Makalu | 1995 Makalu La-NW Ridge

A Australia expedition to Makalu in 1995 via Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by David Hume. Summit reached on 8th May 1995. 7 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1450
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA95103
Peak ID MAKA
Year 1995
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Australia
Leaders David Hume
Sponsor Australian Makalu Expedition 1995
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 44th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1995-04-08
Summit Date 1995-05-08
Summit Time 1800
Summit Days 30
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8485
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 7
Summit Members 2
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 7
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(08/04,5400m),C1(15/04,6050m),C2(22/04,6800m),C3(05/05,7400m),C4(07/05,7800m),Smt(08/05)
Route Notes C1 on moraine C3 at Makalu. [First chronicle] 1st carried to 7400m 26th April and felt acclimatized on push to La on 5th by Hume, Pavich, Auricht and Tingay; rest day on 6th & 7th set out for C4 and probably summit. Tingay got symptoms of cerebral edema and down before C4, 3 others made C4 (Basques going up at same time). Pavich down to C3 on 8th because exhausted and stayed in C3 in support of summiters. Hume and Auricht to top in clear and highest wind. Used no oxygen and Hume not a fast climber. When Hume began his slide at 250m he was 20m above started of fixed rope; snow with thin crust on ice. Contributing factor to Hume's condition when he went to the top was his generosity in letting Basques use his team's tent and couldn't sleep. Cause of fall could have been Hume's blacking out since he did not call out, but could have been loss of crampon. Auricht had glissaded in his descent, arrested this, came to stop at pile of rocks and stood up while Hume shot past Auricht. Pavich made meticulous plans. Chessell thought Hume not a good leader because no confidence in his climbing ability and fitness (fell on Xixa and had to be helped down Everest). Body may be in icefall crevasse at 7900m. [Second chronicle] Gear put at C3 on 26 April but not slept in till 1 May (C2 slept in 24 April). C4 made by Auricht, Hume and Pavich on 7 May. On 8th Pavich down to C3 because very weak and slow while Hume and Auricht went up to top, leaving C3 at 1:00 am and got to true top at 6:00 pm, left top 6:45 pm; at 8:00 pm at top of icefall at 8300m both slipped, Mark arrested his own descent but David kept slidding, hit Mark. Ice axe with glove in its leash at about 8200m (and other glove and boots found by Spaniards at 8100m and blood at 8200m or lower); believe body went into crevasse about 7900m. Mark shocked got to C4 down blue ice very slowly reaching C4 at 4:00 am. C4 had 2 Basques but no Aussies. Mark on 10th tried to go up to look for Hume's body, got only 100m and too tired and turned down and joined Pavich, still at C3 and both slept there that night. 11th Chessel and Tingay with porters up from camps to help those above turned back while Pavich took 10 hours from C3 to C2 while Auricht to BC same day. 12th Pavich stopped at Spanish BC at 5600m and enjoyed their hospitality so all members were down by 12 May. Australian Makalu Expedition - Spring 1995 Statement regarding the death of David Victor Hume as witnessed by Mark Auricht: David Hume, Chris Pavich and Mark Auricht established C4 at 7800m on the afternoon of the 7th of May. The Basque climbers who also climbed to C4 on the 7th approached us to share our tent as theirs had blown away! We allowed 3 Basque climbers to share our tent and stove. The result was an uncomfortable night with little or no sleep. David and I rose at midnight and left the tent for the summit push at 1:30 am on the 8th May. Chris returned to C3 later that morning due to fatigue. We reached the summit at approx 6:15 pm. We sat for about 35 minutes taking photos, video and enjoying the experience. At approx 6:50 pm we left the summit, belayed each other across to the false summit, walked the summit ridge and found the descent gully by approx 8:30 pm. We began the descent on steep snow. After about 50m of descent my legs were struck by David as he had slipped above me and had collided with me. I was able to arrest my fall as I witnessed David accelerate on his back over the rock step below. I did not see him again. I continued my descent looking and calling for David. As I climbed/abseiled down I found evidence of his fall including his ice axe and one glove, also a streak of blood on the ice approx 250m below where he first slipped. It was clear that David must have continued to fall/slide down into the icefall below (possibly another 100m or more). I felt that there was no hope for his life. I also felt it was unsafe to search for David at that time. I returned slowly to C4 arriving at 4:30 am on the 9th of May, 27 hours after leaving. 