Makalu, my first 8000m peak

The idea to go back to Makalu after the attempt in 2023 was made much easier by the idea that I would be able to do the initial acclimating with the company of my family. The plan was fairly simple: acclimate in the Khumbu then get a Heli bump to Makalu and climb it.

Mostly everything went perfectly well ,we all acclimated well in the Khumbu including my three-year-old daughter .In fact I don't think she even really noticed the altitude. We took our time and were prepared to slow down and wait if it seemed like any issues were arising.

Sunrise over Amadablam - trekking in the khumbu

The highest we slept was Chhukhung at 4750m and I did some day trips up to Chhukhung ri 5500m and Kongma la 5500m. We then walked back down the valley and I got flown over to Makalu lower basecamp to join a fixed depature expedition basecamp service.

Progress on the mountain seemed to go fast - partly because there was actually an upper basecamp. In 2023 we'd been scammed by the operator and they gave us a basecamp just near the lower camp teahouse. This forced us to spend a lot of time ferrying loads to the base of the mountain. After a days rest at upper basecamp I set off, spending a night at crampon point, then the next night at camp 1. The following day I thought it made sense to get everything up to camp 2 to stash, and then see how far up I could get before heading back to basecamp ahead of some bad weather. I made it to 7350m and I felt like I could go further but wanted to get back in a reasonable time.

Setting up the tent in camp 2

I had a few days rest at basecamp watching the wind rip across the summit. Getting restless and feeling ready for more acclimatisation, I headed back up and slept at camp 2. The next day I headed back up to camp 3. It got windy as I got higher and there was nobody around. I thought I'd have a break when I got to camp 3 but when I arrived all the tents had been destroyed. This was crazy because the winds that day were supposed to be just 40km. There was part of a vestibule still standing so I got half in it, changed my gloves around, had a sip of water, and left to get back down.

Camp 3 destroyed by wind

I realised at this point that our effort in 2023 was actually really good to achieve what we did. I also realised that we had had no chance of summiting given the weather. The mountain above the Makalu la is a desolate place and very exposed to the strong westerly winds. Climbing above the La in high winds could get very desperate very fast. It's broad and open and there's nowhere to hide - you can clearly see when you arrive at camp 3 that it has a history of tents being destroyed .

Back at base camp I began to look at the weather for a summit push window as I felt I had done enough to go for the summit. Its a tricky thing acclimating, everyone is different and there are so many strategies and they can all work. I met a guy Tyler Andrews, who says that he never sleeps above basecamp and Russians who would sleep at camp 4 before descending and going back up for a summit push.I was somewhere in the middle in terms of strategy and fitness and there was only going to be one way to find out - and that was to give it a shot.

When I started the summit push it was snowing and I was alone, but the good weather was coming and I wanted to be in the right place at the right time. I went to camp 2 for the night then the next day got a casual start and headed to camp 3 but this time with all my kit. The difference was massive and I arrived late in the afternoon. I was fairly tired and needed a good break and a chance to rehydrate, The original plan had been to have just a few hours break at camp 3, then start the summit push from there, but I changed that and decided to stay the whole night before moving to camp 4 the next day and starting from there. 

It was only 2 hours from camp 3 to camp 4 even with all the gear, but it would shorten up the summit day and allowed me some time to rest and hydrate. I spent the afternoon trying to sleep and drink as much as I could in preparation for the inevitable dehydration of the summit push. Around 8 that evening I heard some people come past the tent so I got myself together and headed up but it didn't last long. After an hour or so everyone slowed down and it became apparent that the sherpas in front weren't sure where to go. The fixed lines had been buried in the fresh snow and there were no wands or anything to mark the way.

I made my way to the front of the group and started breaking trail. I thought if I could find something or if we just followed our noses, we'd be fine and if I or someone was breaking trail then everyone would just follow. However, after 5 minutes I turned around and everyone was gone!, I could see a line of head torches heading down the mountain. I didnt understand how could everyone give up so easily ? 

I'd seen a bit of rope sticking out of the snow and I tried to shout it out, but the only response I got was from Polish piotr saying i was crazy and I'd never make it. I was shocked by the fact no one wanted to try despite the perfect weather, and that it was a considerable effort just to get to here. I just figured there was a whole lot of up to climb and I'd just go at least until the daylight and see if I was in the ball park to get it done.

The night was spent post holing in shin to knee deep snow, constantly optimistically searching for less deep snow, but I never really found that.

Dawn broke and I could see the French couloir. I was over 8000m and in a good position to make the summit. I thought my chances seemed good. Heading across to the French couloir turned into wallow , I needed to get out of the deep snow. I figured if I could get onto some rock I'd be more efficient and move faster.

I moved up and left onto steeper mixed ground, before long it went from scrambling to what was starting to feel like proper soloing and mixed climbing. I only had one ice axe and no rope, I wasn't exactly sure where I was on the face and was starting to wonder what the hell am I was doing. It was beginning to feel dumb. I continued around a corner to get off the steep ground and saw a bit of old fixed line in the snow - I was in the right area which made me feel confident again. A bit further around, I saw the summit and it was within reach! Closer to the summit ridge the snow became hard packed again and I was able to move efficiently, although the altitude was now catching up with me and my pace was slowing.

