The 2005-2006 Makalu Disaster

In December of 2005, a veteran French climber would attempt the first winter ascent of one of the most difficult 8000ers, Makalu, solo. This is his story.
Thanks everyone for watching the video, and if you enjoyed it, please leave a like and a comment on it for me! If you haven't joined my expedition team by subscribing to the channel yet, consider doing so, as the dangers of going it alone are evidenced in this video!
As I always make sure to do, I want to extend a huge thank you to all the channel members, whose generosity helps make my independently written, voiced and edited content possible for everyone to enjoy! When I'm having a tough day, just seeing how many of you believe in my content is enough to give me a resurgence of gratitude and motivation! You guys are the best! If you'd like to help support the channel by becoming a channel member starting at just $1 a month, I'll leave a link to the channel memberships page below for your browsing convenience! Thanks again everyone!
HELP SUPPORT MY CONTENT BY BECOMING A CHANNEL MEMBER HERE: / @morbidmidnight

[@jonathonsmith8871]

Imagine climbing one of these mountains with this music playing the whole time

[@ChrisB-u4n]

With Morbid narrating your eventual demise as you slowly climb to your death 🤔

[@craigburns9377]

😂

[@the_phaistos_disk_solution]

Play it while you're trying to fall asleep after a panic attack.

[@VetvsWorld]

Working from home, staring down the barrel at a three-day weekend, AND a new morbid story. Ingredients for an amazing Friday. ✊🏻

[@evryhndlestakn]

Working from home or doing just enough & watching KZbin from home? 🫢😏😉I wont tell, good for you, three days off! 🎉🥳😁

[@HuckelAR]

Me too! Cheers!

[@Jordan__Sloan]

Doesn’t take much, does it?

[@VetvsWorld]

@@Jordan__Sloan Not anymore. 🤣

[@LevelEarthWD]

Happy Labor Day! 🎉

[@Votrae]

Me and the homies love not dying in the Himalayas

[@juliadagnall5816]

I swear that mountaineering and cave diving are the only sports where ‘it hasn’t killed me yet’ is a scarily accurate description of the participant’s mindset. It doesn’t seem to occur to them that some records do not *need* to be broken because, while theoretically possible, it’s still a really, really, really, reeeeeally bad idea.

[@jeffryan7439]

Try not to die excursions are a pretty popular hobby

[@cyb3625]

Cave diving has a way higher danger floor, mountaineering can be done on smaller peaks and are scrambles towards the top. But with cave diving it just feels dangerous no matter what

[@RSimpkinuk57]

What is worse, if the next people to reach the summit (one summer) had found something left there by this man as proof of having made it up, then the sport's record-keeping rules would credit the first winter ascent to him; dying on the way down would be irrelevant.

[@aubreybenmark1369]

I gotta say, from what I have seen over the past couple years of watching mountaineering disaster videos on youtube, yours are the best researched, and the most thoughtful. Especially towards the lives that are lost. Respectful In memoriam to the fallen of such a dangerous and yet spellbinding passion/profession.

[@NummyScrum]

That last quote gave me goosebumps. Humbling and shows the dichotomy of life.

[@mike79patton]

"ALL we are, is dust in the wind, dude. Dust.... Wind.... Dude. " - Bill S. Preston, esq.

[@TheBierp]

"What can I do to make this even harder? I know, I'll summit in a speedo!"

[@sleazymeezy]

Stupid sexy Bierp

[@karyn552003]

And flip-flops!

[@BlackCat-nv5sf]

While smoking cigars

[@glamcityrockerofficial]

These documentaries are a great way to get my mind off of my ex it's helping me somehow find a way to move on I can totally get into each episode and it takes my mind off of it

[@tottimothykenison9885]

These videos are my morning meditation material while commuting in rush hour traffic!

[@LJGames27]

Same

[@POLARTTYRTM]

Even in "easier" mountains, it is still very hard to summit them in the summer. It has to be such an alien-like experience to experience extremely harsh winter weather at a height where everything is frozen permanently on exposed slopes. There is a point where no clothes or tent of any type will spare you.

[@Lambsharkxo]

we stan 20 min morbid 🙏

[@PeteyNJ1025]

Babe wake up! New Morbid Midnight dropped!

[@earlofcumbrae-Ground_Zero]

Climbing a + 8000M Mountain in the Height of Winter : Idiot !! Great content as always..

[@Torero2901]

Especially SOLO and by this irresponsibility putting rescuers in danger also.

[@MattFinch-f2w]

Long periods of stable weather.Albiet cold.A viable challenge

[@karyn552003]

Oh my goodness! A new Morbid video on a Friday! Hell yeah! Cant wait to watch this tonight. Perfect beginning of the weekend!

[@irishpsalteri]

Great stuff, perfect for the armchair mountaineer. I would deeply appreciate a overlay dotted line or whatever so I can see the route, telling me which face is in the current pic.

