Jean-Christophe Lafaille: Makalu 2004

Dispatch One: Hi EverestNews.com readers, In a few hours, we fly away to Nepal with Jean-Christophe this Monday April 5. Jean-Christophe is ready for his project on Makalu. Today, I can tell you more on this ascension to this giant. We will spend two days at Kathmandu in order to arrange the various formalities with the authorities then we will go by jeep towards Tibet

We will pass the border to reach the Tibet at 5000 meters, we will pass then a collar at 5200 meters. We shall be careful with this quick ascension in altitude, always delicate when we arrive so high by jeep. Six days (3 days by jeep and 3 of organization with the yaks, etc)

After having left Kathmandu we will leave the jeeps to begin the trekking which will enable us to join the base camp, after 7 days of walk, under difficult conditions. This area is still almost unexplored today, we do not have much information, we know that the region is very wild, that there is nobody, a collar to be crossed, Langma, at 5350 meters to reach the point where we will decide to install the base camp at an altitude of approximately 5300 meters.

Snow may pose problems to us to pass the collar with the yaks. The base camp will be installed at the foot of Makalu on a virgin slope, the Northern slope which Jean-Christophe plans to climb without oxygen and alone, it is a beautiful objective with a maximum moral physical engagement because this is the first time that Jean-Christophe will be completely alone on a base camp. Generally, when he opens new ways on these very high mountains, there is always "human life" at the base camp where the “exchange” is possible with climbers. I let to you discover in photograph this slope wild and virgin of the Makalu.

Normally we should reach the base camp of Makalu by April 19 but there are strikes forecasted in Nepal and I, as always, make outward journeys and returns "express train" between France, Nepal and Tibet to carry out an illustrated report and video from this wild area and this virgin slope before coming back, as soon as possible, to France near my children which is always so painful to leave behind me, thus in my timing  which I manage to carry out, the strike is a very bad new... Normally I thought to remain 3 days at the base camp in order to try to reach the advanced base camp at 6200 meters to take images and photographs before leaving to Kathmandu and take my plane at the end of April.

Best regards from Nepal, Katia Lafaille

Translations by Fabienne for EverestNews.com

Dispatches

Jean-Christophe Lafaille, how good is he? Many think he could end up with the best ever! His style of small expeditions, no oxygen, not much equipment, man vs mountain reminds some of Messner.

Jean-Christophe's summits include: Cho Oyu via the Polish route; A new route and solo on Shishapangma; G2-G1 traverse and the Lhotse West Face. He also summitted Manaslu via the North face, the first solo ascent of the mountain! But Jean-Christophe is not limited just to the big mountain, for example he just completed the first solo winter ascent of Pelerinage on the North face of Peigne. This route is graded VI, 6, was first climbed by Beaudoin and Parkin in 1992. Jean-Christophe climbed it in 5 hours ! He is the complete package... EverestNews.com voted him one of the best climbers in the world today and his successful ascent of Annapurna the best climb in 2002.

Read the dispatches from Spring 2002 here: Dispatch April 3, 2002 Bonjour

His Site in French

In 2003, Jean-Christophe Lafaille, summited Dhaulagiri, Broad Peak and Nanga Parbat.

His dispatches from Dhaulagiri this year are here.

His dispatches from Nanga Parbat this year are here.

Follow along here for dispatches from Broad Peak here.

Jean-Christophe Lafaille 2003: Broad Peak Photo Show

Jean-Christophe Lafaille: Annapurna 2002

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