Makalu | 1986 Makalu La-NW Ridge

A USA expedition to Makalu in 1986 via Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by Ned Gillette. Summit reached on 25th May 1986. 4 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 954
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA86101
Peak ID MAKA
Year 1986
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Ned Gillette
Sponsor American Makalu 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 -
Approach Shipton Pass->Barun Glacier (BC)
Basecamp Date 1986-04-18
Summit Date 1986-05-25
Summit Time -
Summit Days 37
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 10
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8100m due to lack of manpower, route difficulty
High Point (m) 8100
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 4
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 4
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(18/04,5300m),C1(23/04,5800m),C2(28/04,6400m),C3(02/05,7040m),C4(14/05,7440m),xxx(25/05,8100m)
Route Notes BC at normal high BC site at glaciers' junction C1 at east branch of Chago Glacier C2 south of 6550m col at beginning of steep climb to Makalu Col C4 on Makalu La High point on North Face. Early May very cold strong winds blew from Tibet so retreated to BC. Lot of wind throughout climbing period but little snowfall. Could walk from BC to C2 in tennis shoes. After made C4 again winds fierce and down to BC. 2 members left expedition (a member found this climb not for him). Other 2 members headed up again on 20th May but Wilcox got sick at C3 and went down 22nd May with one Sherpa. Gillette continued up with 3 Sherpas to C4 in fierce winds fixing 100 ft rope. 2 more days winds to 80 mph. Started up on 2 successive days with 4 Sherpas turned back while Gillette using oxygen carried on up alone to see where he could get. No wind now, perfect weather, but steep rock at high altitude alone struck Gillette as not wise and he turned back at 8100m (he had never been above 7600m before in his career). Bouchard - 27 May 1986 Bouchard left BC 19 May. All down in BC. 4 people 4 oxygen not enough so 2 including Bouchard volunteered to give up theirs leaving Gillette and Wilcox for summit push leaving BC 21 May and getting to top about 25 May. C4 about 200m above North Col = 7600m occupied about 10 May C3 = 7000m C2 = 6400m Chous may have left BC soon after Bouchard Bouchard leave KTM 28 May
Accidents Dube serious altitude sickness; Wilcox intestinal illness
Achievement -
Agency Mountain Travel
Commercial Route -
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2449552
Year 1986
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) makalu la-nw ridge

Members

4 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
John G. Bouchard M 1952 USA Climber North Conway, New Hampshire Manufacturer of mountaineering equipment Details Other expeditions
Chris Dube M 1955 USA Climber Arlington, Massachusetts Research scientist Details Other expeditions
Edward (Ned) Gillette M 1945 USA Leader Stowe, Vermont Photojournalist Details Other expeditions
Richard French (Rick) Wilcox M 1948 USA Climber Eaton, New Hampshire Alpine guide Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA86101 AAJ Gillette, Ned - - 61:222-223 (1987) -
MAKA86101 MM - - - 113:8 (Jan 1987) -
MAKA86101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198722203/Asia-Nepal-Makalu-Attempt - - -