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Makalu Facts & Worksheets

Makalu is the fifth-tallest mountain in the whole world with a height of 8,485 meters or 27,838 feet. It is situated in the Mahalangur Himalayas, 19 kilometers or 12 miles southeast of Mount Everest.

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Makalu is the fifth-tallest mountain in the whole world with a height of 8,485 meters or 27,838 feet. It is situated in the Mahalangur Himalayas, 19 kilometers or 12 miles southeast of Mount Everest (the highest mountain in the world), on the border between Nepal and Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Makalu is one of the eight-thousanders. It is also an isolated peak, shaped like a four-sided pyramid.

See the fact file below for more information on the Makalu or alternatively, you can download our 19-page Makalu worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

DESCRIPTION

  • Makalu contains of two notable subsidiary peaks: Kangchungtse, or Makalu II and Chomo Lonzo.
  • Kangchungtse, also called Makalu II, is 7,678 meters high and about 3 kilometers or 1.9 miles north-northwest of the main summit.
  • Chomo Lonzo is 7,804 meters above sea level. It is around 5 kilometers or 3.1 miles north-northeast of the main summit across a broad plateau. Chomo Lonzo is connected to Kangchungtse by a narrow, 7,200-meter saddle.
  • Makalu lies about 14 miles or 23 kilometers east-southeast of Mount Everest.

ETYMOLOGY

  • The name of the mountain, Makalu, is derived from the Sanskrit Maha Kala, a name for the Hindu God Shiva that translates as “Big Black”.
  • The Chinese name for the peak is Makaru.

CLIMBING HISTORY

  • In 1954, a strong American team led by Riley Keegan was the first to climb the mountain of Makalu in the spring.
  • The expedition was composed of a team from Sierra Club including Allen Steck, and was called the California Himalayan Expedition to Makalu.
  • The team attempted the southeast ridge but had to turn back at 7,100 meters or 23,300 feet due to constant storms, heavy snowfall, and high winds.
  • A New Zealand team including Sir Edmund Hillary was also active in the spring, but did not get very high due to injury and illness.
  • During the fall of 1954, a French reconnaissance expedition made the first ascents of the subsidiary summits Kangchungtse and Chomo Lonzo.
  • Makalu was first summited on May 15, 1955 by Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy of a French expedition led by Jean Franco.
  • Jean Franco, Guido Magnone, and Gyalzen Norbu Sherpa reached the top the next day, followed by Jean Bouvier, Serge Coupé, Pierre Leroux, and André Vialatte on the 17th.
  • At that time, it was an amazing achievement for the vast majority of expedition members to reach the summit, especially on such a difficult peak. Prior to this, summits were reached by one or two expedition members at most, with other teams providing logistical support before turning around and heading home.
  • The French team climbed Makalu by the north face and northeast ridge, via the saddle between Makalu and Kangchungtse called the Makalu-La, establishing the standard route.

MAKALU-BARUN VALLEY

  • Makalu-Barun Valley is a Himalayan glacier valley situated at the base of Makalu in the Sankhuwasabha district of Nepal. This valley reclines entirely inside the Makalu Barun National Park.
  • The valley offers stunning contrasts, where high waterfalls cascade into deep gorges, craggy rocks rise from lush green forests, and colorful flowers bloom beneath white snow peaks.
  • This unique landscape protects some of the last pristine mountain ecosystems on Earth. Rare species of animals and plants flourish in its diverse climates and habitats, relatively undisturbed by humankind.

CLIMBING MAKALU

  • Makalu is considered as one of the more difficult eight-thousanders, and is also one of the most difficult mountains in the world to climb.
  • The mountain is notorious for its steep pitches and knife-edged ridges that are completely open to the elements. The last ascent of the summit pyramid involves technical rock/ice climbing.
  • The climbing abruptly divides into three sections: the easy glacier climb on the lower slopes; the steep snow and ice climb to the Makalu-La saddle, and the snowy slopes to the steep French Couloir and a finish up a rocky ridge to the summit.
  • The mountain is not as overcrowded as nearby Mount Everest.

Makalu Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Makalu across 19 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Makalu worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Makalu which is the fifth-tallest mountain in the whole world with a height of 8,485 meters or 27,838 feet. It is situated in the Mahalangur Himalayas, 19 kilometers or 12 miles southeast of Mount Everest (the highest mountain in the world), on the border between Nepal and Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Makalu is one of the eight-thousanders. It is also an isolated peak, shaped like a four-sided pyramid.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Makalu Facts
  • Makalu Headline Page
  • All About Makalu
  • Eight-Thousanders
  • California Himalayan Expedition
  • Makalu People
  • Makalu-Barun Valley
  • Climbing Makalu
  • Notable Ascents
  • Interesting Facts
  • Makalu Poem

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Link will appear as Makalu Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, December 3, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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