Makalu | 1999 Makalu La-NW Ridge

A USA expedition to Makalu in 1999 via Makalu La-NW Ridge, led by Gary Pfisterer. Summit reached on 30th April 1999. 13 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 3354
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MAKA99104
Peak ID MAKA
Year 1999
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 Makalu La-NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Gary Pfisterer
Sponsor International Makalu 1999 Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 57th,60th,62nd
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Australia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1999-04-05
Summit Date 1999-04-30
Summit Time 1500
Summit Days 25
Total Days 54
Termination Date 1999-05-29
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8485
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 13
Summit Members 4
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(05/04,5200m),BC(08/04,5600m),C1(12/04,6200m),C2(15/04,6900m),C3(23/04,7400m),C4(29/04,7800m),Smt(30/04,22,25/05)
Route Notes BC at Hillary BC site BC above glaciers' junctions and one team's BC C1 at top of moraine just below ice C3 at base of couloir leading to Makalu La C3 at Makalu La C4 at upper glacier. 22 May at 5:00 Harrison, Robertson and Pfisterer set out from C4 for top. Pfisterer turned back 4 rope lengths from top, very tired and concerned about lateness (4:40 pm) and waited for others at crevasse at 8000m at 7:30 pm when getting dark. Harrison and Robertson went to very highest point at 6:00 pm and left quickly. Met Pfisterer about 10:00 pm with one head torch amongst them. 3 down past crevasses and confused about where tent was and at 2:30 am 23 May sat down to wait daylight (no wind but cold) and returned to tent at 5:00 am when Hinkes was just emerging from it after spending night in it without prior agreement. If had not been waiting for daylight, would have found Hinkes and Dawa. Pfisterer had two 2-man tents there and Hinkes now stayed most of day and left at 4:30 pm; Harrison left at 6:30 pm, Robertson 10:30 am. Robertson at C3 at 2:30 pm sick with acute bronchitis; Harrison and spent night there; next morning Harrison (and Pfisterer) went up to him next day and had to help him down slept 24th night in C3. 25th Pfisterer and Robertson passed C2 (Robertson very slow) and another biv at 6800m while Harrison slept in C2. Meanwhile Pierson to C3 on 24th and 1:30 am of 25th Pierson alone to top from C3 and on top 2:30 pm and back to C3 7:30 pm. 26th Pfisterer and Pierson to BC while Harrison up to clear back loads and at BC 27th and Robertson also to BC 27th. Chang left early (13 May) because was coughing badly, and after Jorgensen's death Chang questioned mountaineering motives. Muir left because she and her husband [John Muir] knew Jorgensen well. Martin Ramos arrived late at BC with Georges, Jorgensen and Pauls and went an hour more up to US, BC at 5400m (knew Pfisterer et al, from '98 Xixa) and climbed with US expedition. 5 May slept in C4 with Americans. 6 May 20 minutes up for summit bid, but "a lot of wind and go down BC" same day. 11 May C2, 12 May Makalu La, 13 May US C4, 14 May. Again lot of wind, same snow and again to BC and climbing finished. Ramos campsites: BC(10/04,5400m),C1(14/04,6400m),C2(20/04,6800m),C3(25/04,7400m), C4(04/05,7800m),xxx(14/05)
Accidents Robertson bronchitis; Tonsing sinus infection; Chang serious cough
Achievement -
Agency Everest Parivar
Commercial Route False
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2454333
Year 1999
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) makalu la-nw ridge

Members

13 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Knut Erik Borendal M 1968 Sweden Climber Stockholm, Sweden Police officer Details Other expeditions
Nils Johan Borendal M 1964 Sweden Climber Stockholm, Sweden Engineer Details Other expeditions
Jen-Tseh Chang M 1957 UK Climber Stillwater, Oklahoma Teacher Details Other expeditions
Michael (Mike) Hale M 1967 USA Climber Miami, Florida Computer consultant Details Other expeditions
Ginette Lesley Harrison F 1958 UK Deputy Leader Monson, Massachusetts Physician Details Other expeditions
Brigitte Muir F 1958 Australia Climber Natimuk, Victoria, Australia Tour operator Details Other expeditions
Gary Scott Pfisterer M 1952 USA Leader Monson, Massachusetts Expedition organizer Details Other expeditions
William Earl (Bill) Pierson M 1957 USA Climber Seattle, Washington Film technician Details Other expeditions
Hamish Robertson M 1958 Australia Climber Ocean Grove, Victoria, Australia Helicopter pilot Details Other expeditions
Paul Robert Romero M 1956 USA Climber Oakland, California Data communications engineer Details Other expeditions
Markus Stofer M 1968 Switzerland Climber Bern, Switzerland Computer consultant Details Other expeditions
Anthony Eric (Tony) Tonsing M 1959 USA Climber Denver, Colorado Civil engineer Details Other expeditions
Martin Ramos Garcia M 1966 Spain Climber Zamora, Spain Firefighter Details Other expeditions

References

1 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MAKA99104 HIGH - - - 205:73 (Dec 1999) -