Makalu | 1984 W Face-NW Ridge up; variation down

A Switzerland expedition to Makalu in 1984 via W Face-NW Ridge up; variation down, led by Romolo Nottaris. Summit reached on 29th September 1984. 4 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 999
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA84302
Peak ID MAKA
Year 1984
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Face-NW Ridge up; variation down
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Switzerland
Leaders Romolo Nottaris
Sponsor Nottaris Makalu Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 21st
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1984-09-11
Summit Date 1984-09-29
Summit Time 1900
Summit Days 18
Total Days 20
Termination Date 1984-10-01
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8485
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 250
Total Members 3
Summit Members 1
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 2
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 1
No Hired False
O2 Used False
O2 None True
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(11/09,5350m),C1(20/09,6100m),C2(23/09,6400m),Biv1(24/09,6850m),Biv2(28/09,7800m),Smt(29/09),Biv3(29/09,7500m)
Route Notes Nottaris, Petrini and Righeschi prepared route from North BC up to C2 at 6850m. 250m rope was fixed up along the way up to 6850m. Nottaris climbed alone to summit leaving C2 at 3 am of 28 Sept. Reached summit on 29 Sept at 7 pm. Bivouacked on descent at 7500m at midnight. 24th all down to BC after reaching 6850m that day. 27th Righeschi and Nottaris moved up from BC to C2 and Righeschi to 6850m to dump Nottaris' equipment there and returned that night to C2 with Nottaris. 28th Sept Nottaris started up 3:00 am, picked up equipment at 6850m at end of fixed rope and bived at 7800m. 29th Sept very strong wind and stayed in biv till 11:00 am when wind abated and Nottaris went up to top 7:00 pm and stayed few minutes, hand frostbitten. Descended to 7500m on normal route to N Col on 30th and then more direct route reached BC 9:30 pm 30th Sept. Very difficult 6400-6900m, 60-degrees ice and rock. Much wind every day, but Nottaris well acclimatized in Zanskar in July-Aug 1984. If not this 40 days above 4500m to 6300m, could not have made this climb. So much wind, all bare rock (no snow) above 7400m. LO died 13 Sept in Hillary BC from pulmonary edema. Body taken by Italians liaison officer and cremated several days later elsewhere. Petrini left BC 26 Sept a little ill. Nottaris slight frostbite left fingers but healing. Shrestha, Tourism - 5 Oct 84 Succeeded to put Nottaris on summit. He left BC on 27 Sept to climb mountain and established C1 6400m and C2 7800m. 29 Sept at 19:00 hours Nottaris reached top where stayed 10 minutes and took photos in clear and windy weather; returned to 7500m that night. 30 Sept at 10:00 pm reached BC. Fingers of his left hand have frostbite. One member Sergio Petrini left BC 25 Sept because of respiratory problem. West Face permitted route, apparent solo ascent.
Accidents Petrini left BC Sep 26, slightly ill; Nottaris slight frostbite left fingers but healing; LO died of edema on Sept 13 at BC
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2448947
Year 1984
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w face-nw ridge up; variation down

Members

4 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Romolo Nottaris M 1946 Switzerland Leader Lugano, Ticino, Switzerland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Sergio Petrini M 1954 Switzerland Climber Comano, Ticino, Switzerland Television cameraman Details Other expeditions
Claudio Righeschi M 1946 Switzerland Climber Lugano, Ticino, Switzerland Electrician Details Other expeditions
Ram Bahadur Shrestha M - Nepal Liaison Officer - Police inspector Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA84302 AAJ Nottaris, Romolo - - 59:255 (1985) -
MAKA84302 HJ Notarris, Romolo Makalu, 1984 - 42:162-164 (1984-1985) -
MAKA84302 MM - - - 102:16 (Mar 1985) -
MAKA84302 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198525501/Asia-Nepal-Makalu-West-Face - - -
MAKA84302 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/42/21/expeditions-and-notes-42/ - - -