Makalu. Our members were Enrique de Pablo, Xabier Erro, Martín Zabaleta and I as leader. On April 8 we got to Base Camp at 5400 meters, where we found the American West Buttress expedition camped. We spent time acclimatizing on peaks and glaciers. On April 26, despite strong winds, all four ascended the Chago Glacier and eventually got to the Makalu Col at 7400 meters on April 30. We were tent-bound for three days. Physically and psychologically exhausted and with our food running out, we descended to Base Camp. Erro and Zabaleta had to return home, leaving Kiko de Pablo and me. On May 11 we two set out with six days of food, crossing the Chago Glacier moraine to bivouac at 6000 meters. On May 12 we traversed the upper cirque of the glacier in a semicircle from left to right to sleep at 6600 meters below the southwest face of Kang- chungtse. On the 13th we climbed steeply to spend the night in a snow cave at 7000 meters. On May 14 we traversed left, heading for mixed terrain where we found the remains of fixed rope. We bivouacked at 7450 meters on the Makalu Col. On May 15 we ascended easy terrain to a bergschrund below rock outcrops descending from the northwest ridge. We rested there at 7750 meters. On May 16 we left our bivouac at one A.M. and ascended the corridor between the northwest ridge and the séracs of the north face. Despite the cold and wind, at eight A.M. we were above 8000 meters heading for the beginning rock of the northwest ridge. We reached the summit at four P.M. where we found two oxygen bottles left by a previous expedition. During the last two hours of the climb the weather worsened, keeping us from enjoying the view during our half hour on top. We were back in Base Camp on May 20.

Mari Abrego, Orhi Mendi, Federación Vasca de Montaña, Spain