GUNUNG · Nepal

Makalu

मकालु / Makalu

Information

Elevation: 8.485 m
Country: Nepal (NP)
Location / Range: Mahalangur Mountains, Nepal–China (Tibet) border, ±19 km southeast of Everest
Mountain type: Himalayan eight-thousander peak, non-volcanic rock
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 27.8892, 87.0886
Difficulty: Extremely strenuous and technical (one of the hardest eight-thousanders); requires lengthy acclimatization, steep ice/snow skills, and an exposed summit ridge
Best Season: Pre-monsoon spring (April–May) and post-monsoon autumn (late September–October)
Permits & Rules: A summit climbing permit from the Nepalese government is mandatory (royalty/peak permit), along with a Makalu Barun National Park permit, plus a liaison officer and usually a guided expedition team
Hazards: Extreme altitude (death zone >8000 m), sudden bad weather, strong winds on the summit ridge, steep ice/rock terrain near the summit, and the remoteness of the access (a long approach through the Barun valley)

Description

Makalu (8,485 m) is the fifth-highest mountain on Earth, rising in the Mahalangur Himalayas on the Nepal–China border, roughly 19 km southeast of Mount Everest. Its distinctive four-sided pyramid shape makes it both instantly recognizable and technically formidable, and it is often described as one of the hardest eight-thousanders to climb. The summit was first reached on 15 May 1955 by the French climbers Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy via the north face and northeast ridge over the Makalu La saddle (~7,200 m), the line that has since become the normal route. Makalu has two subsidiary peaks, Kangchungtse (7,678 m) and Chomo Lonzo (7,804 m). Access is remote through the Barun valley within Makalu Barun National Park, and the summit climb demands long acclimatization and steep ice and snow skills at extreme altitude.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Rute Normal — Punggungan Barat Laut via Makalu La (rute Prancis 1955)

Sangat berat & semi-teknis (8000-an); butuh keterampilan es/salju curam dan aklimatisasi ketinggian ekstrem

Ekspedisi ±40–55 hari (termasuk pendekatan, aklimatisasi, dan jendela cuaca puncak)

Makalu's normal route follows the 1955 French line via the north face and northeast ridge, over the Makalu La saddle (~7,200 m) between Makalu and its subsidiary peak Kangchungtse, before the exposed summit ridge. The approach is long and remote through the Barun valley in Makalu Barun National Park, and the climb requires several high camps and thorough acclimatization. The steep, rocky summit section makes Makalu one of the hardest eight-thousanders.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Makalu (8,485 m), the world's fifth-highest mountain, is known as one of the hardest eight-thousanders because of its steep pyramid shape and exposed summit ridge. The videos below document real expeditions to its summit — from full summit-push footage and successful expedition records to reflections on the brutal reality of climbing above 8,000 meters. All links are verified live.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.