ANDALUCIA MAKALU EXPEDITION Update

ANDALUCIA MAKALU EXPEDITION

We can not send the chronicle from our computer because the battery went dead and we are having problems with energy sources.  Today, 21, we are at the foot of Ama Lhapsa.  We had three very intense days on the mountain, from the last inhabited location for us in the next days, Chukung.  We have used it as BC to climb to Imja Set, 6,189m, which all the members of the expedition summated, including the trekking members, on the 19th.

After a nice day of rest yesterday, preparing the loads for the next four days, we continue today with this difficult and isolated zone which will take us to Makalu BC. 

Right now we are having excellent weather, with just a little nasty wind.

MANUEL GONZALEZ

MAKALU 2008 

The Andalucia Makalu Expedition 2008, an official sports event of the Andalucian Mountain Climbing Federation is formed by Fernando Fernandez-Vivancos from Granada, Jorge Vasquez from Sevilla and 'Lolo' Gonzalez from San Pedro.  The three sportsmen will attempt to reach the summit of Makalu, 8,463 meters of altitude above sea level, which makes it the fifth highest mountain in the planet and is included in the group of most difficult mountains of over eight thousand meters, along with K2.

Earlier: We are in Namche Bazar at 3,440 meters of altitude, where we came yesterday after a complete journey walking.  Today we dedicated the day to visit the towns of: Kunjung (3,790 m) and Khunde from where all the group ascended a small summit of 4,200 meters.

In these days we met the members of diverse expeditions to Everest, among whom we see certain confusion, because also on the Nepalese side, the climbers and tourists won't be able to climb above camp 3 (C3) until after May 10.  All this situation and the closing of mountains like Cho Oyu by the Chinese government have taken a lot of expeditions to change objectives, heading to other mountains.  For us all this is not good news, because we wanted to feel nice on Makalu and we fear there would be too many expeditions (as we see it), which we will find at BC.

We will continue our progress tomorrow and we will reach Pangboche (3,985m) from where we will enjoy the beautiful sights of Ama Dablam.  And we expect two more days to reach Chukung, the last town before we get into the land of the three peaks.  This will also be our last BC to attempt the ascent of Imja Set.

Imja Set is also known as Island Peak and has an altitude of 6,190m, with this ascent we just want to continue acclimatizing our bodies to altitude, to attack Makalu with the maximum warranties.  

MANUEL GONZALEZ

Translated from Spanish by Jorge Rivera

NOTE 01 NEPAL

ANDALUCIA MAKALY EXPEDITION

April 10, 2008

On April 7 we arrived to Katmandu, the capital of Nepal, and we started the numerous paperwork and shopping  that an expeditions of these characteristics need.  It has been a day of a lot of work dedicated exclusively to pack all the food, tents, gas, etc.  While the country has been paralyzed by elections.

The 7 climbers of the expedition (four Basque and three Andalucians) and the 5 Andalucian teammates who will go with us up to base camp (BC), have left everything prepared so that we could fly tomorrow to Lukla where we will arrive with 210 Kg of materials to start the journey that will take us to the base of Makalu.  Other 350 Kg will leave to the base of the mountain, with our Nepalese BC group and two high altitude Sherpas that will help us during the climb.

The route is known to the climbers and we hope to enjoy as always the singular landscapes of the route, to be on the 12th in Namche Bazar, where we will have a day, to dedicate to acclimatization to altitude and from where we hope to be able to send a new chronicle to tell you how the approach to the mountain goes.

During these days we will have a journey that is not usual to reach Makaly and is considered as one of the most interesting and hard treks there are in Nepal.  Three peaks are waiting for us, which are around 6,000 meters of altitude and the summit of Imja Set, located on the impressive south ridge of Lhotse.

MANUEL GONZALES

Translated from Spanish by Jorge Rivera

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