1955 French Makalu expedition

First ascent of fifth-highest mountain in the world March 2021 March 2021 thumb|Makalu (centre) and Kangchungtse (Makalu II) with the low point at Makalu Col crossing the northwest ridge between them The 1955 French Makalu expedition was the first to successfully climb Makalu, the Himalayan mountain 19 km flip to the southeast of Mount Everest, on the border between Nepal and Tibet. At 8485 m Makalu is the fifth-highest mountain in the world and an eight-thousander. The expedition, led by Jean Franco (mountaineer) fr Jean Franco (alpiniste) Jean Franco, approached the mountain from the south through Nepal and then wound around into Tibet, to reach the summit from the north face. Thanks to good snow conditions and weather, as well as good leadership, the entire team of mountaineers and one of the Sherpas reached the summit – Jean Couzy and Lionel Terray on 15 May 1955, followed next day by Jean Franco, Guido Magnone and Gyalzen Norbu; and then Jean Bouvier, Serge Coupé, Pierre Leroux and André Vialatte on 17 May. Background Topography Makalu is, after Mount Everest and Lhotse, the highest mountain on a ridge running east from Everest itself. The east-west Kangshung Glacier and the Kama valley in Tibet lie to the north of the ridge and the Barun Glacier and Barun River in Nepal flow along the southern flank. The high mountains Pethangse, Chago and Kangchungtse (also known as Makalu II) are also on the ridge between Everest and Makalu.Searle 2013 chapter 8 At 8485 m Makalu is the fifth-highest mountain in the world and an eight-thousander.Makalu, China/Nepal https://peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=10649 Peakbagger.com 23 February 2021 20 June 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200620162318/https://www.peakbagger.com/Peak.aspx?pid=10649 live Chomo Lonzo (7804 mChomo Lonzo, China https://peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=10646 Peakbagger.com 23 February 2021 4 December 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201204152330/https://peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=10646 live ), is on a ridge northeast of Kangchungtse and due north of Makalu.Searle 2013 chapter 8 Makalu is generally in the shape of a four-sided pyramid with its faces scooped out in vast cirques. Of its four ridges, two – the southeast and northwest – form the Tibet–Nepal border and a third ridge, the southwest, slopes down to the Barun Glacier. The west cirque forms the face between the southwest and northwest ridges down which flows the Makalu Glacier and high up beside this glacier lies the smaller northwest cirque.Voiland Adam The Eight-Thousanders https://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/8000MeterPeaks/page11.php www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov NASA 16 December 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20201114120801/https://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/8000MeterPeaks/page11.php 14 November 2020 liveNTB 2017Franco 1957 104–105 Exploration and climbing history thumb|Howard-Bury's 1921 photograph looking southeast showing Kangchungtse, Makalu, and Chago (left to right) When the 1921 British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition was exploring the Kama valley to discover whether it afforded a route to Everest from the east, Makalu dominated the southern view. A party led by Charles Howard-Bury on a side excursion reached a 21500 ft on flip peak on the ridge between Makalu and Pethangtse and photographed the scene.Baume 1979 73note The situation is described at Howard-Bury 1922 150, the photograph is at Howard-Bury 1922 112 and a map showing the locations is at Howard-Bury 1922 Map II. Local inhabitants thought Makalu was higher than Everest because it is much more visible than Everest which is obscured by the surrounding high peaks.Franco 1957 103 In 1933 after two aircraft had flown over Mount Everest and aerial photographs had been taken of the region, The Times published a special supplement with a full-page photograph on the first page entitled "the awe-inspiring summit of Everest as seen slightly from the north-west" – in fact the photograph was of the northwest ridge of Makalu.Mason 1933Mason 1955 217 In 1951 and 1952 two British reconnaissance expeditions in Nepal assessed the west face of Makalu from a climbing perspective.Baume 1979 73–74 In 1954 the first American party to Himalaya, led by William Siri and with