In Search of Shambala: The Search4Paradise Expedition

So many expeditions that we read about today are focused on visiting some remote place, usually in an effort to raise awareness (and usually funds!) for a cause. While those are certainly noble endeavors, and regular readers know that I don't shy away from writing about them, sometimes it's nice to see an expedition that is being undertaken for the exploration and sheer sense of adventure. The Search4Pardise expedition, led by Arita Baaijens, is a perfect example of just such a journey.

Baaijens is certainly no stranger to challenging journeys. Born and raised in the Netherlands, she spent much of her life caught up in the daily grind, just like the rest of us. However, in 1990, she quit her job as a consultant, bought a small caravan of camels, and began a nomadic life, spending most of the past twenty years wandering the Sahara Desert in Egypt and the Sudan. During that time, she has written a number of books, become an accomplished photographer, and a member of the Royal Geographical Society.

After spending the better part of two decades in the desert, Arita is turning her attention elsewhere. She intends to travel through Russia, Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia, on horseback, in search of the mythical and mystical Kingdom of Shambala, a place that holds deep meaning for Buddhists around the globe.

The legends that surround Shambala are fantastical to say the least. They speak of an idyllic place, hidden somewhere in the vicinity of the region that Baaijens and her team will be exploring, that is said to be a veritable paradise, although there is some debate, even amongst scholars, if Shambala is an actual place or a state of being. The Dalai Lama is one person who does believe it exists, but in order to enter this "Pure Land," one needs to have achieved an enlightened state. And like all good myths, there are accounts to back it up, including some explorers claiming to have found the place, hidden away in a maze of canyons and mountains somewhere in Inner Asia, although no one can ever seem to remember the route in.

Arita is in the process of finishing up a 10 week long reconnaissance expedition in advance of the real exploration mission that is set to go down in 2011, when she will return to the remote, and largely uncharted, Altai Mountains to really begin the search.

For centuries, man has tried to find "paradise" which is defined quite differently in many cultures. It is interesting that even now, in the 21st Century, we continue that search. It should be interesting to see if they find anything on their journey, as it is quite possible that the Shambala myth is based on some ancient, and mostly unknown, civilization that existed in that part of the world hundreds of years ago.

I'm definitely intrigued.

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The 2010 Gobi March Begins This Weekend!

The 2010 edition of the Gobi March is set to get underway this weekend, with more than 150 ultra-runners from around the globe descending on Urumqi, China to begin a week long stage race through the grueling environment of the Gobi Desert. 


The Gobi March is part of Racing The Planet's 4 Deserts series of ultramarathons. This one takes place in far western China in the city-oasis of Turpan, in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region. Each day will mark a stage of the race, with runners setting out in the morning carrying the supplies they will need for the day. The weather is traditionally quite warm, and dry, as you might expect from a desert race, and back in 2005, it actually reached 122ºF on one of the stages. 


At the end of each stage, the competitors will rest for the night in a tent city that is constructed for them by the race organizers. They'll have food, water and shelter while there, but once they hit the trail, it is up to them to make their way between checkpoints carrying their own gear and navigating through the open desert. The top competitors will finish the all six stages in a combined time of roughly 25 hours, but the bulk of the pack will be much further back than that. Day in and day out, this can be quite a difficult event, as the participants are essentially running nearly a marathon each day, in some of the most extreme conditions on the planet.

Maybe while their out there, they'll bump into Ripley Davenport. (And yes, I do know he's in Mongolia!)

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Youngest On Everest Update: China Sets Age Limit On Everest

There has been a lot of discussion over the past few days about Pemba Dorje Sherpa's plan to find a younger climber to break Jordan Romero's record for the youngest person to summit Everest. He hopes to fins an 11 or 12 year old Nepali child to guide to the top of the mountain, but hasn't ruled out taking his own 10-year old son on the expedition. He's even already received an age exemption from the Nepali Government, allowing him to proceed with his plan. The country currently requires that all climbers be 16-years of age, or older, to climb the mountain, which is why Jordan Romero went to the North Side to climb. At the time, China had no such age limit.

