Makalu | 1990 Makalu La-NW Ridge

A Japan expedition to Makalu in 1990 via Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by Kazufumi Watanabe. Summit reached on 29th September 1990. 1 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 712
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA90301
Peak ID MAKA
Year 1990
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Kazufumi Watanabe
Sponsor Kathmandu Club Makalu Expedition 1990
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 -
Basecamp Date 1990-08-25
Summit Date 1990-09-29
Summit Time -
Summit Days 35
Total Days 50
Termination Date 1990-10-14
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7900m due to high winds and exhaustion
High Point (m) 7900
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 1
Summit Members 0
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(25/08,5300m),C1(04/09,6200m),C2(16/09,7000m),C3(29/09,7800m),xxx(29/09,7900m)
Route Notes BC same as French this autumn C3 100m below (on Tibetan side) of NW Ridge High point at NW Ridge. Followed normal route to normal C2 then took line safer from avalanches. After making his own C2, went down to rest at BC. Left BC up again on 19th Sept to C1; 20th to C2 and C1 on 21st (had carried load to C2) and 22nd down to BC for more supplies and 2-day rest. Then bad weather (snowfall) 25th and 26th so 4 days at BC. 27th to C1 and 28th to C2. 29th up to make C3 at 7800m on the ridge and on up to see which was best line to take ("I wanted to find a good way"), but Kukuczka route very steep rock and ice mixed. Stopped at 7900m, descended to C2 (left C3 in place). 30th down to BC for rest. 1-3 Oct at BC. 4th Oct up to C1; 5th to C2; 6th to Makalu La (normal C3) and slept French tent (day very windy and could not climb higher). 7th Oct returned to his own C1 and 8th to BC. 12th Oct to C1, 13th to C2. 14th morning big storm of new snow and old snow in strong wind and C2 tent destroyed by wind and so down ("of course"). Now bad weather with fierce wind and C2 tent destroyed and he was "very tired." Were many people on route from BC to C1 and he climbed this very easy ropeless section with them. From La to C3 with French on 7th. Used no fixed rope - "I want to try again by Messner Couloir" to La. C1 tent broken into by black birds and 2 weeks food taken in mid-Sept.
Accidents None
Achievement -
Agency Cosmo Treks
Commercial Route -
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2451144
Year 1990
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) makalu la-nw ridge

Members

1 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Kazufumi Watanabe M 1960 Japan Leader Yokohama, Japan Part-time factory worker (Nissan) Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA90301 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 65:216 (1991) -
MAKA90301 IWA - - - :215 (1991) -
MAKA90301 IWA - - - :44 (1991) -
MAKA90301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199121603/Asia-Nepal-Makalu-Attempts - - -