Makalu | 1998 Makalu La-NW Ridge

A Germany expedition to Makalu in 1998 via Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by Goetz Wiegand. Summit reached on 26th April 1998. 6 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2623
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA98101
Peak ID MAKA
Year 1998
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Germany
Leaders Goetz Wiegand
Sponsor Saxon Himalayan Expedition Makalu-Everest
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 1998-03-26
Summit Date 1998-04-26
Summit Time -
Summit Days 31
Total Days 63
Termination Date 1998-05-28
Termination Reason 6
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8300m due to Wiegand's frostbite (only member left at end)
High Point (m) 8300
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 6
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 1
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(26/03,4800m),ABC(07/04,5100m),C1(11/04,6100m),C2(18/04,6600m),Biv(24/04,7400m),Biv(25/04,7600m),xxx(26/04,8300m)
Route Notes BC southwest of Barun Pokhari ABC at junction of Barun and Chago Glacier C1 at Chago Glacier top end of rocks that divide it C2 at beginning of steep climb to Makalu La Biv at Makalu La (not fixed camp) High point at couloir near NW Ridge. At first were alone and difficult to fix route to Makalu so climbed to La in alpine-style taking tent from C3, made no fixed camp at La, but on 25th went up with tent intending to camp at 7800m but snowfall prevented their seeing the way up so camped at 7600m. 26th 3:00 am started up and 3:00 pm were at 8300m, when it started to snow heavily and many avalanches coming down couloir they were at bottom of. Difficult to see tent so continued descent and at 6:00 am of 27th reached Makalu La and Austrian tent, where they realized had frostbitten toes; rested 3 hours and down to C2 at 2:00 pm; Wiegand to ABC at midnight; Meutzner (worst frostbite) stayed in C2 with 2 members who had not made summit push; Kuegler and Stingl to ABC. Meutzner evacuated by helicopter from BC on 30 April. Had made early push because trekkers were coming and wanted to go to Everest. Graefe left BC with trekkers. 4 remaining members wanted to go up again but Bulgarian doctor warned of serious consequences if Wiegand and Stingl continued up and they back to ABC while Kuezler and Zuellchner to C1 on 8th to C2 on 9th, stayed C2 10th because of strong winds, 11th to Makalu La where others tents were avoidable to them since Germans had done much rope fixing 12th weather bad and they not feeling strong. Zuellchner down to C2 and Kuegler up to 7000m to retrieve tent and its contents (the tent they had been unable to see in descent from 8300m) and down to Makalu La. Had decided on 12th to abandon summit plans. Both to BC on 14th. 15th 3 remaining members left BC by helicopter taking almost all equipment but Wiegand stayed on with sirdar. Wiegand's feet much better and thought to try for top in 2nd half of May. On 18th May in good weather up from ABC to C2, where their tent had been left. On 19th to Makalu La to Russian tent. 20th to 7900m and another Russian tent. 21st up from 7900m with Catalan Spanish team but at 8200m turned back because toes very cold and stayed at 7900m and worked on his feet that day. 22nd reached nearly same point as in April, at 8200m this time all alone (sirdar had not come up with Wiegand but came up to meet him at C2 on descent) and again toes very cold and finally accepted fact his toes would not permit summit ascent. Down on 22nd near the end of his strength and could descend only to Makalu La and was completely alone as all Spaniards had gone down. 23rd to C2 where sirdar met him with food (had had nothing to eat for 3-4 days). On 23rd to ABC (local porter had come to C1 to take Wiegand's back pack).
Accidents Meutzner serious frostbite (6-7 toes) and Wiegand's milder frostbite
Achievement -
Agency Asian Trekking
Commercial Route -
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453963
Year 1998
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) makalu la-nw ridge

Members

6 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Frank Graefe M 1957 Germany Climber Graupa, Saxony, Germany Engineer Details Other expeditions
Karsten Kuegler M 1967 Germany Climber Dresden, Saxony, Germany Civil engineer Details Other expeditions
Frank Udo Meutzner M 1965 Germany Deputy Leader Freiburg, Saxony, Germany Student of technical subjects Details Other expeditions
Joerg Stingl M 1961 Germany Climber Chemnitz, Saxony, Germany Engineer Details Other expeditions
Goetz Wiegand M 1959 Germany Leader Dresden, Saxony, Germany Marine engineer Details Other expeditions
Heiko Zuellchner M 1964 Germany Climber Dresden, Saxony, Germany Civil engineer Details Other expeditions

References

1 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA98101 - Meutzner, Frank & Wiegand, Gotz Gipfeltraume Sportverlag Berlin, Berlin - -