The commercial team on Makalu has fixed the route up to Camp 2. They planned to reach Camp 3 today. They said that this is all the preparation they need before launching their summit push this week.
The climbers settled in at Advanced Base Camp at 5,500m last week, and the Sherpa team fixed ropes up the route. Yesterday, they reached Camp 2 (6,600-6,800m). Once they supply Camp 3 (7,400m), they will retreat down the mountain for a couple of days’ rest before the summit push.
“The summit push could start in four to five days,” Mohan Lamsal of Makalu Adventure told ExplorersWeb.
Camp 3 on the normal route of Makalu is usually around 7,400m at the Makalu La — the wide col between Makalu’s main summit and Makalu II. There are some mixed sections on the way and also passages among seracs between Camp 2 and Camp 3. Teams usually pitch a fourth camp before the summit, at some point on the north ridge.
Above Camp 2 on Makalu. Photo: Pioneer Adventure
Cold, but not that cold
Piyali Basak of India wrote on social media that they have reached Camp 2:
“Ready for summit attempt in ALPINE STYLE,” she said. “Temperature minus 40°C to minus 55°C, wind 125 to 140kph.”
In fact, the expedition is far from alpine style. Basak probably means the team will not fix any higher than Camp 3 before their summit attempt. They may also use ropes from previous expeditions or short-rope their clients.
As for the flamboyantly cold temperatures, the Indian climber obtained them from a multi-model weather chart of Makalu at summit altitude by Mountainforecast. The -55ºC refers to wind chill. Climbers are not the only ones who try to impress by citing wind chills as if they were the real thing. On Makalu, actual temperatures haven’t dipped below -34˚ — still plenty cold. Unless the jet stream lifts and the wind decreases, conditions will be hard to bear.
Weather chart for Makalu at summit altitude this week, by multimodel Mountainforecast.com
Basak accompanied her report with a video of the team walking on a moraine in trekking boots, possibly near the lower Base Camp:
Too early?
The expedition is guided by Sanu Sherpa, who has climbed 8,000m mountains more than 40 times and has completed all 14 peaks twice. He is supported by Phurba Onggel Sherpa, a 19-time Everest summiter, along with Phurbu Kusang Sherpa, Ngima Tashi Sherpa, Lakpa Tenzi Sherpa, and Lakpa Rinjin Sherpa. Basak of India and Abolfazl Gozali of Iran are the only foreigners.
The team is in their first week on the mountain and has made no rotations, so it is surprising they are ready to launch a summit push so early, although they are all using supplementary oxygen. However, unless they plan to draw on gas supplies stashed by previous expeditions, they will likely need to carry their own oxygen up the peak.
Sherpas on Makalu’s summit ridge. Photo: 14 Peaks Expedition