Ang Tharkay as sirdar, attempted the mountain from the Barun Glacier via the northwest and southeast ridges. On the latter route they reached 7150 m. At very much the same time a party led by Edmund Hillary also examined the northwest ridge.Baume 1979 74Isserman Weaver 2008 328 Following the French triumph on Annapurna in 1950, Nepal had granted France an opportunity for climbing Everest in 1954 but this became a less prestigious prospect after the British success in 1953. French mountaineers' ideas turned to Makalu because it was an attractive and challenging peak which had not been attempted previously. Exploration as well as mountaineering would be required. They were granted slots for autumn 1954 and spring 1955.Franco 1957 26-30 preface by Devies So, the same French party that was to reach Makalu's summit in 1955 carried out a reconnaissance expedition in 1954 that reached Makalu Col,note Makalu Col is also called Makalu La. just below Kangchungtse on Makalu's northwest ridge. From there they reached the summits of Kangchungtse (25120 ft flipKangchungtse, China/Nepal https://peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=10647 Peakbagger.com 23 February 2021 1 October 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181001220524/http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=10647 live ) and Chomo Lonzo and ascended to about 7800 m on the northwest ridge towards the top of Makalu itself.Baume 1979 75 Preparations Expedition members In 1954 the climbers were: Jean Franco, leader;note Lucien Devies fr Devies was originally to be leader but he was unable to take part.Franco 1956 15 Jean Bouvier (supplies); Jean Couzy (specialised equipment including oxygen); Pierre Leroux; Guido Magnone (technical repairs and development) and Lionel Terray (filming) together with Jean Rivolier (doctor) and Pierre Bordet (geologist). In 1955 Serge Coupé and André Vialatte (transport and liaison with Gyalzen Norbu) also took part as climbers and Michel Latreille was a second geologist. André Lapras replaced Rivolier as doctor.Franco 1957 122–124,254note The details of the personnel and camp locations have often here been drawn from the online version of Elizabeth Hawley's Himalayan Database.Hawley Elizabeth Elizabeth Hawley Himalayan Database: Expedition Archives of Elizabeth Hawley https://www.himalayandatabase.com www.himalayandatabase.com 26 February 2021 28 December 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201228164006/http://www.himalayandatabase.com/ live Hawley Elizabeth Himalayan Database: Display Expeditions https://www.himalayandatabase.com/Online/getexp.html www.himalayandatabase.com 24 February 2021 14 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210214031928/https://www.himalayandatabase.com/Online/getexp.html live search for Exped ID "MAKA-551-01" Gyalzen Norbunote sherpas See Horrell 2014 was the chief Sherpa (sirdar) and Pasang Phutar the head porter (replaced in 1955 by Kindjock Tsering, on leave from the Brigade of Gurkhas). The nine Sherpas in 1954 were Ang Tsering; Da Norbu; Eila Namgyal; Gyalzen II; Mingma Tsering; Pa Norbu; Pemba Norbu; Pemba Tenzing and Tashi. In 1955 there were 23 Sherpas: Aila; Ang Bao; Ang Phutar; Ang Tsering (cook, known as Panzy); Ang Tsering IV; Chotaree; Chumbee; Da Norbu; Dagang Norjee; Eila Namgyal; Gunden; Gyalzen II; Mingma Tsering I; Mingma Tsering II; Mingma Tenzing; Nim Temba; Nim Tenzing; Pa Norbu; Pasang Dawa; Pemba Norbu; Pemba Tenzing; Tashi and Wongdi.Franco 1957 66–68,254–255 In 1954 there were 180 porters, mostly men but some women, taking 6.5 tons of baggage to Base Camp and in 1955 this was increased to 315 porters and 11 tons of baggage.Franco 1957 112,254–255 Techniques and equipment Franco, the team leader, liaised with Maurice Herzog, leader of the 1950 Annapurna expedition. Acclimatisation issues were discussed with Griffith Pugh of the 1953 Everest expedition and Couzy developed acclimatisation and supplementary oxygen procedures. Magnone dealt with procuring suitable oxygen equipment. The 1952 Swiss Everest team, based on their own experience, advised using the autumn 1954 opportunity to mount a reconnaissance effort, followed in 1955 by a full-scale attempt on the summit.Franco 1957 30 preface by Devies Open-circuit oxygen equipment was to be used by the climbers above Camp IV and Sherpas above Camp V.Franco 1957 25,208 An improved type, using a lighter metal alloy and able to hold a higher pressure of oxygen, was