That is about to change however, as a number of sources, including Alan Arnette, are now reporting that China will indeed institute an age requirement in the wake of Jordan's climb, which received a lot of press, both good and bad.

The China-Tibet Mountaineering Association now says that beginning this fall, all climbers must be at least 18-years of age to attempt the climb from the North Side. But not content with just setting a minimum age, the Chinese have also elected to set a maximum one as well. Climbers can now be no older than 60 if they want to climb from the North. They did say that climbers outside of the 18-60 age group could be considered as long as they could provide documentation of their good health, although they also said that no one under 16 would ever be considered. Period.

The North Side of Everest has always been a bit more wild and unregulated than the South Side. Nepal has been more at the forefront of these kinds of issues, so it is good to see China stepping up to institute these kinds of requirements. Hopefully this will dissuade any more attempts on the "Youngest" records.

Now, if only we can convince Nepal to stick to that 16-year age limit too.

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Climbers Notch First Descent of Remote Peak in China

The National Geographic Adventure Blog continues to keep us up to date on all manner of stories from the outdoor world. Today, they have a story about a team of climbers that have recently climbed a remote peak in China, and made the first ski descent of the mountain.

The climbing team, which consisted of Kasha Rigby, Ingrid Backstrom, Guila Monega, and Jimmy Chin, made their way to Western China to challenge the 20,000 foot Reddomaine, a summit that falls in the Minya Konka massif. The mountain itself had been climbed a number of times before, but no one had ever skied its slopes, and while it wasn't one of the best known peaks in the world, it offered plenty of challenge.

The climbers took a few chances on their way to the top. They pushed back their turn-around time on multiple occasions, and kept going up despite the hours trickling away. They had to over come some rather technical sections along the way as well, but late in the afternoon on Summit Day, they at last stood on top. It had taken them 12 hours to reach that point, and they would spend another three skiing back to base camp. But it sounds like it was all worth it in the end.

The article notes that this type of climb is becoming more and more popular. Mountaineers are seeking out new challenges on remote and unclimbed peaks, rather than going after the famous 8000 meter summits. They permits are cheaper and easier to obtain, and the technical challenges are more of a draw, so while the crowds continue to grow on Everest, the top climbers are going elsewhere to find what they are looking for. Seems like a really great trend if you ask me.

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Everest 2010: China Says - "No Traverses For You!"

Alan Arnette had an interesting bit of news posted to his Everest 2010 blog yesterday. It seems just two months before the climbers will descend on Kathmandu, the Chinese have found a way to throw a crimp in some plans for the upcoming season. The Chinese Tibet Mountaineering Association, the governing body that oversees the permitting procedure on that side of the mountain, has announced that they will not be issuing any permits that would allow a climber to make a traverse of Everest this year.

For those who are unfamiliar with a traverse, it is an ascent in which the climber begins on one side of the mountain, say Nepal, makes the usual climb to the summit, and then descends down the other side of the mountain into Tibet. Of course it can work in the opposite direction too, going from Tibet to Nepal.

While the vast majority of climbers won't even notice that this restriction is in place, there were several who have been planning to make a traverse. For instance, Australian climber Andrew Lock was hoping to make the first ever traverse without oxygen and Gavin Turner was going to try for the first ever double traverse. In this case, a double traverse would be starting on one side, climbing to the top, descending on the other, then resting for several days before reversing the route back to the summit and returning to where the climber started.

This change in the permits has forced climbers to make some changes to their plans. Andrew hasn't said what he'll do just yet, and Gavin is now jumping over to Annapurna instead. Meanwhile, Alan notes that David Liano and Bill Burke, who were hoping to make a traverse, will instead attempt a double summit, making one climb on the North Side in Tibet, then traveling to the South Side in Nepal, and making a second climb from there. If successful, this will be the first time that that has been done as well.

