Makalu | 1997 Makalu La-NW Ridge

A UK expedition to Makalu in 1997 via Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by Alan Hinkes. Summit reached on 18th May 1997. 3 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2283
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA97103
Peak ID MAKA
Year 1997
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality UK
Leaders Alan Hinkes
Sponsor Alan Hinkes Challenger 8000
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 USA
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1997-04-27
Summit Date 1997-05-18
Summit Time -
Summit Days 21
Total Days 39
Termination Date 1997-06-05
Termination Reason 9
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7200m due to lateness in the summit day
High Point (m) 7200
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 800
Total Members 3
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 Climbed Lhotse (LHOT-971-02) (only Hinkes joined other expedition)
Campsites BC(27/04,4700m),ABC(30/04,5600m),C1(07/05,6400m),C2(10/05,6600m),xxx(18,30/05,7200m)
Route Notes Hinkes he arrived by helicopter at 5400m on edge of Chago Glacier on 28 May by which time others had made 2 camps with one tent each and fixed rope to 6800m. Hinkes slept in C2 on 29 May and 30th tried to reach Makalu La but at 7200m waited for Zangrilli who it turned out had been hit on face by falling ice (or rock) which made him black out (after Hinkes 3 hours wait) at noon he reached Hinkes but not well and it was late (worried about rockfall at this time of day) so both down to C2 and 31st to ABC. High wind on mountain. Decided 2nd June to give it up. Zangrilli: Coates didn't acclimatize well and had problem with his nose, so Zangrilli did all the work fixing rope up to 7200m, where he arrived for his first time on 17 or 18 May and where he built up a depot of 2 tents, rope, food, fuel, etc. All ready for summit push when Hinkes arrived from his Lhotse climb. Coates established camps 1 and 2 which were far apart horizontally but not vertically on very long route. On 30 May Zangrilli hit on temple by falling ice at 7100m, which caused him to black out from time to time and vomit, he managed to climb up to Hinkes at 7200m but was blacking out and vomiting still, route was very now very steep hard ice, it was hot at midday and they were wearing hot down clothes so they decided to go down.
Accidents Zangrilli hit by falling ice; Coates altitude problem
Achievement -
Agency Himalaya Expeditions
Commercial Route -
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453619
Year 1997
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) makalu la-nw ridge

Members

3 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Alan Charles Hinkes M 1954 UK Leader Washington, Tyne & Wear, England Alpinist Details Other expeditions
Philip Coates M 1966 UK Climber York, N Yorkshire, England Photographer & television researcher Details Other expeditions
Fabrizio John Zangrilli M 1972 USA Climber London, England Photographer Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA97103 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 72:308-309 (1998) -
MAKA97103 HIGH - - - 179:20-21 (Oct 1997) -
MAKA97103 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199830800/Asia-Nepal-Various-Activity-in-the-Pre-Monsoon - - -