Makalu Attempt. Accompanying us were Georges Narbaud and Erich Beaud. We established Base Camp on April 12 on the Chago Glacier at the foot of the west face of Makalu. Our route was to the Makalu La and up the northwest face, the normal route. From April 13 to 17 we placed Camp I at 6200 meters and Camp II at the foot of the couloir at 6850 meters. After a rest at Base Camp, from April 20 to 23 we ferried loads to Makalu Col at 7400 meters. Narbaud had to return to France. The other three of us made a first summit attempt from April 27 to May 3 and reached 8050 meters. On May 2 the weather turned bad and we had to descend. Beaud had frozen toes and had to return to France. We two set out again on May 6. On the 11th we got to the summit ridge at 8430 meters, about 100 feet from the summit, but the wind was so strong that we could not even stand. We bivouacked at 8050 meters and tried again on May 12 but were driven back at 8400 meters. We gave up the attempt.

Liliane and Maurice Barrard, Club Alpin Français