While this is a fairly minor bump in the road for most, it is a bit disheartening for these climbers who have been planning for a traverse, which have been done a number of times in recent years on Everest. The CTMA hasn't said why they've stopped issuing these permits, but Alan speculates that they're hoping to have a climber from China become the first to make the actual double traverse. Yay for national pride!

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Tibet Borders Closed Again

In what seems to be a reoccurring story over the past two years, China has once again shut down the borders of Tibet to foreign visitors ahead of the October 1st celebration of 60 years of Communist rule. According to this story from the AP, the travel ban began on Tuesday and will last through the 8th of October, and it doesn't effect travelers already in the country.

The article says that further security measures have also been taken across all of China, but Tibet in particular to ensure that violent protests don't take place. The government is planning a major parade, fireworks display, and presidential address in Beijing on the 1st, and they want be sure that everything goes off without a hitch. One of the more volatile hotspots over the past few years has been Tibet, and they certainly don't want to have the Himalayan country do anything to embarrass China on the anniversary of the Communist take over.

Tibet has had been shut off to the world on several occasions since 2008, most notably in the spring of that year when protests turned violent resulting in clashes with the Chinese military, who claim 22 Tibetans died in the altercations. Sources from within that country say that that number is much higher, possibly in the hundreds. Following those clashes, Tibet was closed for month, preventing trekkers and climbers from accessing the Himalaya that year. The same thing happened earlier this year, as Beijing braced for another round of protests on the 50th anniversary of the Dalai Lama going into exile. In both of these instances, foreign media was also expelled, which doesn't seem to be the case this time.

Fortunately, the window for closing Tibet is fairly small, and will only hinder a few travelers heading to the region. Most of the climbers are already in country and on their mountains, so it's not preventing access as it has in the past. Still, isn't it about time that someone calls out the Chinese government for these actions? Closing up shop every time they think there may be a problem isn't the way any government should act, but then again, look who we're talking about here.

Sadly, the closing of the borders will mostly have an impact on the Tibetans who earn a living through the tourism trade, which is an important one for that country.

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Last Descent of the Yangtze

I often write about paddlers making first descents on some remote river somewhere, but rarely do you have the opportunity to write about a last descent. That's exactly what is going to happen on the Yangtze River in China this year, as the great dam project there is finally complete. For years, scientists and environmentalists have warned that the landscapes there will be changed forever thanks to this series of dams, and it's going to change the course of the river, both literally and figuratively. Check out the video below for more info on the last descent of the Yangtze.

Thanks to the Outside Blog for the heads up on this one.

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Gobi March 2009 Starts Sunday!

The 2009 Edition of the Gobi March, part of the 4 Deserts series of ultramarathons, will begin on Sunday, when a packed field of 127 competitors will set off from Gazi Village in the Xinjiang Province of China, on a a seven day, six stage race through the Gobi Desert, one of the driest places on the planet, averaging less than 8 inches of rainfall a year.

Each of the six stages in this year's race are roughly 40km (24 miles) in length, with the exception of the grueling fifth stage, dubbed "The Long March", which will cover 79km (49 miles) through the desert. The final day, Stage 6, is a mere 12km (7.4 miles) in length however, and is largely a ceremonial finish with the top competitors crossing the finishing line together. During that stage, racers will pass through the Old City of Kashgar, This ancient portion of the city is scheduled to be destroyed soon and when next year's race returns, it'll likely be gone altogether.

Competitors in the Gobi March are expected to be completely self sufficient while out on the course, carrying all the food, water, and other supplies they will need for the day with them. The Gobi is a harsh and dangerous climate, the hottest and driest in all of China. It also holds the distinction of having the point that is the most distant from a ocean than any other on Earth. The legendary Silk Road once passed through this region as well, and portions of this year's course follow some of that route. Despite the fact that it is a barren desert, competitors will still have to deal with altitude to some degree too. The path will reach as high as 3000 meters (9800 feet) at times.