I'd given myself 3 hours to cover the last 150 vertical meters. This is half the speed that is considered 'good', so very achievable in theory. The actual summit is the last of three false summit. On the third hump, the last section had exposed fixed line so I was able to clip something as it became steeper. By now it felt like I was spending more time standing still panting than actually moving. Short steep steps were leaving me absolutely breathless, but I was determined to it properly and get to the very tippy top. Soon enough I was there looking out on a sea of clouds, all alone at 8485m, I imagined that I would feel joy or overwhelming emotions, but all I had was fatigue and relief I'd made it. A few quick photos and video then it was time to start descending.

The author on the summit of Makalu

The decent went well although I was surprised by how much effort it was - I still had to work to get down. Fortunately the weather held and the clouds stayed down, not obscuring the way. All I had to do was follow my tracks, except for a few steeper section that I found alternative ways through .

Looking back down over advanced base camp. Makalu/ west pillar is the right hand skyline, the normal route takes glaciated terrain to the left

Coming down I would still pause and even just sit down - how good it would feel to stop! Looking down at a crevasse in the distance I could make out sherpas working. That's odd, why would they be working up here now? After some more contemplation I realised I was hallucinating, but I was strangely calm and accepting of this.  I don't recall eating anything, the only nutrition coming from tailwind that I'd added to the water before I started the climb the previous evening. When I finally got back to the tent around 5:30pm, I'd had good intentions to eat and drink, but upon laying down I fell asleep for a few hours. When I woke up I noticed my feet were cold. I hadn't even loosened off my boots so I immediately took them off, dried my feet and wrapped them in a warm jumper. I got the stove going and made hot water bottles and wriggled my toes as much as I could, but something was wrong - they weren't coming back like they normally would. I was still at 7650m and your body simply doesn't work the same. It really struggles to get the blood to the extremities.

The next morning I sat and rehydrated. I ate a few different bars for breakfast before the sun hit the tent and I packed everything together and started heading down, or should I say across. From camp 4 to camp 3 is mostly a traverse and the wind had blown in the tracks ,so with all my stuff it was still hard work.

At camp 3 I saw 2 sherpas packing and stashing gear, I continued past them and headed down the la. The weather was good and i was tired. I figured I'd make it back to base camp that day so there didn't seem to be any reason to hurry, except maybe the fact that my inreach had run out of battery and the recharge cable had broken so I couldn't let my wife know I was okay and heading down.

When I got to camp 2 the sherpas who I'd seen at camp 3 were already there and they said they had been on the radio as people were wondering where I was. They gave me a coca-cola and some warm water, which I mixed straight so I could drink it faster , and it was greatly appreciated. They headed down and I followed, but I was slow and now had even more stuff as I'd stashed food and fuel at camp 2.

At crampon point I literally just threw my pack straight into the haul bag that I'd been using as a stash bag. I put it on my back and did the last hour of walking back to camp. When I arrived at basecamp, I got a warm foot bath and was told that my feet were in worse condition than I had thought. At this stage my toes were just numb and a bit red, but I was warned they would soon turn black and I wasn't going to be able to walk out like I had wanted. I was going to have to call a heli and get to Kathmandu sooner rather than later. After some fantastic initial treatment from a French doctor and the whole team that was at basecamp (thanks guys!) I flew out the next morning, I was picked up by a legendary Italian pilot Maurizio Folini who came despite the thick cloud cover and did some pretty outrageous flying through some holes in the clouds and canyons to get me to Lukla - not something I think I'm going to forget!

Upon reaching Kathmandu we went to the CIWEC clinic and I started a 5 day iloprost treatment before flying home to where I now am patiently just waiting for new skin to grow and old skin to fall off. Obviously it’s a bit of a disappointment to get frostbite but overall I’m happy with the ascent. I think it was really fitting to summit all alone. I’d wanted partners for a high altitude climb for years but could never find any and then I decided to take the journey alone. I trained alone and didn’t tell anyone that I was going. So it was nice not to share that moment with anyone - to do it breaking trail the whole summit day made me feel like I owned the ascent and didn't just slipstream the crowd for my advantage. It was just for me. 

Timeline:

28th march ,arrive Kathmandu

29th sight see and final shopping arrangements

30th wait for flight to Lukla-no fly day.

31st fly to Lukla /trek to Phakding 

1st trek to Namche Panorama lodge

2nd acclimatisation hike around Namche

3rd acclimatation hike to Everest lodge and Khumjung

4th Namche to Tengboche via Phungi Thanga

5th Tengpoche to Pangboche

6th Pangboche to Dingboche

7th Dingboche -hike to 5000M

8th Dingboche to Chhukhung 

9th Chhukhung -hike up Chhukhung ri 5550m

10th Chhukhung family day hike to 5000m

11th Chhukung -hike to Kongma la 5535m

12th walk to Portse

13th walk to Namche

14th rest Namche

15th bump to Makalu lower basecamp/say goodbye to family

16th walk to upper base camp 5650m

17th rest upper base camp

18th sleep crampon point 5950m

19th sleep camp 1 6400m

20th go to camp 2 stash and ascend to 7350m

21st  rest at basecamp

22nd rest basecamp

23rd sleep camp 2 6600m

24th day trip to camp 3 7450m high wind

25th rest base camp  

26th rest base camp

27th wait for weather

28th wait for weather

29th wait for weather

30th wait for weather

1st go to camp 2 6600m

2nd go to camp 3 7450m

3th go to camp 4 7650m and start summit push

4th summit and descend to camp 4

5th descend to base camp

6th heli out to Kathmandu and start iloprost treatment

7th iloprost

8th iloprost

9th iloprost

10th iloprost

11th fly home (45days total trip)