Mountaineering (High Altitude), 'Makalu Barun', Nepal - Makalu, Mar 2010, ID 943
16 Close Support Medical Regiment and York UAS
Conrad Anker recently repeated the old adage that if you need to ask why people climb you won’t understand the answer. Why, after a trip exposing us to cold, hardship and risk, do the bad memories fade faster than the good ones, enticing us back to the mountains again? No sooner had we returned to Base Camp after descending Makalu for the final time than plans for the future were being discussed.
Standing at 8463 metres, Makalu is the fifth highest mountain in the world. Unlike Mount Everest which has seen over 3000 people reach the summit and whose Base Camp now hosts cafes, showers and even internet access, Makalu has remained well away from the hordes. Less than 250 people have climbed Makalu in its entire history, leaving its slopes unsullied and little infrastructure for those attempting the climb. Altogether it attracts climbers who are prepared to commit themselves in a remote environment on a mountain with a formidable reputation. Even Reinhold Messner,who pioneered high altitude climbing, took three attempts before he was successful in reaching the summit of Makalu. Our Joint Services team objective for Makalu-Barun 2010 was the first complete ascent of the South-East Ridge, or ‘route integral’ in climbing terminology.
For me the opportunity to climb an 8000m peak was a natural extension to what I had done beforehand. I remember the evening after a miserable winters day in the Scottish hills someone put on a slide show (in the days before power point presentations) in a bid to keep us away from the pub a bit longer. Summer in the Alps, glaciers, blue skies, jagged peaks. Why haven’t I been there already I thought to myself and a few months later I had my Alpine introduction. Since then I have been fortunate to climb further afield in the Greater Ranges and also spent extensive time in Antarctica.
Just reaching Base Camp of a major mountain in the Himalaya can be a considerable undertaking. We must spare a thought for those hardy few who ventured there first, pioneering the way for all future climbers including ourselves. Sailing to India followed by overland travel to Nepal and continuing on to extremely remote areas, they would often be absent for extended periods with very little support and no reliable communications. Even with flying from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar, a short grass airstrip in a wide river valley, the trek to Makalu Base Camp still takes ten days.
The trek up the valley from low lying Tumlingtar passes through fertile terraces and mountain villages, rises up through rhododendron and Himalayan pine forests, over the snow covered pass of Shipton La, then through sparsely vegetated summer yak pastures before reaching a glacier carved basin at the foot of the mountain. Trekking in the Himalaya puts our modern lifestyle in the Western world into perspective. We become annoyed by traffic jams, not catching the supermarket open and when our broadband internet crashes. Nepalese folk living in the hills willingly walk several days up or down the valley whatever the weather, usually with nothing more than sandals on their feet to get their provisions, fresh produce and even medical treatment. We take a lot for granted including basic services like education and healthcare, never mind our comfortable homes and cars. We could learn a lot from the Nepalese.
We established Base Camp at 4800m, an altitude roughly equal to the highest mountain in Europe, Mont Blanc. From here a complex plan of load carries, placing of stores and movements of personnel was set about, in order to establish one camp at a time. Advanced Base Camp was created at 5800m, a straightforward rise up through meadows, rocks and scree to the edge of the snow line. Acclimatisation climbs were made at first descending to Base Camp again the same day, until we were ready to firmly establish ourselves at ABC and begin to push the route out. Colin and myself undertook this task along with Pasang, Mingma and Ongda the Sherpas. It was clear from the first sight of the route above ABC the climb would be far from straightforward. A lean winter had left much less snow than normal, exposing loose frost shattered rock that we would have to establish a route through to reach Camp 1. Several days were spent working through this labyrinth and fixing ropes to aid the load carries which would follow. Load after load was transported up the mountain; tents, sleeping bags, mats, stoves, gas, rations, oxygen cylinders, medical kits, ropes and our fixings of snow stakes, ice screws, rock pitons and nuts all needed to be in the right place when we needed them. Not to mention all our personal equipment each of us carried. Quite the logistical challenge as you can imagine.