30 minutes prior to arriving back at C4 (i.e., 4:00 am) I met Alberto [Zerain] Berasategi (the Basque climber). I told Alberto about the tragic accident and asked him to look for David. Alberto returned to C4 that afternoon after being on the summit, he was unable to find David. However he saw two boots (one with crampon) and a large blood streak below the gully. Alberto and the remaining Basque left C4 on the afternoon of the 9th. I was alone continuing to rest. At 5:00 am on the 10th of May I left C4 to search for C4 and 30 min later I decided to return to C4. Back at C4 I rested, got warm again and at approx 10:00 am and I began my descent to C3. I arrived at C3 at about 3:30 pm and was met by Chris who had waited for my return. On the 11th of May Chris and I descended to C2. Chris remained at C2 and I continued to BC assisted by Duncan Chessel, David Tingay and 3 Sherpas. Monday, 8 May 1995: 1:00 am: David Hume and Mark Auricht at C4. Left for summit 1:00 am. (Shared their tent with 4 Basque climbers, whose tent had been blown away - left for summit before Basques) Chris Pavich overnighted at C3, alone. Duncan Chessell and David Tingay arrived at BC at 9:00 pm, David T had descended from C4 with cerebral edema symptoms. Paul Richards and Matt Rolfe at BC preparing to leave for walk out next morning. Tuesday, 9 May 1995: 4:30 am Mark Auricht arrived back at C4, 27 hours after leaving with David H for summit. It was reported by radio by the Basque climbers: David had fallen during the previous evening, somewhere between the summit and C4 and had not been since. Mark Auricht was at C4 - condition unknown. 5th Basque was attempting summit today and would be able to report further. 8:00 am Paul R and Matt R left BC for the walk out, unaware of any of the above events. 4:30 am Nima (Mike Groom's Sirdar) and Amrit (Australian Expedition Sirdar) returned from the Basque BC, which was further up the mountain than the Australian BC. It should be noted that prior to this, we did not know any of the above events. They reported: David H. had fallen and was lost above C4. Mark A was at C4. Chris P was at C3. 5:30 pm Duncan C, David T and Jo Pearce (friend of David Hume visiting BC) went to the nearby French Base Camp to discuss the situation with Benoir and Pierre, the French climbers who had summited on 7/5/95 and who had radio communication with the Basques on the mountain. 6:00 pm Scheduled radio call to Basque BC - spoke to the Korean member of their expedition, who spoke good English. No Basque radio at C4. He was able to confirm the facts as we, at this stage knew then, but unable to give us any further information, apart from: Chris was unwilling to leave C3. Decision by Duncan C, David T and Jo P: Wednesday, 10 May 1995: 9:00 am Duncan C, David T and Jo P returned to French BC. No update from Basques at this stage. Benoir spoke to one of his climbing Sherpas currently at C1. Asked him to go to C3 and talk Chris P into descending. (Facts: Both Mark and Chris had been at altitude too long - several days - needed to descend to prevent medical complications of AMS - acute mountain sickness or altitude sickness. We were concerned the longer they stayed on the mountain alone, the more difficult it would be for them to make the decision to descend. Give the radio to Chris and he can talk to Duncan C. who will order him to come down. 12:30 pm French Climbing Sherpa (radio contact was between C3 and C2, on his descent) reported that he had gone to C3. Chris was unwilling to leave C3 (reason unknown). No successful radio communication from C3 due to cloudy conditions. French opinion was that Chris after 5-6 nights at C2 and C3 was suffering AMS. 2:00 pm Duncan C, David T and Jo P returned to Australian BC. Held meeting with Amrit (Sirdar), Nima (David Groom's Sirdar).
Accidents Hume fatal fall
Achievement -
Agency Su-Swagatam Treks
Commercial Route False
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2452831
Year 1995
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) makalu la-nw ridge

Members

7 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Mark Auricht M 1963 Australia Climber Walkerville, SA, Australia Corporate training consultant Details Other expeditions
Duncan Charles Chessell M 1970 Australia Climber Leabrook, SA, Australia Geology student Details Other expeditions
David Victor Hume M 1961 Australia Leader Sydney, NSW, Australia Systems analyst Details Other expeditions
Chris Pavich M 1951 Australia Climber Mudgee, NSW, Australia National park ranger Details Other expeditions
Paul Rickards M 1969 Australia Climber Brisbane, QLD, Australia Physician Details Other expeditions
Matthew John (Matt) Rolfe M 1968 Australia Climber Palm Beach, QLD, Australia Physiologist Details Other expeditions
David Tingay M 1971 Australia Climber Sterling, SA, Australia Physician Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA95103 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 70:272 (1996) -
MAKA95103 HIGH - - - 155:11 (Oct 1995) -
MAKA95103 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199627202/Asia-Nepal-Makalu-Ascents-and-Tragedy - - -