shipped out separately once the equipment was ready in January 1955.Franco 1957 41–42note The sets held a single cylinder weighing 14.7 lb flip and holding 920 litre of oxygen at 230 atm MPa psi out.Eggler 1957 157Franco 1957 41 450 cylinders were shipped out.Franco 1956 19 Unfortunately the new oxygen regulators were often faulty but Magnone was able to improve them and he also enabled an increase in maximum flow by adding a second valve.Franco 1957 122–123 They took French radio sets for receiving weather forecasts from Calcutta and for communications between camps. These they found light, simple to use and reliable.Franco 1957 157,160 1954 reconnaissance thumb|Barun River valley looking towards Makalu The reconnaissance in 1954 involved finding a suitable approach route up the line of the Arun River and, as well as appointing Sherpas from Sola Khumbu and Darjeeling, they hired local porters in Biratnagar and Sedoa.note sedoa Sedoa is now romanised as Seduwa. This approach was successful and was also used in 1955. Equipment was tested and, in particular, lightweight crampons with long spikes were found to be a good innovation.Franco 1957 183,193 The Sherpas' feet were found far too short and wide for their boots to fit satisfactorily so they took templates for boots to be specially made for the following year. Unfortunately, the French manufacturers could not believe feet could be this shape and so made them the same as before.Franco 1957 88 Peaks climbed, 1954 Camp AltitudeHawley Elizabeth Elizabeth Hawley Himalayan Database: Display Expeditions https://www.himalayandatabase.com/Online/getexp.html www.himalayandatabase.com 24 February 2021 14 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210214031928/https://www.himalayandatabase.com/Online/getexp.html live search for Exped ID "MAKA-543-01" Date occupied(1954) metres feetnote feet Base Camp 4,700 4700 m number 15 September Chago 6,893Hawley Elizabeth Himalayan Database: Display Expeditions https://www.himalayandatabase.com/Online/getexp.html www.himalayandatabase.com 24 February 2021 14 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210214031928/https://www.himalayandatabase.com/Online/getexp.html live search for Exped ID "CHAG-543-01" 6893 m number 9 October Pethangtse 6,739Hawley Elizabeth Himalayan Database: Display Expeditions https://www.himalayandatabase.com/Online/getexp.html www.himalayandatabase.com 24 February 2021 14 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210214031928/https://www.himalayandatabase.com/Online/getexp.html live search for Exped ID "PETH-543-01" 6739 m number 10 October Kangchungtse(Makalu II) 7,678Hawley Elizabeth Himalayan Database: Display Expeditions https://www.himalayandatabase.com/Online/getexp.html www.himalayandatabase.com 24 February 2021 14 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210214031928/https://www.himalayandatabase.com/Online/getexp.html live search for Exped ID "MAK2-543-01" 7678 m number 22 October Chomo Lonzo 7,797Franco 1956 17 7797 m number 30 OctoberFranco 1957 31 preface by Devies High point 7,800 7800 m number 30 October They investigated the two most likely routes to the summit – the southeast and northwest ridges – and climbed the neighbouring peaks of Chago, Pethangtse, Kangchungtse and Chomo Lonzo both for acclimatisation and to get a good view of Makalu's topography.Franco 1957 106–108 This decided an approach up the Makalu Glacier in the west cirque leading to the upper northwest cirque and then a traverse beneath Kangchungtse leading to a steep climb up to the Makalu Col. They made an attempt for the summit along the northwest ridge but did not reach above about 7800 m. To avoid the difficult northwest ridge in 1955 they planned to cross the Col and move onto the north face for the topmost 3000 ft flip. Franco 1957 31 preface by DeviesFranco 1957 107–108 It was shown from experience that it was seriously counterproductive to spend more than ten days at Camp III or above.Franco 1957 173 1955 expedition Departure from France and march-in   120px   120px   120px   120px March-in route(4 images) The expedition flew from Orly Airport and arrived in Calcutta on 12 March. Most of the equipment had been sent on ahead. However their oxygen sets were mistakenly transported to Rangoon rather than Calcutta so Couzy had to fly out there to sort things out while Coupé waited behind for him in Dharan with a contingent of porters to catch up the main expedition. From Calcutta the