Good luck to all the competitors. Enjoy the scenery and the race!

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Himalaya Spring 2009 Update: Tragedy in the Himalaya

When I set out for Australia, the climbing season was winding down, and there wasn't much to report any more. The teams had pretty much made their attempts across the entire range, and all-in-all, it was a pretty successful season. The monsoon also seemed to be settling in, which is usually brings down the curtain for the spring as well. Unfortunately, I came home to find that there was sad news to report, and that not everyone was finished in the Himalaya.

As most of you no doubt know by now, Micah Dash, Jonathan Copp and Wade Johnson, three American climbers, were working a route on the remote Chinese peak of E Gongga, a 6818 meter (22,368 feet) peak located in Western Sichuan. When the trio failed to catch their June 3rd flight home, red flags were immediately sent up, and search parties began combing the region. There was still hope that the climbers would be found alive, but stranded on the mountain. Those hopes were dashed over the weekend, when Copp's body was found in an avalanche. Johnson's body has also now been discovered, leaving little doubt to what has happened. There has already been an outpouring of support from the climbing community, but let me add my thoughts and sympathies to the friends and families of these three men.

Meanwhile, on Everest, there was one more team making a summit bid from the North Side, despite the fact that the weather conditions were less than stellar, and even the Sherpas were refusing to go up the mountain. But today we have word that Canadian climber Gabriel Filippi has called off his attempt on the mountain, and has returned to BC. He'll be packing up and heading home now. Better luck next time Gabriel!

One other expedition I wanted to follow up on was the Polish team climbing Nanda Devi. When I set out for Oz, the team was making a summit bid, and while in transit, I was never able to really find out what happened until I returned home. Turns out, they were forced back due to bad weather, and then elected to give up their climb altogether as well. The monsoon seemed to show up a bit early this year, then slammed the weather windows shut, closing things down very quickly. It is a shame that the team never had a true chance at the summit. Nanda Devi is widely considered one of the most beautiful mountains in the world, and this climb was to commemorate the first ascent from 75 years ago.

That about wraps it up for the Himalaya. Now the attention will shift to Pakistan, and the Karakorum climbing season. Teams are already en route to the remote regions there, including Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, who has her sights set firmly on K2. Lets hope it is a safer season on that mountain, and the entire range, than it was in 2008.

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Tibet To Reopen April 5th

The Chinese have announced that they will reopen the borders to Tibet on April 5th, just ahead of the high season for tourism and mountaineering in the country. You may recall that they shut down the borders in early March for fear that there would be violent protests in the country to mark the anniversary of the Dalai Lama fleeing to India 50 years ago.

This comes as good news for the few remaining teams on the North Side of Everest, and for those that have been planning trips to Cho Oyu as well. As of now, I believe there are about a half-dozen teams still planning on climbing from the North, and with the China-Tibet Mountaineering Assocation promising to fix the lines, it's beginning to look like the patience of the teams that elected to stick it out, will be rewarded. They're likely to have a very quiet and tranquil base camp, two words that will not be used to describe the counterpart on the South Side. The lack of traffic will also likely prove very advantageous on Summit Day as well.

Hopefully the reopening of the borders will also mean an influx of tourists to Tibet. The country was already suffering economically thanks to a general downturn in travel due to global economic conditions. This past month there has been no foreign visitors at all to Tibet, which has further hurt the many people who earn a living in the tourism trade that is so vital there. Perhaps this is a signal that things will return to normal soon.

There are reports however that the Chinese military is still maintaining a strong presence in the country, and that foreign press and aid workers are still not allowed to travel unescorted. it seems that while the borders may once again be open, China still isn't ready to completely loosen its grip on Tibet.

