Dainius Makauskas, Father of Lithuanian Mountaineering
Dainius at Camp 2. He was one of the Soviet Unions most accomplished high altitude climbers when I met him during the 1978 Soviet American Exchange Expedition in Tadjikistan.
Dainius Makauskas
Dainius was one probably the most experienced high altitude moutaineer that I had ever climbed with.
Dainius on top of Dhaulagiri (8167m.)
On the frigid afternoon of October, 31, 1990, Dainius proudly displayed the Lithuanian flag on the summit of Dhaulagiri. Dainius, Nuru Sherpa and I reached the summit together during exceptionally cold weather. (Estimated -40C) This was the last photo of Dainius. He tragically disappeared on the descent less than an hour later.
Myself, at C2, Waiting for Dainius
Nuru and I were severely frostbitten. But maintaining a sliver of hope that he was still descending towards us. We hoped that Dainius could have survived the night without a tent and waited a second night for him in Camp 2. When he did not appear, we were heartbroken.