party flew to Biratnagar in Nepal where they met their Sherpas from Darjeeling. They had to deal with custom officers when entering Nepal – the previous year there had been no customs formalities. Gyalzen Norbu could not speak French and had difficulty with English but in Nepalese he was very effective in dealing with matters and organising the Sherpas and porters. A very bumpy road led them by lorry to Dharan – in the 1954 monsoon they had taken three days to cover the thirty miles but this time the journey only took a few hours. Here they met the Sherpas hired from Sola Khumbu together with over a hundred porters from there who had trekked for 15 days across Nepal in the hope of being employed.Franco 1957 35–56 The student geologists Bordet and Latreille departed on their separate expedition. On 20 March the trek towards Makalu began from Dharan where the Ganges plain starts to rise to become the Himalayan foothills.Franco 1957 58–59Franco 1956 20 On the approach march the climbers did not carry loads and Sherpas only started carrying at Base Camp so the porters were left to labour under loads of 50 - 80 lb flip. The porters from Sola Khumbu had plaits and wore long coats and multi-coloured boots whereas those from Darjeeling, with greater contact with Western culture, were more smartly dressed but looked less picturesque. The local porters wore loincloths and went barefoot.Franco 1957 54–63,116 Panzy, the cook, had been on the French Annapurna expedition but since then he had been cook on several British expeditions and had developed a cuisine that did not suit the French palette.Franco 1957 60–62,71–72 The route passed through a tropical afforested region to Dhankuta then went via Legua Ghat and on north beside the Arun river. Approaching the village of Num the Arun gorge was so deep the track had to leave the line of the river.note The 1954 detour via Chainpur and Kandbari was not needed in 1955.Franco 1957 61 At Num their trail had to cross the river on a 200 - 250 ft on flip rope bridge 50 ft flip above the water – the bridge had been repaired specially for them. Now able to see Makalu, they passed through the last inhabited places of Etane and Sedoa.Franco 1957 62–79note sedoa The little village of Sedoa, set on the side of a mountain at 1600 m and far from the road north to Tibet, was where the Biratnagar porters were paid off after nine days' march.Franco 1957 81–86Franco 1956 22 In turn 100 men from Sedoa were hired for the onward carry. It was here that mountaineering equipment was issued to replace lightweight clothing.Franco 1957 86–87 On 30 March the party left Sedoa with additional auxiliary porters to support the Sherpas, chosen from among the most capable of the Sola Khumbu and Darjeeling porters. The trail rose to 4200 m and, in the wind and snow and with the temperature falling to 14 F flip at night, the porters had hardly any clothes and only emergency tarpaulins to cover them at night when they resorted to huddling together in groups of 10 to 15. Two sheep they had been taking with them for food died of cold and fatigue. The previous autumn leeches had been a big difficulty but this year, in colder, dryer conditions, they were much less of a problem.Franco 1957 92–99,112Franco 1956 22 A runner brought news that Couzy had successfully retrieved the oxygen sets from Rangoon and was following five or six days behind Franco's party. In the event he arrived at base camp only two days after Franco.Franco 1957 101,115 Base camp thumb|Makalu 1954-1955 French climbing routes thumb|Makalu Everest OpenTopoMap(click for interactive map) On 4 April Franco and Magnone reached the snout of the Barun glacier where base camp was to be. At the previous year's site, somewhat higher, the water supply had vanished along with the vegetation. The equipment cached last year was still secure. Base Camp was well appointed. Sleeping tents were two-man with triple roofing, and there were communal tents and two very large mess-tents. In all there were thirty separate tents. They constructed a stone shack, which they called the "Makalu Hotel" with fireplace, chimney and a canvas roof. About mid April the geologists rejoined the main party.Franco 1957 108–116,128,137 Back towards Sedoa there had been deep snow, which had not fallen at base camp and until this cleared they were not able to get additional supplies or post – mail runners took ten days to get from Jogbani to Base Camp, a distance of about 225 mi.Franco 1957 