First Winter Ascent of Makalu

On Feb 9, 2009, Italian Simone Moro and Denis Urubko of Kazakhstan became the first party to reach the summit of Makalu (8462 m) in winter. A winter attempt on the world’s fifth-highest peak had tempted many other climbers and in 2006, it claimed the life of Jean-Christophe Lafaille of France, who was attempting to solo it.  Urubko speculated that Lafaille “could have climbed it alone. I just hope that he didn’t risk things or that he was pushed into doing it to prove what he was capable of.” The successful party depended on fitness that enabled them to climb quickly between camps, minimizing their exposure to the incredible cold and winds. Moro speculated that they also succeeded partly because “We compete for who can suffer most and who gives up last. But we always use our intelligence and no one wants to be a hero who is ready to sacrifice for success.” Now, the only remaining 8,000 m peaks that have seen no winter ascent are all in Pakistan. Of those peaks, the pair speculated that they may consider Nanga Parbat in the winter as their next project.