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Himalaya Spring 2009 Update: Teams in Kathmandu, Some Still Heading North

It is now safe to say that the 2009 Spring Himalaya season is in full swing, as many climbers are now arriving in Kathmandu and making the final preparations for their impending expeditions into the Himalaya.

Alan Arnette added some information to his Everest 2009 page today, with updates straight from the teams themselves, who are already in Nepal. As of this writing, the border to Tibet is still closed, although rumors continue to circulate that it'll reopen on or around April 1st. To that end, several teams are still planning to make attempts on Everest from the North Col route, including a team from Summit Climb, who will not only be going up Everest this year, but also plan a Cho Oyu expedition as well. They'll be joined in Tibet by a Canadian team known as the Canadian Mad Frogs, who also have their eyes on the summit from the north. The 7 Summits Club is not so optimistic however, and they made the jump to the South Side earlier this week.

Another note of interest is that the CTMA (China-Tibet Mountaineering Association) has announced that they will personally over see the fixing of the ropes on the North Side this spring. There has been some concern over who would handle those duties, since Russell Brice and his Himex team have moved to the South as well. In the past, Himex has usually taken care of the ropes themselves, charging the other teams a nominal fee to use them. But with few teams on the mountain, it looked like it could possibly be an issue, but that concern now seems to be over.

ExWeb has some good updates from the region as well, starting with the news that the unrest amongst the Maoist rebels in the Kangchenjunga area has now ended. As I noted a few days back, it seems that unrest, and general strikes, flare up on an annual basis about this time, only to die down again as the climbers start appearing.

ExWeb is also reporting that Manaslu seems to be the popular mountain this spring, with more expected traffic than anywhere else, save the Everest South Side. The mountain stands 8163 meters (26,758 feet) in height as is located along the Nepal/Tibet border, to the east of Annapurna. It is the 8th highest mountain in the world, and is often used as a good climb for gaining experience for the other 8000 meter peaks, which may help to explain the traffic there this spring.

Finally, look way ahead to the next Winter Season in the Karakorum, ExWeb says that Russian climbers Victor Kozlov and Nickolay Totmjanin are currently in Pakistan, and on the Baltoro Glacier, scouting K2 for an attempt by the Russian national climbing team to that mountain next winter. That'll be a huge expedition to watch down the line for sure.

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Everest 2009: Liaño's Double Traverse Off For 2009

David Liaño's plans for making an attempt at a double traverse of Everest are finished for 2009 thanks to unsettled conditions on the north side of the mountain. This is the second year in a row that he's had to give up on his project, after the Chinese closed the Tibetan side last year for the Olympic Torch expedition. According to this story at ExWeb, Liaño will now abandon his plans to go to the HImalaya this spring, and will shift his focus to 2010 when he hopes to make another attempt on the double traverse.

The original plan was for the Mexican climber to begin his ascent on Everest from the South Side. Once he reached the summit, he would then proceed down the North Side, rest for a week or so there before heading back up once again, and then descending via the South Col once again. Liaño is been frustrated with his inability to get a climbing permit for the North Side, as the Chinese currently have Tibet closed off to the outside world altogether and are not expected to re-open the mountain until April 1st at the earliest. Because of this, most of the Everest expeditions for this spring have shifted to the Nepali side of the mountain, which posed another problem for David, namely descending the North Face without fixed ropes or pre-established camps.

Last year, Liaño made the most of his situation by climbing Everest, then descending, resting up, and going to the summit of Lhotse. With that climb already accomplished, he no-doubt sees little to be gained by spending his time and money on Everest again this year. He'll reportedly begin training again in October for another go at the double traverse next year.

It's too bad that David's attempt at this milestone has been delayed once again by things completely out of his control. He has demonstrated that he is one of the stronger climbers in the world, and I was hoping he'd get the opportunity to go after his goal. Of course with the current situation in Tibet, it's difficult to fault him for not wanting to take the chance.

