Makalu | 1988 Makalu La-NW Ridge

A W Germany expedition to Makalu in 1988 via Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by Hans Eitel. Summit reached on 12th October 1988. 10 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 876
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA88305
Peak ID MAKA
Year 1988
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2 W Pillar (to 7200m)
Route 3 W Face (to 6800m)
Route 4 -
Nationality W Germany
Leaders Hans Eitel
Sponsor International Makalu Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 28th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Italy, Mexico, Switzerland
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1988-09-21
Summit Date 1988-10-12
Summit Time 1900
Summit Days 21
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8485
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 10
Summit Members 1
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent True
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical True
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(21/09,5300m),C1(28/09,6400m),C2(30/09,7000m),C3(7400m),C4(7800m),Smt(12/10)
Route Notes BC at normal site of higher BC C1 at normal route/6500m bottom of West Face C3 at Makalu La. Patscheider made brief attempt to climb W Face but never actually was on face. Eitel party on normal route from northwest side without success. 2 Mexicans on normal route; Carsolio summited. Troillet and Loretan attempted W Pillar. Troillet and Loretan's climbing: Arrived at BC 7th Oct. 9th to 6200m on small peak above BC. 10th to below W Face and climbed couloir to east side of W Pillar and 6700m. 11th to 7200m on pillar to see conditions and down to BC; snow conditions OK on pillar but winds slab on W Face made it unsafe. 12th to C1 to bring down Carsolio and returned to BC at night. BC rested and 17th up to couloir to 6700m for 4 hrs. and up again at 5:00 pm; reached 7100m on pillar, retreated in strong wind and BC that midnight. 18th onwards was strong wind everyday so on 22nd gave up and left BC 24th when porters arrived. Patschnieder to only 6800m at big crevasse at bottom of face; did not actually climb on face. Elsa and Carlos Carsolio together: Climbed point 6170m for acclimatization and spent night on summit (7th Sept). 11th Sept started up Kukuczka route and climbed to 7000m and slept there 2 nights (12-13th Sept) still for acclimatization. Snowfall and poor weather next and rumor there would be another earthquake. 25th Sept started from high BC at 5300m in first summit bid; climbed normal route; 1 night in C1, 1 in C2 and C4 on 28th Sept made bid for summit but very deep snow for breaking trail. Reached 8200m at 6:00 pm and returned to C4 and next day on down to BC rested, small snowfall and wind came and very difficult to climb. 2 Spaniards and 2 Mexicans 5th Oct started up again from BC. C1 with Walde. 6th in C2, very windy; Elsa 2 nights, Carlos 5 nights. 11th Oct Carlos up alone, direct to C4. 12th on up in very cold strong wind and reached summit at 7:00 pm, very cold on top. Returned to C4 that night (doesn't know time, too tired). 13th downwards, Spanish gave him oxygen in C2 and to BC same day. Letter from Hans Eitel to Miss Hawley - 15 Oct 88 Report from the expedition. High camp Base 5300m on 21 Sept 88. Carlos Elsa Carsolio arrived the camp two weeks before Reinhard Patscheider started the climb on West Face solo. 26 Sep 88 - Kurt Walde, Claudia, Hans Eitel, Ang Gyalzen Sherpa, depot on 5800m. 28 Sep 88 - Claudia Inceichen, Hans Eitel, C1 6400m. Reinhard Patscheider west face C1 tent on serac, Kurt Walde, N/W C2. 30 Sep 88 - Claudia Inceichen, Hans Eitel, Ang Gyalzen Sherpa C1 the next day Hans Eitel Camp 2 7000m solo and from C2 back to base camp. Claudia Inceichen and Ang Gyalzen from C1 to base camp back. Carlos and Elsa came back from 8200m. From now we have many wind from Makalu La to the top of the mountain. Reinhard Pattscheider solo on West Face 7000m, he finished, so E. Loretan and Jean Troillet not coming. 6 Oct 88 - Reinhard Patscheider started from BC back to KTM. All climbers must wait for better weather. The problem is now only the wind. Carlos, Elsa start again to the mountain. 7 Oct 88 - Erhard Loretan and Jean Troillet arrived the BC with 5 porters. He brings the message I must go home. 8 Oct 88 - Hans Eitel started with 1 porter to Tumlingtar.
Accidents Carsolio altitude sickness after summit
Achievement -
Agency Asian Trekking
Commercial Route -
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2450425
Year 1988
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) makalu la-nw ridge

Members

10 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Elsa Flor Avila Bello F 1963 Mexico Climber Mexico City, Mexico Civil engineer Details Other expeditions
Carlos Miguel Carsolio Larrea M 1962 Mexico Climber Mexico City, Mexico Civil engineer Details Other expeditions
Hans Volker Eitel M 1945 W Germany Leader Heidelberg, Baden-Wuerttemberg, W Germany Mountain sports shop manager Details Other expeditions
Barbara Gulde F 1962 W Germany Climber Mannheim, Baden-Wuerttemberg, W Germany Financial planner and controller Details Other expeditions
Claudia Ineichen F 1962 Switzerland Climber Interlaken, Bern, Switzerland Mountain sports saleswoman Details Other expeditions
Erhard Loretan M 1959 Switzerland Climber Cresuz, Fribourg, Switzerland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Heinz Mueller M 1951 W Germany Climber Erbach, Hesse, W Germany Chef Details Other expeditions
Reinhard Patscheider M 1957 Italy Climber Graun, Bolzano, Italy Ski instructor Details Other expeditions
Jean Fernand Troillet M 1948 Switzerland Climber Orsieres, Valais, Switzerland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Kurt Walde M 1962 Italy Climber Brunico, Bolzano, Italy Alpine guide Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA88305 AAJ Loretan, Erhard - - 63:192 (1989) -
MAKA88305 MM - - - 125:12 (Jan 1989) -
MAKA88305 - Carsolio, Elsa & Carsolio, Carlos Encuentro con el Himalaya Fernandez Cueto, Mexico City - C421
MAKA88305 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198919201/Asia-Nepal-Makalu - - -