Makalu

May 15, 1955. Jean Couzy and Lionel Terray step onto the summit of Makalu. The fifth-highest mountain on Earth. 8,485 metres. The air up there holds 33% of the oxygen you breathe at sea level. Three breaths do the work of one. The following day, the rest of the French expedition followed — six climbers on the summit in two days. It's never happened again. That May, Makalu showed an unusually forgiving face. It hasn't since.

Makalu rises 20 kilometres southeast of Everest, deep in the Mahalangur Himal. It's an almost perfect pyramid — symmetrical, imposing, remote. The Southeast Ridge, the standard route, is among the most technically demanding of all fourteen 8,000-metre peaks: mixed ground, rock sections up to UIAA grade IV+, knife-edge ridges where wind can be more dangerous than altitude. This isn't a mountain you approach after Denali or Aconcagua and call yourself ready. It demands real Himalayan technical experience. The mountain insists.

Technical Data

Route (Standard Route — SE Ridge)

Access starts from Tumlingtar (380 m), reachable by flight from Kathmandu. From there, an 8–10 day trek through the Barun Valley forest leads to Base Camp at 4,800 m — one of the most beautiful and remote approaches in the entire Himalaya. Few expeditions. No crowds.

Base Camp → Camp I

4,800 m → 5,700 m | Gain: +900 m | Time: 5–7h

Mixed glacial terrain — moraines, exposed ice, consolidated snow. The Makalu Glacier demands careful route-finding through crevasses. Camp I sits on a snow platform at around 5,700 m, sheltered from the dominant winds.

Camp I → Camp II

5,700 m → 6,400 m | Gain: +700 m | Time: 4–6h

The SE Ridge begins to take shape. Terrain gets technical: consolidated snow and ice alternating with rock sections. Fixed ropes installed by Sherpa teams guide the way. At 6,400 m the view down the Barun Valley is total.

Camp II → Camp III

6,400 m → 7,200 m | Gain: +800 m | Time: 5–7h

The crux section. The ridge narrows. Exposed mixed ground — loose rock and ice alternating on 45–60° slopes. Temperatures drop sharply with wind exposure. Camp III is established on a col between Makalu and Chomo Lonzo at 7,200 m.

Camp III → Camp IV

7,200 m → ~7,850 m | Gain: ~650 m | Time: 4–6h

Upper SE Ridge. Mixed terrain on 45–60° slopes, with technical rock sections requiring real climbing technique at altitude. Every move is slower than it should be. Camp IV at ~7,850 m is the last outpost before the summit — a tent on a narrow ledge, exposed to wind.

Camp IV → Summit

~7,850 m → 8,485 m | Gain: ~635 m | Time: 6–10h

You leave in the dark. The summit ridge demands careful movement: hard snow, rock sections, potential cornices on the Tibetan side. Above 8,000 m, each step costs. The Death Zone doesn't forgive impatience. The summit itself is a sharp point — not a platform — and the descent begins the moment you arrive.

Oxygen and Acclimatization

At 8,485 m, atmospheric pressure drops to roughly 337 hPa — less than a third of sea-level pressure. Available oxygen is 33% of what you breathe at zero altitude. This isn't abstract: at this altitude the brain starts failing within hours, and the body burns reserves it can't replenish.

Makalu sits in the Death Zone (above 8,000 m) for 485 metres of vertical. In this band, acclimatization is impossible — the body deteriorates. The useful window at the summit is measured in hours, not days.

Typical summit SpO₂ with supplemental oxygen: 50–65%. Without it, SpO₂ drops further, with serious risk of cerebral oedema (HACE) and pulmonary oedema (HAPE). Standard protocol calls for O₂ above 7,000–7,500 m: 2–3 l/min during sleep, 3–4 l/min while moving.

Standard acclimatization protocol:

1. BC (4,800 m) → C1 (5,700 m) → return: 1–2 days
2. Rest at BC (4–5 days)
3. BC → C2 (6,400 m) → return: 1–2 days
4. Rest at BC (5–7 days)
5. Second rotation: BC → C3 (7,200 m) → return: 1–2 days
6. Rest at BC (7–10 days)
7. Summit push: BC → C1 → C2 → C3 → C4 → Summit → C2 → BC

The full process takes 50–60 days. You can't compress it. Physiology doesn't negotiate.

Medical note: This information is for educational purposes only and does not replace advice from a high-altitude medicine specialist.

Preparation

Makalu is widely considered one of the most technically demanding 8,000-metre peaks. The raw number — 8,485 m — doesn't tell the story of the SE Ridge: mixed sections, rock climbing to UIAA IV+ above 7,000 m, exposed knife-edge ridges where a mistake has no margin. Many experienced Himalayan climbers describe Makalu as their most intense challenge.

Realistic prerequisites: at least one technical 7,000-metre peak with overnight stays above 6,500 m, solid ice and mixed climbing (WI4/M4 in conditions), confident use of ascenders and descenders on fixed ropes, prior experience with supplemental oxygen. A technically "easier" 8,000-metre peak like Cho Oyu or Manaslu as specific preparation is the choice of many serious alpinists.

Essential equipment:

• Oxygen mask and regulator (Poisk system or equivalent)
• Oxygen cylinders (4–6 × 4–6L for the summit push)
• Expedition down suit rated to −50°C
• Double boots for high altitude (8,000-metre spec)
• 12-point technical crampons, rigid frame
• Technical ice axes (two, for mixed sections)
• Certified ascender, ice harness, helmet
• VHF radio, GPS, headlamp with spare batteries
• High-altitude medical kit (dexamethasone, nifedipine, acetazolamide, emergency injector)

Season: April–May is the main window. The Himalayan jet stream tends to shift northward between late April and mid-May. Most expeditions target the summit between May 10–25. The post-monsoon season (September–October) is technically possible but extremely rare for Makalu.

Cost: a guided commercial expedition runs $25,000–$50,000 USD, including the Nepali government permit, logistics from Tumlingtar, Sherpa support, and supplemental oxygen.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much oxygen is there at Makalu's summit?

At the summit of Makalu, at 8,485 m, available oxygen is 33% of sea-level concentration. Atmospheric pressure drops to roughly 337 hPa (compared to 1,013 hPa at sea level). Each breath delivers one third of the oxygen you'd get at zero altitude. Almost all climbers use supplemental oxygen above 7,000 m — without it, summit SpO₂ commonly falls below 65%, with serious risk of HACE and HAPE.

Is Makalu harder than other 8,000-metre peaks?

Among the fourteen 8,000ers, Makalu is consistently rated one of the most technically demanding. The SE Ridge — the standard route — includes mixed and rock sections up to UIAA IV+ above 7,000 m. By comparison, Cho Oyu and Manaslu offer less technical terrain. Annapurna and K2 are broadly comparable in technical difficulty. The combination of technicality and absolute altitude makes Makalu one of the most serious challenges in Himalayan mountaineering.

Who made the first ascent of Makalu?

The first ascent was made on May 15, 1955: Jean Couzy and Lionel Terray of the French expedition led by Jean Franco reached the summit. The next day Jean Franco, Guido Magnone and Gyalzen Norbu summited; on May 17, three more team members followed. Six people on the summit in three days — an efficiency record that has never been matched on this mountain.

What is the best season to climb Makalu?

April–May (pre-monsoon) is the standard window. The Himalayan jet stream tends to shift northward between late April and mid-May, opening weather windows. Most expeditions target the summit between May 10–25. The autumn season is technically possible but extremely rare for Makalu.