Meanwhile, I've begun to hear various reports from climbers that they are in the process of packing their gear, shipping supplies to Kathmandu, and in the final stages of their preparation. In less than 10 days climbers will be setting off for the HImalaya, and the season will be upon us once again.

Updated: And now Alan Arnette has updated his Everest 2009 page with the news that ALL traverse attempts on Everest this year have been cancelled. That means not only is David's double traverse done until 2010, but Bill Burke also says that he has scrubbed his plans as well, citing the permitting issues on the North Side too. He does say that he may still make a go at it, if something changes rather quickly, but for now, he thinks it's best to cancel as well.

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Everest 2009: North Side Update

It has been a relatively quiet week in Tibet by most accounts, despite the fact that Tuesday marked the 50th anniversary of the uprising against Chinese rule that resulted in the Dalai Lama going into exile. For his part, his Holiness urged his followers to maintain peaceful protests and remain non-violent in their approach to seeking freedom from China. That, coupled with a reportedly sizable military presence by the Chinese, helped to keep things calm.

That is, of course, good news for those hoping to go to Tibet this spring to climb Everest from the North Side. The borders to the country remain closed, as they have since the end of February, but as long as things continue to remain calm, there is a sense of optimism that the travel ban will be lifted on April 1st as scheduled.

This is good news for at least five teams that are still hoping to climb from the Tibetan side. Alan Arnette once again updated his Everest 2009 page yesterday with the news that two teams from Canada, an Indian team, and a large contingent from the Czech Republic are still planning on giving it a go from what is shaping up to be the quiet side of the mountain. Logistics seem to be of concern though, as without Himex fixing the lines, and such a small number of teams, it'll definitely take a group effort.

Alan also has another good interview in place, this time with Phil Crampton from the Altitude Junkies. Phil talks about his motivations to start his own guiding company, after years of experience in the mountains, his work with the climbing school in Lhasa, his philosophy on running his base camp and a lot more. It's a good read and offers some nice insight on the mountain as well.

Not long now Everest Junkies! Things will really pick up in the next few weeks. Hopefully the North Side will be open as planned, and things can start to get back to some semblance of normalcy on Everest. What ever "normalcy" is defined as at 17,000 feet.

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Tibet Closed Off on 50th Anniversary of Uprising

Today marks the 50th Anniversary of the uprising in Tibet against Chinese rule, and to mark that occasion, the Chinese have closed off the borders to foreigners. Little information about what is happening inside the country has made it's way out, although there have been some rumors of protests taking place.

The March 10th uprising in 1959 was an attempt by the Tibetan people to gain their independence following their annexation by China a few years earlier. The Chinese put down the uprising through military force, and thousands (some would say tens of thousands) were killed in the process. It was this event that caused the Dalai Lama to go into exile in Dharamsala, India, along with more than 30,000 other Tibetans.

Yesterday, as I wrote about today on Gadling, the Chinese President once again banished the already exiled spiritual leader, beyond a "Great Wall against separatism". A move that was meant to build unity and nationalism in China and Tibet.

What this all means for climbers, trekkers, and other tourists heading to Tibet, is that the borders are expected to remain closed at least until the first of April. After that, we'll have to take a wait and see attitude. Considering there are still a few expeditions scheduled for the North Side of Everest, which will be inaccessible if the borders remain closed, there will be many watching with curious eyes to see how things unfold. If the country remains peaceful, then perhaps it will reopen on schedule and those planning on visiting the Himalayan country will once again be allowed in. Lets hope that it turns out that way.

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Everest 2009: Alan Arnette Interviews Russell Brice

I've mentioned Alan Arnette and his Everest 2009 page a number of times already this year, but it really is one of the best resources for news and information on climbing Everest leading up to, during, and following the season. Alan, who has been no Everest three times in the past, has his fingers on the pulse of the mountaineering community, and is very knowledgeable about this mountain and what it takes to get up and down it.

