Makalu | 1989 S Face up; NW Ridge down

A France expedition to Makalu in 1989 via S Face up; NW Ridge down, led by Pierre Beghin. Summit reached on 6th October 1989. 5 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 378
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA89304
Peak ID MAKA
Year 1989
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Face up; NW Ridge down
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality France
Leaders Pierre Beghin
Sponsor Federal French Expedition 1989 to Makalu
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 30th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1989-09-07
Summit Date 1989-10-06
Summit Time 1445
Summit Days 29
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8485
Traverse True
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 1
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 5
Summit Members 1
Member Deaths 0
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 False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(07/09,4900m),C1(10/09,5800m),Biv(16/09,6600m),Smt(06/10)
Route Notes BC southwest of Barun Pokhari C1 just below point 5860m in Schneider map C4 a series of bivs. In first half of Sept only Beghin and Cadot were climbing and they reached 6600m on 16th Sept and again 21 Sept with Gherson, who descended in that night with headache while other 2 slept there for first time. 22nd Beghin alone to 7100m fixing 200m rope. 23rd all to BC for rest before summit bid. 27th Sept 3 members to C1, but big storm arose and down to BC 28th. 1 meter fresh snow fall 28-30 Sept. From BC 2nd Oct 3 members to C1, which was badly damaged with sleeping bags in 10cm of melted snow but could dry them in sunshine. 3 Oct Beghin to 7100m and other 2 same altitude 4 hrs later and slept here. 4th Oct Cadot and Gherson down tired and cold, while Beghin up alone to 7700m, where bivouacked with minimum equipment (tent inner lining, 1 tent pole, stove, gas, pot, tea and coffee but no food, 2 ropes, pitons for very difficult technical section of 25m loose rock at 7300m which Beghin thought most dangerous section and took 2-3 hrs to surmount despite fear would have to give up). Biv 4th Oct alone at 7700m. Wind rose at night and carried spindrift snow in cold. 5th Oct Beghin climbed most difficult part of Yugoslavian route at 8000m-8150m where was powder snow on rock and ice, quite unsafe. Above 7600m was impossible to descend this route because of snow condition of this snow on rock. Above 8100m not so difficult and now had no more rope. Biv at 8200m on 5th, tired. 6th Oct reached W Pillar top and on up via S Face like Yugoslavians. Started on 6th Oct at 8:30 am and on summit 2:45 pm, was very cold and Beghin very tired and at end was 50m cliff of bad rock and here got some frostbite of 1 thumb; cold and strong wind and cloud. Stayed at summit 3 minutes. Left tent at last biv. On 6th descended in knee-deep snow with crust in places, arriving directly for tents he could see near Makalu La; was taken by avalanche 200m, head first, lost walkie-talkie; reached tents at 6:00 pm where found Carlos Valles and others, hoping for their own summit bid. 7th Beghin down alone via couloir, in last 400m snow crusted and again windslab avalanche took him down 400m, over 2 seracs, lost cameras, lost ice ax; stopped at gentle slope and joined normal track and reached 6400m camp of British and later high BC at 5:00 pm where 2 trekking friends awaited him. On 8th down to Beghin's BC. Fauquet arrived BC 6th Oct and 7th Oct he and Ghersen to C1. 8th these two reached 7100m; then 7300m and turned back, windy and they were discouraged.
Accidents None
Achievement -
Agency Everest Trekking
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2450785
Year 1989
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) s face up; nw ridge down

Members

5 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Pierre Beghin M 1951 France Leader Le Sappey-en-Chartreuse, Isere, France Engineer Details Other expeditions
Michel Cadot M 1960 France Exp Doctor Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France Physician Details Other expeditions
Guy Chaumereuil M 1950 France Member Goncelin, Isere, France Journalist Details Other expeditions
Michel Simon Fauquet M 1962 France Climber Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Alain Ghersen M 1963 France Climber Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA89304 AAJ Beghin, Pierre Cold Sweat on Makalu - 64:1-6 (1990) -
MAKA89304 - Beghin, Pierre Hautes Altitudes Didier & Richard, Grenoble - B235
MAKA89304 MM - - - 130:7 (Nov 1989) -
MAKA89304 MM Beghin, Pierre New Moon on Makalu - 131:26-31 (Jan 1990) -
MAKA89304 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199000100/Cold-Sweat-on-Makalu - - -