129 Packs of food and climbing gear were prepared for going up the mountain. These weighed 55 lb flip for taking to Camp III, 45 lb flip for Camp IV and 35 lb flip for above that. Transporting these supplies involved 20 to 30 people setting off for Camp I each day.Franco 1957 121–125 On 23 April the expedition as a whole occupied Camp I with only a small group staying at base to return again to Sedoa and make a last carry to Camp I. No one returned to Base Camp until after Makalu had been climbed.Franco 1957 124,138 Locations of camps Camp Altitude Date occupied(1955) Description metres feetnote feet Conversion from metres. Base Camp 4,900Franco 1956 16 4900 m number 4 April Beside moraine of lower Barun GlacierFranco 1957 111 Camp I 5,300 5300 m number 23 AprilFranco 1957 124,138 Dip in rocky spurFranco 1957 141–143 Camp II 5,800 5800 m number 29 AprilFranco 1957 147 Platform built on rocky hummockFranco 1957 175 Pethangtse 6,739Hawley Elizabeth Himalayan Database: Display Expeditions https://www.himalayandatabase.com/Online/getexp.html www.himalayandatabase.com 24 February 2021 14 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210214031928/https://www.himalayandatabase.com/Online/getexp.html live search for Exped ID "PETH-551-01" 6739 m number 4 May "A very curious conical peak"Howard-Bury 1922 116–117 Camp III 6,400 6400 m number 7 May Upper northwest cirque, advanced base camp from 10 MayFranco 1957 146,172 Camp IV 7,000 7000 m number 8 May Rocky balcony projecting above west cirqueFranco 1957 143,216 Camp V 7,410 7410 m number 9  May Makalu Col, vast and desolateFranco 1957 212,221 Camp VI 7,800 7800 m number 14 May Small terrace on north faceFranco 1957 223 Makalusummit 8,485 8485 m number 15–17 May A "perfect pyramid of snow" with knife-edge ridgesFranco 1957 234,239 thumb|wow Northwest cirque thumb|Climbing route on Makalu, 1955 On 23 April Camp I was established in a small dip on a rocky spur at 17390 ft flip and Camp II, established 29 April, was above a rocky hummock at the entry to the northwest cirque.Franco 1957 138–147,175 Acclimatisation training continued during this time and Franco identified Terray and Couzy as likely lead candidates for the summit but he felt happy to have a very strong team around him. The weather was good – sunny and calm in the mornings but windy and cloudy with snow showers in the afternoons. Only once was there a violent storm. They had arranged for radio broadcasts of weather forecasts from Radio Calcutta but nothing materialised until one day they received a forecast along with ones for the Germans concurrently on Dhaulagiri, where the forecast was for severe storms, and for the British Kangchenjunga expedition. Franco's party could see poor weather around them on Everest, Lhotse and Chamlang which encouraged them to hasten their preparations.Franco 1957 148–159 Latreille and Vialatte took the opportunity of climbing Pethangtse prior to Latreille and Bourdet embarking on further geologising around Sola Khumbu and Namche Bazaar.Franco 1957 161 Supplies were continually being carried by the Sherpas as high as Camp III which was stocked to become Advanced Base Camp. There the tents were set in 3 ft flip deep platforms dug into the glacier and by 10 May the camp held sufficient supplies and equipment for a summit attempt.Franco 1957 145,175,182 Cooking could not be done on paraffin stoves at such an altitude and so gas cylinders needed to be used.Franco 1957 176 The plan from Camp III to Camp V at Makalu Col was as follows. The route upward would be made suitable for Sherpas with heavy loads and eventually over 2500 ft flip of fixed rope were set in place. Pairs of climbers each accompanied by a few Sherpas would carry loads up each day and would immediately drop down to Camp III or below to make way for a subsequent team. To be successful this would require reliable radio communications and good weather. Above Camp III the Sherpas were to be given the same high-altitude rations as the French climbers. A single "heavy carry" would be done to establish Camp V on the Col in one large effort with at least 20 Sherpas becoming involved. An immediate descent to as low a camp as possible would be necessary because acclimatisation was impossible at the height of the Col. Bouvier and Leroux had found that on the traverse beyond Camp III what had been an easy snowy terrace in 1954 was now very slippery bare ice.Franco 1957 170–179,251 Camp IV was at a place they called the