Makalu | 1988 Makalu La-NW Ridge

A W Germany expedition to Makalu in 1988 via Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by Sigi Hupfauer. Summit reached on 8th May 1988. 11 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 63
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA88103
Peak ID MAKA
Year 1988
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality W Germany
Leaders Sigi Hupfauer
Sponsor German Makalu Expedition 1988
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 Switzerland
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1988-04-13
Summit Date 1988-05-08
Summit Time -
Summit Days 25
Total Days 38
Termination Date 1988-05-21
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7800m due to bad weather
High Point (m) 7800
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 9
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 2
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
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(13/04,5350m),C1(16/04,6050m),C2(21/04,6800m),C3(30/04,7400m),C4(08/05,7800m),xxx(08/05,7800m)
Route Notes BC at moraine of Chago Glacier just north of glacier's junction C1 at start of Chago Glacier on rocks in center C2 at start of steep section below Makalu La C3 at Makalu La C4 on NW Ridge High point at C4. [6 May entire team plus two Sherpas set out from BC to C2 for first summit attempt. Next day Deuber and Joos stopped bid because too cold, while rest of team continued to C3. 8 May to C4 at 7800m while two Sherpas descended to C2 [not strong enough]. That night high winds damaged C4 tents.] 9th May all down to BC. 3 days snow and wind fierce storm. Blew over BC mess tent. 15th May 4 members and 2 Sherpas up to C2. 16th May Dacher down to BC exhausted and later same day Dujmovits down ill. 17th May 2 Hupfauers and 2 Sherpas up from C2. Gaby Hupfauer turned back at 7100m and others at 7250m when Sherpas not so strong; no summit for them. All in BC 17th May and climb finished. Weather bad (snow and wind) and more storms coming. Team left BC 21 May. Although Swiss had separate equipment, they did climb together with Germans and 2 Swiss; Graf and Weber pitched C4 together at 7800m. When Italians left BC 6th May Germans were going for summit attempt. Swiss return KTM this week, go to Karakoram. Germans have more time, leave Nepal 2nd June. Giacomelli - 15 March Germans and Swiss separate teams using different styles: Germans establish series of camps, will use Italians C4 at 7800m. Norbert Joos to try summit alpine style, up to C2, down, up to C4, down.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency International Trekkers (Intrek Asia)
Commercial Route -
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2450268
Year 1988
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) makalu la-nw ridge

Members

11 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Michel Dacher M 1933 W Germany Deputy Leader Peiting, Bavaria, W Germany Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Louis Deuber M 1959 Switzerland Climber Zollikon, Zurich, Switzerland Engineer Details Other expeditions
Ralf Dujmovits M 1961 W Germany Climber Buehlertal, Baden-Wuerttemberg, W Germany Alpine guide & medical student Details Other expeditions
Fredy Graf M 1936 Switzerland Climber Zurich, Switzerland Architect Details Other expeditions
Gabriele (Gaby) Hupfauer F 1947 W Germany Climber Pfaffenhofen, Bavaria, W Germany Government office emloyee Details Other expeditions
Siegfried (Sigi) Hupfauer M 1941 W Germany Leader Pfaffenhofen, Bavaria, W Germany Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Norbert Joos M 1960 Switzerland Climber Chur, Graubunden, Switzerland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Peter Weber M 1942 Switzerland Climber Wald, Zurich, Switzerland Architect Details Other expeditions
Richard Koller M 1960 W Germany Climber Wald, W Germany Architect Details Other expeditions
Ang Chopal Sherpa M 1946 Nepal H-A Worker Kharikhola, Solukhumbu - Details Other expeditions
Pemba Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA88103 AAJ Hupfauer, Sigi - - 63:190 (1989) -
MAKA88103 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198919001/Asia-Nepal-Makalu-Attempt - - -