 Poland Climber Warsaw, Poland Journalist Details Other expeditions
Janusz Kurczab M 1937 Poland Leader Warsaw, Poland Alpine instructor Details Other expeditions
Wlodzimierz Lapinski M 1939 Poland Climber Mackowa Ruda, Poland Photographer & driver Details Other expeditions
Andrzej Marczak M 1941 Poland Climber Warsaw, Poland Physicist Details Other expeditions
Andrzej Mlynarczyk M 1947 Poland Climber Zgierz, Poland Electronics engineer Details Other expeditions
Anna Okopinska F 1948 Poland Climber Warsaw, Poland Physicist Details Other expeditions
Janusz Skrzyszowki M 1951 Poland Climber Warsaw, Poland Student of aircraft engines Details Other expeditions
Tadeusz Solicki M 1948 Poland Climber Warsaw, Poland Geologist Details Other expeditions
Jacek Tafel M 1951 Poland Climber Warsaw, Poland Physicist Details Other expeditions
Jan Wolf M 1952 Poland Climber Warsaw, Poland Mathematician Details Other expeditions
Pawel Zawidzki M 1941 Poland Climber Warsaw, Poland Geologist Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA78301 AAJ - - - 53:261 (1979) -
MAKA78301 AAJ Nyka, Josef - - 53:605-606 (1980) -
MAKA78301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198060504/Asia-Nepal-Makalu-Polish-Attempt-1975 - - -
MAKA78301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197926101/Asia-Nepal-Makalu-Attempt - - -