Makalu | 1991 W Face (to 7800m)

A Switzerland expedition to Makalu in 1991 via W Face (to 7800m), led by Erhard Loretan. Summit reached on 2nd October 1991. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 618
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA91304
Peak ID MAKA
Year 1991
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Face (to 7800m)
Route 2 W Pillar
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Switzerland
Leaders Erhard Loretan
Sponsor Swiss Makalu Expedition
Success 1 False
Success 2 True
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 37th w/Spa
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1991-08-28
Summit Date 1991-10-02
Summit Time 1000
Summit Days 35
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8485
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 2
Summit Members 2
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(28/08,5300m),Smt(02/10)
Route Notes BC at high BC. No fixed camps but made depot on 3rd Sept at 6300m and avalanching took it all away. Borrowed gear from from Spaniards after found gear gone. On 25th left BC at 1 am and up to 6600m spent afternoon there; 6 pm up on to 7800m just below rock wall where reached 3 am 26 Sept. Troillet discovered this biv tent broken in 2 pieces so abandoned wall and down to BC same day without great difficulty. Snow face is 50 degrees but wall above 7800m fine rock mixed with ice at 90 degrees. Changed route and reached W Pillar at 6500m; started up 1 Oct at 1 am from BC and joining 2 Spaniards at 7900m at 9 pm at small biv. 2 Swiss and 4 Spaniards left together at 11 pm 1 Oct and on top: Loretan at 10 am, Troillet 10:30 am. Loretan and Troillet left top 11:00 or 11:30 am and reached BC: Loretan 7:00 pm and Troillet 8:00 pm. 2 Spaniards left later and arrived for biv only.
Accidents Troillet slightly frostbitten 2 toes; nothing else
Achievement -
Agency Asian Trekking
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2451513
Year 1991
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w face (to 7800m)

Members

2 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Erhard Loretan M 1959 Switzerland Leader Cresuz, Fribourg, Switzerland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Jean Fernand Troillet M 1948 Switzerland Climber Orsieres, Valais, Switzerland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA91304 AAJ Braham, Trevor - - 66:192-193 (1992) -
MAKA91304 MM - - - 143:5 (Jan 1992) -
MAKA91304 - Ammann, Jean & Loretan, Erhard Erhard Loretan, Les 8000 Rugissants Editions La Sarine,Fribourg, Switzerland - -
MAKA91304 - Ammann, Jean & Loretan, Erhard Erhard Loretan, Den Bergen Verfallen Paulusverlag, Freiburg, Switzerland - -
MAKA91304 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199219202/Asia-Nepal-Makalu-West-Face-Attempt-and-Rapid-West-Buttress-Ascent - - -