Progress from Camp 1 to Camp 2 was hampered by recurring bad weather and hard blue ice conditions underfoot making movement more measured and time consuming. Bad weather is expected early in a Spring trip to the Himalaya as the climbing season arrives, then usually followed by improving and settled conditions. However this year it just did not seem to want to settle down. If the day dawned clear, by midday cloud would be boiling up from the valley below bringing with it either snow or high winds or often both. A few snatched hours at a time were not enough to make significant progress towards Camp 2, which put us in the unenviable position of having to work in marginal and unpredictable conditions. The route itself comprised a rising knife edge ridge of hard ice demanding constant concentration and a wide range of climbing techniques at an altitude above 6000m. No light undertaking at the best of times, it was to prove very frustrating as the weather denied us much opportunity to progress.
With great effort from the team working in arduous conditions, Camp 2 was at last established in a col below another steepening of the ridge. Here we encountered the American team that we knew well from meets at Base Camp, their route crossing ours at this point. However things were not going well for them, with one member feeling unwell enough to merit a medical evacuation. Their request for a helicopter evacuation from their present position was impossible due to the altitude and more bad weather, with cloud swirling around the tents. So we set off to descend to Base Camp, our team supporting the Americans, two in front to break trail through fresh snow and two behind to support. We eventually reached Base Camp in the dark as we had been forced to set off late. Descending in support of our American friends would cost us more time in our programme but without doubt was the right thing to do.
Some time later we were back at Camp 2 in a short window of good weather, forecast to break in two days. Our good days turned into the familiar pattern of settled mornings deteriorating as early as 10am into snow and wind. For two full days we were confined to our tents as bad weather delivered deep soft snow that we would have to work through once the wind dropped. Makalu was still refusing to grant us any good fortune. Further determination and tenacity in pushing up the mountain, including a night in a snow hole en route, put Camp 3 in position at 7200m from where our summit bid would be launched. Weather permitting we still had enough time to reach the top. Dick, Pasang, and myself were joined by Colin, Matt and Ongda, which put the team in a strong position. As we patiently waited for our forecast weather window of 26th May it was clear this would be our last chance as deadlines for leaving the mountain drew closer. However the weather was unrelenting and the window never appeared; 50 centimetres of fresh snow fell overnight loading the slopes above and creating a high risk of avalanche. With no chance to progress safely upwards and with gas and food stores decreasing and time running out, the difficult decision was made to descend. The effort required to strip the camp and get down to Camp 2 through the fresh snow made it very clear we had made the right decision, as we collapsed for the night. Another huge effort was needed to get along the long ridge to Camp 1, where we were gratefully met by other team members who lightened our loads. We reached Base Camp exhausted but very glad to be down.
In applying for the Makalu team I said I wanted to increase the degree of challenge, to wonder how my body and mind would perform at extreme altitude, to hope to marvel at the view from one of the highest points in the world. That was my motivation to climb Makalu along with all the positive experiences that come from mountain life; camaraderie, challenge, reward. To be in an environment where nothing is achieved without effort and decisions have very real consequences, to yourself and team mates. Combined with being immersed in the rich Nepalese culture and the impressive history of climbing in the Himalaya, Makalu-Barun 2010 fulfilled a long-term ambition of mine.
Obviously not reaching the summit was a major disappointment, at times it can be harder to turn your back on a mountain than to stay on it and continue. We came home proud of our efforts, as a team who climbed in good style and turned around at the right time. It was not by chance we returned in good condition when others were evacuated from the more straightforward route on the North side of the mountain, or worse still died on the slopes. Undoubtedly the right decisions were made at the right times, enabling everyone to return home safely.
For further information on Ex. Makalu-Barun you can log onto www.makalu2010.com to read the daily blog from the mountain, view pictures in the galleries and read comments on the notice board.
LCpl Rob Smith, 144 Parachute Medical Squadron (V), 16 Close Support Medical Regiment
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