Makalu, the austere pyramid of the Himalaya

At 8,485 meters, Makalu rises like a perfect pyramid, isolated and formidable. Located on the border between Nepal and China (Tibet), it embodies the raw elegance of high mountains and the harshness of Himalayan challenges.

Altitude

8485 m

Localisation

27.890° N / 87.089° E

A summit of radical purity

Its name means “Great Black” in reference to its dark faces. Its pyramidal shape is one of the most striking in the Himalaya. Climbing Makalu demands extraordinary endurance: its razor-sharp ridges and icy couloirs are of exceptional severity.

1954

First attempt

The American expedition led by Riley Keegan failed due to the extreme conditions.

1955

First ascent

Achieved on May 15 by Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy (French expedition led by Jean Franco), a major feat of modern mountaineering.

1970

First ascent via the southeast face

A new route opened by a Japanese expedition.

1980

First winter ascent

By a Polish expedition led by Andrzej Zawada.

2009

First Nepalese female ascent

By Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita, a symbol of women’s renewal in the Himalaya.

27.8897° N / 87.0888° E

Nepal/Tibet (Chine)

8,485 m

Altitude

1955

First ascent by a French team

5th

Highest peak in the world

−30 °C

Average temperatures at altitude

A French summit

Makalu remains in history as one of the few 8000ers climbed by a French expedition. On May 15, 1955, Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy reached the summit, closely followed by eight other team members. Never before had such a high peak been climbed by so many mountaineers during a single expedition.

The impassable pyramid

From afar, Makalu impresses with its perfect, symmetrical profile, but its beauty hides formidable difficulty. Its icy ridges, swept by violent winds, and its technical passages make it one of the least climbed 8000ers, even today.

The neighbors of Makalu

Everest

Nepal

8848,86 m

Lhotse

Nepal

8516 m

Cho Oyu

Nepal

8188 m

A summit without concession

Makalu is a summit without concession, where elegance and danger intertwine. For Norton Peak, it embodies the pursuit of purity and transcendence, an ascent where the essential prevails.

From Nepal (Khumbu)

The approach is via a wild trek from Tumlingtar, crossing remote villages and deep valleys.

“Makalu is the perfect pyramid, but with an austerity that chills the soul.”

Lionel Terray

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