Today's update to the page is an interview with Russell Brice, the sometimes controversial owner of the Himalayan Experience (or Himex), who has become well known from his appearances on Everest: Beyond the Limit on the Discovery Channel. Brice, and his Himex team, will be returning to Everest this year after getting shutout last year thanks to the Chinese closing down the North Side. Hedging his bets this season, Brice has moved the expedition to the South Side, which is proving to be quite astute considering access to the Tibetan side of the mountain is in jeopardy once again this year.

In the interview, Russell talks about his thoughts on climbing on the South Side, after dominating the North for a decade. He touches on the differences in logistics, and what it will be like to be climbing with Tigress Productions once again, who will be filming the expedition for Discovery.

All in all, a good interview from the man, and I commend Alan for being able to get Russell to comment. Brice is a man of few words, who doesn't really look for the spotlight, so it's quite rare to hear directly from him like this. Great work Alan, and welcome to the South Side Russell.

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Everest 2009: North Side Closed Until April 1st, Possibly Beyond

ExWeb is reporting this morning that the North Side of Everest will be closed until at least April 1st and perhaps longer, depending on the situation in Tibet.

Last week I reported that China had taken steps to close Tibet from the outside once again as the 50th anniversary of the Dalai Lama going into exile grew near. That anniversary takes place in March, and the country is bracing for another round of protests like the ones that took place in the spring last year. Several of those turned violent when the Chinese sent paramilitary police units to crack down on the Tibetans.

When I wrote that story last week, I speculated on what would become of the spring climbing season on Everest's North Side. If Tibet's borders were closed for any length of time, that would mean that climbers wouldn't have access to the mountain. Today, ExWeb says that they've been told that access will be restricted until April 1st, but if there are violent political uprisings or ongoing demonstrations, the Chinese reserve the right to keep the borders closed, and will likely shutdown access to Tibet's other mountains, such as Cho Oyu. In other words, we'd have a repeat of last year, with no teams climbing from the North Side.

On the other hand, if the travel ban is lifted on April 1st as reported, climbers could attempt to summit from the Tibetan side, but at this point, most teams can't take that chance, and as Alan Arnette is reporting on his Everest 2009 page, those planning to climb on the North Side have already begun to change their plans and shifted to the South. That would likely leave the North Side all but deserted at this point regardless if it is open or not. There would probably be a couple of independent climbers giving it a go, and the two announced attempts at making a South to North traverse could move ahead as planned, but other than that, it's beginning to look like the North Side will be very quiet once again in 2009.

It's hard to believe that we're just a month away from the 2009 season getting underway. In just a few weeks, mountaineers will be packing their gear and preparing to leave for Kathmandu. Has it really been almost a year already?

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China Closes Tibet Again!

To quote the great Yogi Berra it's "like deja vu all over again". While reading Alan Arnette's Everest 2009 page, I came across his link to this story over at the Telegraph that reports that China has shut down all foreign access to Tibet once again this year.

The article says that on Wednesday, the Chinese Tourism Ministry contacted tourist agencies who were booking travel to Tibet and told them to cancel trips "for the foreseeable future". One tour operator is quoted as saying that he expects the ban on travel will continue for "at least the next couple of months." You may recall that China closed down Tibet last year as well, in the wake of several demonstrations, that turned violent at times.

And what is prompting the Chinese to close the border again this year? Well, March 10th marks the 50th anniversary of the Dalai Lama going into exile, and more protests are expected. The Telegraph says that tensions there have already begun to rise, with some Tibetans already protesting and 24 people reportedly arrested.

Of course, what this means to climbers who were planning on going to Everest's North Side remains to be seen. There were some indications that guide services were planning on light activity on that side of the mountain, but it was never very clear if it would be open at all. At least two climbers were planning on making a traverse of the mountain as well, climbing the South Side from Nepal and after reaching the summit, going down the North Face into Tibet. Those plans may be in jeopardy at this point, but we'll have to wait and see.