[@ajaks7636]

Thank You for another Amazing video! 😀

[@GabegGem]

Never been this early I appreciate your content

[@blackhawkorg]

Excellent presentation. Rest in Peace, Sir

[@Trustkillx]

Just in ti me for my walk to work. Thanks bro❤

[@nyrbsamoht]

amazing stuff thanks for the consistent fantastic uploads - I always imagine him establishing the route and ferrying gear from ABC over such a long period - ready for a summit push - facing such crazy weather - not being deterred .. not even a vague thought of being rescued if something happened. a true solo endeavor. rip

[@toscadonna]

One of these days when there’s an Aussie story, we need a video done in the Aussie accent. Thank you.❤

[@Desertquartz79]

Thats the European climbers they push it hard and perish most of the time. Climbing a 8,000 meter peak in winter solo is a great way to disappear but whatever do what you like. 👍

[@dfuher968]

Such a sad story. I cant help but feel so sorry for him, that he could only feel alive by constantly seeking death.

[@craigburns9377]

What am incredible climbing career! It's hard to fathom how incredibly difficult and dangerous his ascents were. And people are in awe of Nims...

[@paulgrey8028]

Beghin fell when the 'friend' [a slim cam of metal that is wedged into cracks to secure a climber from a fall] came loose sending him plunging to his death. J.C. Lafaille got hit by a rock as he descended, breaking his arm into a compound fracture. Beghin and Lafaille were climbing alpine style with minimal gear [on the south face of Annapurna no less] so he had to improvise to get himself safely back to base camp. One of the most astounding self rescues in the history of high altitude climbing.

[@davidpeters3857]

Excellent content as always

[@nicki9590]

Excellent; what a great follow-up story.

[@eigleenalegri2664]

Thanks for a story on Makaalu, usually forgotten

[@the_phaistos_disk_solution]

Great philosophical insight. A great loss.

[@jeanerickson1609]

Loved watching this one, but please know that Makalu is mispronounced - accent on 1st syllable.

[@mjaricacat]

The philosophy of someone trying to fill his inner void with nothing but his own demise.

[@samuellowekey9271]

What a name for a mountaineer, Lafaille

[@existentialcrisisactor]

There's no such thing as a solo climb unless they carry all the equipment themselves.

[@thomaseriksen6885]

Finally

[@megyskermike]

This thumbnail looks like cookies and whipped cream

[@miapdx503]

Those who flirt with death...not impressed. Seeing people to spend tens of thousands of dollars to die in an exotic location...not impressed. It's become like a tourist attraction.

[@atheistsince1210]

Morbid Midnight your scholarship is PhD level always , however , are we SURE Jean wasn't really an alias and that his real name was Peter Parker ?

[@TrinityBloodFan02]

👍 ❤

[@Dragondemar33]

Impresionante escalador, que descanse en su reino

[@dpg0jod]

Circumnavigate means to go all the way around

[@patrickagee]

81K!!!

[@Lplumley]

Mack-a-loo

[@jeffryan7439]

I think you are putting yourself to sleep, Drink a coffee or something

[@tomm3700]

yo

[@giggiddy]

What the hell is yo???

[@stevenfunderburg1623]

I love how this channel constantly, endlessly showcases people who come to a bad end as a result of their own reckless actions, but the moment I point out that those bad, intentional choices should mitigate our sympathy for the outcome, my comment is censored. Like stupidity is covered by some woke safe space.

[@patrickwatrin5093]

I hate censorship

[@firecatskylar]

Maybe because you lack tact and an intelligent way to say how their stupidity caused their downfall.

[@jonathonsmith8871]

Who are you to point out there bad choices? Nobody cares for your sympathy or opinion

[@miapdx503]

KZbin does go overboard with censorship, but wtf did you say about mountaineering that was offensive? Never mind, I do not want to know 🙁

[@stevenfunderburg1623]

@@jonathonsmith8871 Sounds like someone who makes bad choices themselves got triggered like a little foolish baby boy. Literally. Probably Millennial or worse Gen Z.

[@stevenfunderburg1623]

Why do we believe the "accomplishments" of solo climber's? Especially in an era prior to GPS definitively demonstrating their placement. If lying is at all possible, then integrity demands we assume they are lying.

[@chazzbranigaan9354]

It almost certainly happened right?

[@stevenfunderburg1623]

@@chazzbranigaan9354 Nope!

[@ArcFixer]

Cameras have been around about 200 years. You don't need no stinking GPS to prove you summited. Cheers

[@stevenfunderburg1623]

@@ArcFixer So if I dig, you can absolutely assure me that I will be unable to discover a single case where in fact someone totally has lied about it and been busted? Also, you are telling me in extreme weather conditions like the ones described frequently on this channel, there are never cases in which cameras are disabled? Your answer is about 200% too simple. Cheers.

[@ReTzee]

bro why do you talk like that wtf lmaoooo

[@Drimirin]

Have you considered the possibility that he may have mental health issues? Do you think your comment would help at all? Think about the consequences of your actions and words.

[@valhallasrevenge]

holy hell, could you sound any more bored?

[@Drimirin]

Have you considered the possibility that he may have mental health issues? Do you think your comment would help at all? Think about the consequences of your actions and words.

[@Cenation9740]

Could u shut up 🤡

[@Glen-th1vg]

Narrator talks like he's bored 🥱😂

[@Drimirin]

Have you considered the possibility that he may have mental health issues? Do you think your comment would help at all? Think about the consequences of your actions and words. Some people are like school on Sunday.

[@joemadda]

I can appreciate being solo in winter as I winter camp often. Now I've only been in -3F but it's still something to survive that gives me some sense of accomplishment. I'm also a cripple so that ups the difficulty.

[@poutinedream5066]

Ive KZbin climbed so many mountains now i be like "😤 Pfft, that's barely in the death zone 🥱"