Himalaya Fall 2010: Climbers Injured In Avalanche On Cho Oyu

The fall Himalaya season is in full swing, with teams working both sides of Everest, Manaslu, Cho Oyu, and others. Most of the climbers are in the early stages of the acclimatization process and are taking advantage of the slower fall season to really enjoy the uncrowded base camps. But last Friday was a scary day for some of those climbers, who almost had disaster strike.

According to ExWeb, six members of the Chinese-Tibetan Mountaineering Association were caught in an avalanche while fixing lines just below 8000 meters on Cho Oyu, and were buried beneath the snow. Rescuers were dispatched quickly, and helped to dig the men out, and later assisted them down the mountain to ABC in bad weather. On Saturday, the avalanche victims were taken the rest of the way back down the mountain to Base Camp, where they were loaded up in vehicles and driven away for medical attention.

The ExWeb story quotes Jagged Globe team member Robert Anderson, who reports that the injuries for the CTMA climbers ranged from a few bumps and bruises to mild concussions and snow blindness. He also said that they were assisted down in blizzard conditions, with several hours between the first and last men arriving in ABC. He says that they now hope to get some more CTMA climbers on the mountain to help finish the fixing of lines above C3 once the recently deposited snow settles some. If all goes according to plan, they hope to make a summit bid sometime this week.

There is no update on the condition of the climbers caught in the avalanche, but from the sounds of things they should all be in good condition, although a bit battered. Apparently the avalanche was big enough that it knocked the men from the mountain and drove them down for some distance, and while they all suffered injuries of varying degrees, they are also fortunate to be alive.

Tweet

Everest Fall 2010: Rain On The Trail To Base Camp

The Fall Season on Everest is set to begin, and climbers are already in the Himalaya and making their way to Base Camp. Typically the Fall Season in the Himalaya is very quiet, with just a few teams working the more prominent peaks, and relatively deserted base camps when compared to the crazy traffic in the spring.  Nowhere is this more evident than on Everest, which will play host to just a handful of teams in the weeks ahead.

One of the climbers hoping to summit this fall is Eric Larsen who is on the final leg of his Save The Poles Expedition. Eric is in Nepal and on the trail to BC, but seems to be in no rush to get their. According to his dispatches, the team is now in Pheriche, which is located at about 14,350 feet, where Eric and his guides are continuing to acclimatize and wait out the weather, which has been very rainy thus far and not at all conducive to trekking. Once Eric does get to BC, he'll begin the final stage of his year-long expedition that has seen him pursuing the goal of reaching the North and South Pole, plus the summit of Everest, in a single calendar year. The Poles are done, he has just Everest to go now.

On the North Side of the mountain there are a few teams preparing to make their climb as well. For instance, Alberto Zerain and his partners have finished their acclimatization on Changtse, going as high as 7000 meters on that mountain, and have moved on to Everest, where they are setting up camp. They'll be joined by the Italian Hornbein team who arrived in Lhasa a few days ago, and are en route to Base Camp as well.

Elsewhere around the Himalaya, there are expeditions planned for Cho Oyu and Manaslu, although the load will be light. Instead of hundreds of summits across the range, there will be a handful and best.

Tweet

Himalaya 2010: Summits on Cho Oyu, Push Begins on Everest, Makalu

While teams on Everest prepare for another weather window, activity in other parts of the Himalaya continues as well. As we approach the final days of May, the end is in sight for many climbers who have been tightly focused on these last days for months, if not years.

The projected summit day on Everest is now set for Saturday, May 22nd. The weather window looks perfect for another round of summits on that day, although bad weather is in the forecast for after that. As a result, most teams have moved up to Camp 2 on the South Side of the mountain, which puts them on schedule to take advantage of the expected calm weather ahead. Himex, Alpine Ascents, Altitude Junkies, and the Peak Freaks all have climbers in position.

On the North Side of the mountain, there is a similar level of activity and an anticipation of the same weather window. Climbers have moved up to ABC, and are eying this weekend to make their bids as well, which means we're likely to see traffic jams on both sides of the mountain.

All the teams are keeping an eye on the monsoon as well, which according to Alan Arnette is brew up in India at the moment. According to his latest update, feeder bands for cyclone Laila have already begun to work their way into Nepal, which could signal a quick end to the season. But as Alan also points out, it isn't time to panic just yet, but the teams will have to move with a sense of urgency over the next few days.

Elsewhere in the region, ExWeb is reporting that an IMG Team has reached the summit on Cho Oyu this past Monday amidst very cold temperatures. Reportedly it was a rough summit, with a lot of exposed rock above the Yellow Band, which made for tough going for all the climbers. They all made it up and down safely however, and were back in Camp 1 before the weather took a turn for the worse.

In that same article, ExWeb notes that summit bids are about to get underway on Makalu, where teams missed out on the first weather window due to conflicting reports. They aim to take advantage of the new one that hits the region at the end of this week, with teams planning on topping out on Saturday as well.

As is common this time of year, the news is almost always about the weather. Lets hope that there are no major shifts in that department over the next few days, as that will allow these climbers to reach their respective summits before the monsoon hits. Something that looks like could happen sooner rather than later. Busy week ahead.

Tweet

Himalaya Fall 2009: Weather Halts Many Climbs

The season appears to be over on a number of big peaks in the Himalaya after high winds and bad weather put an end to a number of climbs over the weekend, sending teams home without reaching the summits of their target mountains.

ExWeb reported yesterday that the Basque Team on Everest have abandoned their attempt on the Hornbein Couloir and are now headed home. The team only had one real shot at the summit along that route, but dangerous avalanches denied them on that occasion, and while they waited for another weather window, it became apparent that it wasn't going to happen.