The other distressing element to this story is that tourism is a big part of the Tibetan economy, and without the money coming in from visitors, many of the people there will be unable to make a living. Things have actually been tight since last year's crack down, and this will make it all the more challenging. It remains to be seen if this will be an extended shutdown, but from the sounds of things, it is quite grim. One thing is for sure, a lot of teams climbing on the South Side will be breathing a sigh of relief that they hadn't counted on the North being open this year.

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Everest 2009: Will China Open The North Side?

We're just a couple months away from teams heading to Kathmandu to begin their Everest expeditions for 2009, and much like last year, the status of the North Side remains a bit in question. We've heard that China was planning on shutting down the mountain once again in order to clean up the trash and protect the environment there, but as of now, there has been no real confirmation of that.

Now, the scuttlebutt is that China has issued climbing permits for teams from India for their side of the mountain, and at least one guide service is planning to go up the North Side this spring as well. Of course, there were those that planned to do the same last year, and we all know how that turned out.

Most of the guide services have are playing it safe and have now moved to the Nepal side of the mountain and will be going up the South Col. That includes Himex, which has traditionally operated from the Tibetan side of Everest, and missed out on the season altogether last year thanks to the Chinese pulling the plug at the last moment. It seems that few are willing to take that risk again this year, and are instead joining the crowds on the South Side.

All of this is an economic boon for Nepal of course, who sees more of the mountaineering money staying within their borders. Unlike last year, they won't need to have a garrison on the mountain, with soldiers patrolling base camp and watching there route up to Camp 2 either. So, that should ensure that we have a free flow of communication from Everest this year at the very least.

For the latest on the Everest 2009 be sure to drop by Alan Arnette's Everest 2009 page. Alan has some good interviews with climbers, and is constantly updating it with all kinds of news regarding the mountain and the impending climbing season there. And stay tuned, as it's likely to be a very interesting season once again, even before anyone steps foot on the mountain.

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Video of the World's Most Dangerous Hike

This one comes courtesy of the Best Hike Blog (who else?) and is a great video of Mount Hua in China, often called the "World's Most Dangerous Hike". The video was shot as part of a television show hosted by Robin Esrock. Check out more of Robin over at his website ModernGonzo.com.

Enjoy the video. Just don't look down!

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The Party's Over On Everest's North Side

There was a time when the North Side of Everest was considered to be a free for all, with all kinds of interesting activities going on at base camp. Seems those days are over now though, as this story in the Seattle TImes reports that China has built a large police station at 17,060 feet.

According to the story, the new facility replaces an old trailer, and is more than 19,000 square feet in size. It'll serve as the home for 20 border police, who will patrol the area in an attempt to cut back on the theft, gambling, and prostitution that has been reported in BC for years. There is also some speculation that the border patrol will also be in the lookout for Tibetans hoping to cross over into Nepal.

As of now, there is still no word on if the Tibetan side of the mountain will be open in the spring, and if China will increase the police presence in the area at that time. There have been some indications that they will once again close the mountain as they did this year for the Olympic Torch climb. In this case, the early speculation is that they will be taking steps to clean up the mountain and protect the environment there.

I've heard some stories about some of the criminal activity in base camp in the past. Every year when the climbing season opens, a tent city pops up near base camp where entrepreneurial Tibetans would set up shop to sell all manner of goods and services. Some of those tents would become makeshift pubs and gambling establishments, with other activities taking place as well. The police presence is designed to crack down on these activities, but also watch out for theft, and unsavory profiteers selling off faulty oxygen bottles as well.

If this move makes the area safer for climbers and trekkers, than it's a good one. If it's just going to be used to squelch information and intimidate the visitors to Everest, than obviously it's a bad move. Only time will tell for sure, but I suspect the answer probably lies somewhere in between.

Thanks to Backpacker Magazine's Daily Dirt Blog for the time on this one, as well as Jason over at The Adventurist who mentioned it to me a few days back.

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