balcony, high on the back wall of the northwest cirque and between two couloirs, and to reach there high-altitude clothes were used by climbers and Sherpas alike.Franco 1957 180–184,216 Fixed ropes were installed for the traverse and steps were cut up the 65 ft on flip wall sloping at about 45° and crossing the bergschrund at about 6750 m.Franco 1957 187–189,196Franco 1956 25 Eventually, after much rope-setting and relaying of stores, Camp V, on Makalu Col, was reached on 8 May and the "heavy carry" to establish this camp took place the next day, all in favourable weather.note The climb up the cliff from Camp IV to the Col took 800 m of fixed rope.Franco 1956 25 Camp V now held supplies enough for several teams to spend a few days if they were stormbound.Franco 1957 190–205 Summit attempts From the large and desolate Makalu Col the attempts on the summit were to be across the north face of Makalu because it seemed more straightforward than the direct line up the northwest ridge. They had not ventured on the north face in 1954 but had been able to observe it from Chomo Lonzo and Kangchungtse. It was hoped that only one camp would be needed for the last 3000 ft flip of the mountain.Franco 1957 205 On the north side of the mountain a wide glacier slopes gradually down into Tibet from between Kangchungtse, Makalu and Chomo Lonzo before it becomes a series of huge icefalls plunging down to the Kama valley and Kangshung glacier.Franco 1957 221 After a gradual ascent to about 8100 m the slope gets a lot steeper when a spur leads towards the summit.Franco 1956 17–18 From 9 May, Camp V on the Col could be accessed safely by Sherpas in fine weather, even when unaccompanied by climbers. Equipment, including three tents, left behind from 1954 was still available.Franco 1957 176,205–207,221 Given the considerable supplies at Camp III and above, the plan was for separate groups of climbers each to attempt the summit at 24-hour intervals. The first party of Couzy and Terray with five Sherpas in support would pitch Camp VI, send the Sherpas down, and attempt the summit next day. The second party of Franco and Magnone would use Camp VI overnight before trying for the summit or, if the first party had turned back, would pitch a higher Camp VII at 26250 - 26500 ft flip and attempt the summit the day after. If these attempts failed, a team of Bouvier, Coupé, Leroux and Vialatte would try, succeeded a day later by a second attempt by the first four climbers. The twelve strongest Sherpas would provide support, using oxygen above Camp V whereas the French climbers would use it above Camp IV.Franco 1957 207–208note Sherpas in the first group were Aila, Eila Namgyal, Gyalzen II, Ang Phutar and Pemba Norbu.Franco 1957 209 In the second group: Gyalzen Norbu, Da Norbu, Kindjock Tsering, Gunden and Pemba Tenzing.Franco 1957 211 The third group comprised "six of the youngest Sherpas".Franco 1957 241 Lapras, the doctor, ascended to Camp III and Vialatte was to be temporarily in charge of the expedition until Franco himself returned safely.Franco 1957 213–214 Over the next few days progress went very much according to plan. On 11 May, as Franco and his team started their ascent from Camp I, he was surprised to find Gyalzen Norbu going down. He was in Franco's own summit team and yet was descending from Camp II. It turned out Gyalzen Norbu was just going down to Camp I to say goodbye to his wife and would be back up at Camp II by first thing next morning. He was wearing his high-altitude clothes – a padded suit trimmed with fur – so Franco guessed this was to impress his wife.Franco 1957 210–211 On 13 May Couzy and Terray reached the Col while Franco and his team gained Camp IV where, unusually, the wind had dropped completely and overnight the temperature had fallen to -14 F flip.Franco 1957 217 On 14 May two of the five Sherpas on the Col, who were scheduled to help establish Camp VI, were unfit to go on so the lead climbers went ahead with only three very heavily laden Sherpas in gales that had helped to blow clear loose snow. They successfully pitched a tent at 25600 ft flip and the Sherpas set off down. The wind had dropped and the snow underfoot was in good condition.Franco 1957 219,223-224 When Franco reached Camp V on 14 May he sent the two ill Sherpas down with one of his own Sherpas but soon the three Sherpas descending from Camp VI turned up in an exhausted and distressed state. After they had recovered somewhat it emerged that all