Jean Christophe Lafaille soloed Shisha Pangma off season last year - a remarkable climb nominated for the Piolet d'Or. However, it was not considered a winter climb, as he summited on December 11th. Image of Jean Christophe courtesy of his website.
In spring 2004 Lafaille attempted to solo a new route, finally reaching the summit of the subsidiary Makalu II. Three other climbers have previously soloed Makalu through different routes, but the mountain has never been climbed in winter. Image of Makalu courtesy of Carlos Pauner (click to enlarge).
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Jean Christophe Lafaille to solo Makalu in winter
Posted: Oct 21, 2005 08:21 am EDT
French climber Jean Christophe Lafaille is getting ready to attempt Makalu, his 12th 8000er, in an extraordinary way: Solo and in winter. The achievement would mean not just another tick off his list of 14 8000ers, but also the first winter climb of the difficult Makalu.
Learning from Shisha
Jean Christophe climbed Shisha Pangma last year in a similar way; solo and off-season. He was secretive, reporting on his achievement only after he summited - as another expedition was going for the same goal, on their second attempt. JC reached the summit by mid December, right before the beginning of calendar winter.
When Lafaille claimed a winter summit, against the opinion of winter climbing veterans, the issue raised controversy . Italian Simone Moro and Polish Piotr Morawski summited the peak in January, 2005, achieving the first true winter climb of Shisha Pangma.
This time, Lafaille will reach Nepal on a later date: December 1st. His expedition will be considered winter, if he begins to climb the route after December 21.
Jean Christophe is climbing solo – only a cook will wait for him in BC. He will be in contact with his wife at home, who will post reports on his website. Lafaille will climb the route in just one go (alpine style) and as fast as possible.
Soloer back to Makalu
Lafaille is not new to Makalu: He attempted to solo a new route on the peak in the spring of 2004, reaching the summit of Makalu’s subsidiary peak, Makalu II.
The fist solo of Makalu was made in 1980. American John Roskelley’s other team members aborted their expedition due to lack of high altitude porters. But Roskelley refused to leave. Left alone, he completed the first repetition of the West Pillar.
In 1982, Polish climber Czok soloed the west face-NW ridge. In 1989, Pierre Beghing soloed the South face.
French Jean Christophe Lafaille have accomplished some remarkable climbs in the Alps and the Himalaya, frequently alone. He has summited 11, 8000ers – the latest Shisha Pangma in 2004, solo. If he succeeds on Makalu, he will only have Kangchenjunga and Everest to finish all 14, 8000ers.
8485 meters high, Makalu is the fifth highest mountain on Earth. Its name means ‘The Great Black’. It is a four-faced pyramid, with a secondary peak - Chomo Lonzo or Makalu II (25,650 ft/7818 m) - separated from the main summit by a narrow saddle, known as Makalu La.
Makalu was first climbed 50 years ago. Jean Couzy and Lionel Terray, two climbing celebrities from the 20th century, members of a French team led by Jean Franco, stood on Makalu’s sharp summit on May 15, 1955.
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