Main Team
Objectives
All four teams will have the same Approach Trek, click here to read more.
To see high resolution digital imagery of the Main Team's route, click the links below:
Part One
Part Two
The Main Team of 10 climbers and 4 Sherpas will attempt to climb the Northern Side of Makalu, via the saddle known as the Makalu La. Following the walk in, the Team will establish a Base Camp at the foot of the Chago Glacier at approximately 5500m. Although this is quite high, we will have all the usual comforts associated with Base Camp: a large dome tent as a mess/eating area and then 4-man Cosmos tents for sleeping in. We will be well looked after here by our Nepalese support crew from Far Frontiers
After establishing Base Camp, we will have to establish a route up the Chago Glacier and establish Camp 1 at approximately 6200m. We are envisaging moving over this terrain Alpine style, roped together if there is crevasse danger, but without the use of fixed rope. We will then move on to steeper terrain, establishing Camp 2 at 6900m then Camp 3 on the Makalu La at 7400m. This steep ground will have technical terrain on it up to and including Scottish Grade III/IV ice climbing. As we will be carrying loads up and down this section frequently, we will fix some safety rope between Camp 1 and Camp 3.
From the Makalu La, we will move Alpine style to establish Camp 4 at 7800m, high up on the North Face. Our aim, will be to have Camp 1 stocked with enough food, fuel and oxygen for a summit team to be able to launch an attempt around about 22 May. There is usually a short period of stable weather prior to the arrival of the Monsoon in early June and this is when expeditions to the Himalayan giants aim to launch their summit bids.
Summit day will see a rising traverse of the North Face to a couloir, which will hopefully lead to a fine finish up the North East Ridge of the Mountain.
This is the route that was taken by the French, during the first successful ascent of the Mountain back in 1955. It has had fewer than 240 ascents and only 5 Britons have ever climbed it. This will be the first attempt by a British Services' Team but it will not be the first ascent by a British Serviceman. Alan Hinkes, a Royal Marine Reservist, successfully climbed Makalu by this route, on his third attempt.
Makalu from Everest Photo reproduced here with the kind permission of Harry Kikstra
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