three had taken a fall of over 100 m but the details never became clear. They could not stay at Camp V and Franco felt forced to send them on down to Camp IV for the night.Franco 1957 219–225Franco 1956 26 At the end of the day the weather forecast came through predicting fine weather over the whole chain of mountains.Franco 1957 225–235 On 15 May 1955, after a night when the temperature had reached -27 F flip, the weather was indeed fine and clear as Couzy and Terray reached the summit. It was the most pointed snow summit Couzy had ever seen, "just like a pencil point" and with a knife-edged ridge leading there. When descending they crossed with Franco's team at Camp VI in "a moment of supreme joy".Franco 1957 225–235 A second tent was pitched at Camp VI and Franco invited Gyalzen Norbu to join with him and Magnone in trying for the summit next day and for Da Norbu to stay at Camp VI to support their return. To help the others next day, that night Da Norbu voluntarily slept without using his oxygen.Franco 1957 224,232–236 For Franco, his summit day went perfectly and on the summit the weather was so calm that he, Magnone and Gyalzen Norbu stayed for a long time. The summit was so sharp all three could only stand on it together when belayed with their ice axes. Only the highest peaks could be seen above a layer of cloud but they could see Chamlang, Kangchenjunga (over 60 mi 1 away) and Everest. Franco accidentally let his camera slip and it fell down the south face beyond a line of rocks about 60 ft flip below. The loss of the camera was not so important but all thirty-five photographs taken on the ascent were gone. To Gyalzen Norbu's horror Franco was let down on a rope held by Magnone to where he managed to retrieve the camera. They had planted French and Nepalese flags on the summit but they took them back down with them to leave the mountain without festoons. Between Camps V and VI they met the third, reserve, party who had climbed all the way up from Camp III in one day using oxygen continuously. They also were to experience the finest climb of their lives when they reached the summit next day.Franco 1957 238–241Isserman Weaver 2008 326 They all celebrated back at Base Camp by firing their unused distress flares into the air as a violent wind blew monsoon clouds across the sky.Franco 1956 28Franco 1957 243–244 Assessment The expedition was quickly overshadowed by the British ascent of Kangchenjunga (the third highest mountain) which had been summited on 26 May. Nevertheless, the French and British teams met up in Darjeeling and toasted each others success.Conefrey 2020 270,275 The Makalu expedition marked the first time on an eight-thousand metre mountain that the entire team of climbers had reached the summit.Isserman Weaver 2008 326 The American Alpine Journal thought Franco deserved high praise for his excellent organisation supported by splendid equipment.AAJ 1956 139 R.R.E. Chorley, writing in the Alpine Journal, considered that the reason the expedition had no adventures was because it had been so well conducted. Their luck with the weather was to disguise the importance of good leadership and careful planning. Franco unobtrusively managed seven very individualistic climbers in a way that led to them following a coherent plan and to do so happily. Chorley thought that without supplementary oxygen perhaps only one pair would have reached the summit and so oxygen was a positive asset to the enjoyment of the expedition. Writing presciently in 1956 he continued, "It is an irony of history to think that in fifty years' time the Makalu expedition will have sunk into almost complete oblivion when contrasted with Annapurna".Chorley 1956 407–409 Notes note References Short citations 25em Works cited Nepal: Makalu 1956 10 1 139 12195613901 Various Notes 2025-01-14 AAJ 1956 Baume Louis Charles Sivalaya: explorations of the 8000-metre peaks of the Himalaya 1979 Mountaineers Seattle 978-0-916890-97-1 https://archive.org/details/sivalayaexplorat0000baum https://web.archive.org/web/20150402160023/http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12195613901/Asia-Nepal-Makalu 2 April 2015 live Chorley R.R.E. Roger Chorley, 2nd Baron Chorley Reviews:Makalu Alpine Journal 1956 61 407–409 https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1956_files/AJ61%201956%20407-432%20Reviews.pdf Conefrey Mick The Last Great Mountain: The First Ascent of Kangchenjunga 2020 Michael Conefrey 9781838039622 Eggler Albert