Makalu Winter Attempt. The two-man team of Noboru Yamada and Yasuhira Saito took one look at the south face of Makalu and decided it was impossible for only two to scale such a steep route in winter when there is little snow cover. They turned to the southeast ridge. Their alpine-style ascent came to a halt at 7500 meters when they twice reached that point from a bivouac at 7400 meters. The wind and low clouds prevented their seeing where they were going. They reached their high point on December 9 and 11. They waited a week in Base Camp for the weather to improve. It did not and with their food running out, they quit.

Elizabeth Hawley