Jon Gupta, Adam Booth, Jackson Groves, Lakpa Sherpa, Tenjin “Lama” Sherpa, and Tashi Sherpa reached Makalu’s summit this morning, according to Seven Summit Treks.
“It was superb, awesome, an amazing summit ridge,” the always enthusiastic Jon Gupta told ExplorersWeb immediately after returning to Base Camp. “We timed it to perfection as the weather crapped out early. We reached the summit by 4 am Nepal time, in time for sunrise.”
Windy descent
They descended in worsening conditions. “By 8 am, there was a lot of cloud and higher winds, and it continued to develop…it is snowing now,” Gupta said.
Jon Gupta congratulates a member of his team on Kangchenjunga’s summit a few days ago. Photo: Jon Gupta
Gupta and Booth jumped over to Makalu at the last minute, after summiting Kangchenjunga. Gupta has now guided on the five biggest peaks on earth. However, he is not planning to return to Nepal’s 8,000’ers any time soon.
“I’m very much hoping to start on the IFMGA scheme, which would occupy me for the next three or four years,” he said. “I guess I’ll be able to sneak in some smaller Himalaya trips, but it is unlikely it will be 8,000’ers. But who knows!”
A few days ago, Jackson Groves had missed his original team’s summit push because of health problems but he made the most of this second opportunity. Lakpa Sherpa has summited Makalu for the second time. It appears that Carla Perez did not join this summit push.
Australian photographer and drone pilot Jackson Groves. Photo: Journeyera.com
More to come next week
Makalu is not over. Pakistani climber Sirbaz Khan is in Camp 2 and might attempt the summit tomorrow, Mingma G told Explorersweb. Mingma G is taking a short rest in Namche Bazaar after summiting Everest without O2. He will then head to Makalu with his team, which includes Jill Wheatley, poised for her third 8,000’er this season.
A Seven Summit Treks group hopes to summit in the last week of May, and Pioneer Adventures team leader Sanu Sherpa is also on the mountain.