Merrick Hugh The Everest-Lhotse adventure Harper New York 1957 https://archive.org/details/everestlhotseadv00eggl Horrell Mark 10 great Sherpa mountaineers https://www.markhorrell.com/blog/2014/10-great-sherpa-mountaineers/ Footsteps on the Mountain 19 March 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20200908155528/https://www.markhorrell.com/blog/2014/10-great-sherpa-mountaineers/ 8 September 2020 live Franco Jean Gregory Alfred Makalu Alpine Journal 1956 61 13–28 https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1956_files/AJ61%201956%2013-28%20Franco%20Makalu.pdf Franco Jean Morin Denise Makalu: the highest Peak yet conquered by an entire team 1957 Jonathan Cape https://archive.org/details/dli.pahar.3100 Howard-Bury Charles Kenneth Mount Everest-The Reconnaissance, 1921 1922 Longmans, Green http://www.gutenberg.org/files/39421/39421-h/39421-h.htm Isserman Maurice Maurice Isserman Weaver Stewart Fallen Giants : A History of Himalayan Mountaineering from the Age of Empire to the Age of Extremes 2008 Yale University Press New Haven 9780300115017 1 The Golden Age of Himalayan Climbing Mason Kenneth Notes: Mount Everest Flight, 1933 Himalayan Journal 1933 https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/05/14/notes/ 5 14 https://web.archive.org/web/20160305010642/https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/05/14/notes/ 5 March 2016 Mason Kenneth Kenneth Mason (geographer) Abode of Snow: a history of Himalayan exploration and mountaineering from earliest times to the ascent of Everest 1955 Rupert Hart-Davis https://archive.org/details/abodeofsnowhisto0000maso Himalayan Peaks of Nepal (8,000 metres and above) NTB 2017 Nepal Tourism Board Kathmandu https://eg.nepalembassy.gov.np/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Himalayan_Peaks_Nepal.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20180901063731/https://eg.nepalembassy.gov.np/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Himalayan_Peaks_Nepal.pdf 1 September 2018 live Searle Mike Colliding Continents: a geological exploration of the Himalaya, Karakoram, and Tibet 2013 Chapter 8 Mapping the Geology of Everest and Makalu Oxford University Press Oxford 978-0199653003 Web references "web" Further reading 1954 American expedition: Dunmire William W. Unsoeld William Willi Unsoeld Makalu, 1954, California Himalayan Expedition 12195500700 1955 9 2 7–24 https://web.archive.org/web/20161227061359/http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12195500700/Makalu-1954-California-Himalayan-Expedition 27 December 2016 live none Meyer L. Bruce Lippmann Fritz First Attempt on Makalu, 1954 Himalayan Journal 1956 19 4 227–238 https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/19/4/first-attempt-on-makalu-1954/ https://web.archive.org/web/20200919084313/https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/19/4/first-attempt-on-makalu-1954/ live 19 September 2020 none 1954 New Zealand expedition: Hillary Edmund Lowe George Edmund Hillary George Lowe (mountaineer) East of Everest: an account of the New Zealand Alpine Club Himalayan expedition to the Baron Valley in 1954 1956 E.P. Dutton New York https://archive.org/details/eastofeverest0000unse none Hillary Edmund Edmund Hillary View from the Summit 1999 Pocket Books New York 7, The Challenge of Makalu 97–123 https://archive.org/details/viewfromsummit00sire/page/118/mode/1up 978-0-7434-0067-1 https://archive.org/details/viewfromsummit00sire none Lowe George George Lowe (mountaineer) The Barun Expedition, 1954 Alpine Journal 1955 60 290 227–238 https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1955_files/AJ60%201955%20227-238%20Lowe%20Barun%20Exped.pdf none 1954–1955 French expedition: Franco Jean Makalu-The Happy Mountain Himalayan Journal 1956 19 https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/19/5/makalu-the-happy-mountain/ https://web.archive.org/web/20200919095808/https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/19/5/makalu-the-happy-mountain/ 19 September 2020 none General: Makalu Ward Michael Michael Ward (mountaineer) Exploration and Mapping SE of Everest in 1954 and 1955 Alpine Journal 1999 1999 197–201 https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1999_files/AJ%201999%20197-201%20Ward%20SEofEverest.pdf none 27 52 48 N 87 04 48 E type:mountain_scale:100000_region:NP title Makalu, 1955 French expedition Makalu, 1955 expedition Makalu expedition French Makalu expedition French Makalu expedition