Meanwhile, the story was a bit different on Shisha Pangama, where on the North Side, Nicholas Rice reported in that they climbed up to C1 on Saturday, only to find that their tents and other equipment they had stashed there. They suspect that it was a Sherpa team with a Chinese squad who have already left the mountain, but aren't positive of that fact. They also suspect that Camps 2 and 3 have been raided, and are disheartened by the fact that they not only had to give up on their summit bid, but have lost thousands of dollars of gear in the process. Two months worth of toil down the drain thanks to another selfish team.

On the South Side of Shisha, Edurne Pasaban and her crew attempted a summit bid over the weekend, but found their camps were missing as well, but for a completely different reason. The high winds swept them off the mountain completely, leaving them with little gear to proceed up. The team is back in BC and looking to borrow gear from some of the teams that are preparing to go home.

Over on Cho Oyu, a similar story is told by the Adventure Consultants, who wanted to make their bid starting on Sunday, but were also turned back due to high winds. With their weather window closed, they're also headed home.

No word from Annapurna as of yet. The Korean team was hoping to wait out the weather and make another go at the summit, hoping to put Miss Oh on top and get her the coveted spot of the first woman to climb all 8000 meter peaks. At this time we don't know if that is still a reality or if the window is closed there as well.

Tweet

Himalaya Fall 2009: Climb With Us Team Leaves For Pumori

While many teams have already packed up and gone home for the season and others are just now finishing up their expeditions, the Climb With Us Team, which is sponsored by Hanesbrands, is just setting off for their climb on Pumori, the 7161 meter (23,494 foot) Himalayan peak located on the border between Nepal and Tibet. The mountain, which is known as "Everest's Daughter" sits just five miles to the west of the Big Hill itself, and is a popular destination for mountaineers looking for a Himalayan climb.

For the Climb With Us team, they'll be making a trial run with the new gear that was recently announced from Hanes, ahead of an Everest climb scheduled to take place next spring. You'll be able to follow along with the expedition, which is led by Jaime Clarke, on the Expeditions Update page, which already has a nice story about Pumori from Stephanie Pearson, who is a contributor to Outside Magazine. Good luck to the whole team!

Meanwhile, ExWeb is reporting in that storms have moved into the region, and that is preventing many teams from moving up their mountains at all. Most climbers are hunkered down in base camp, waiting out the weather and hoping for a window to open soon.

On Annapurna, the Korean team, which includes Oh Eun-Sun, is holding fast for now, despite the fact that the heavy snow has collapsed tents and made life very difficult. Their weather forecasters tell them this storm will hold in place until the Friday at the very least, and after that they'll have to decide if they can make another go at the summit or if they'll come home. Annapurna is notorious for its dangerous avalanches, and this new blanket of snow won't help their cause much. Miss Oh is hoping to become the first woman to nab all of the 8000 meter peaks, and has just this lone mountain to go.

Similar reports are coming in from Cho Oyu, Shisha Pangma, and Dhaulagiri as well. Teams on each mountain say that heavy snows have left them stranded in BC with near arctic conditions raging around them. Of course, if conditions are this bad in the base camps, how bad will they be further up the mountain, where the high camps have already been established? Some teams will no doubt face the task of having to re-establish those camps once the storm clears.

Tweet

Himalaya Fall 2009: Cho Oyu Trilogy Team Goes Home

The Fall Season is starting to wind down in the Himalaya, but there are plenty of teams still working hard to achieve their goals and reach the summits on their respective mountains.

Sadly, one of those teams has had to call it quits, as the North Face Trilogy Expedition has decided to go home, thanks to China closing the borders of Tibet until at least the 8th of October. The team had originally planned climb Cho Oyu, with one of its members making a snowboard descent from the summit. Once they were back in BC, they would return to Kathmandu under their own power, with two running the entire way, while to others would mountain bike. According to the final update to their blog however, this will no longer be possible. The closing of Tibet has delayed their arrival on the mountain, and completely thrown off their schedule. Initially, they had thought about climbing a different peak in the region, but now they have elected to end the expedition and go home. Reading the post, you can tell that this was not an easy decision for them to make, but they feel it is the right one.

ExWeb is providing most of the updates from the region these days, as a lot of the professionally guided teams are done and heading home. On Shisha Pangma, ExWeb is reporting that a mixed Chinese-Tibetan team went up to the summit yesterday, but it is unclear if they reached the Main or Central Summit. There is no doubt where the Summit Club team is at today however, as their latest dispatch has them at the Central Summit, with great weather and low winds.

There has been no word from Andrew Lock, who is also climbng on Shisha. On his last report, he and his team were heading up along a difficult route, and with any luck they could be reaching the summit today as well. For Andrew, this will be his 14th, and final, 8000 meter peak. We'll have to stay tuned for the news on his summit bid.

Also on Shisha, an Italian Team is working on a new route on the South Face, and if successful, team member Adriano Greco will attempt a ski descent of the mountain. They have been scouting the mountain for some time, and are now making final preparations for their summit bid as well.

Alpenglow Expeditions updated their blog with a brief note a few days back as well. They report on a slew of successful summits on Manaslu, putting a several climbers, led by Dorji Sherpa on the true summit. The first climbers to stand on that point in a decade.

Finally, the Field Touring Alpine Team may have gone home awhile ago, but they're still updating their blog, this time with photos from Satopanth. The team reached the summit on the 23,212 foot tall peak back on Sept. 21st, and even survived a scary earthquake on their descent.

Tweet

Himalaya Fall 2009: More Summits, Death on Cho Oyu

It was another busy weekend in the Himalaya with successful summits, changes in the weather, and the sad news of a death on Cho Oyu.

I'll start there today, as the news broke over the weekend that Clifton Maloney, the husband of U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, died on Cho Oyu after achieving a successful summit. At the age of 71, he claimed the title as the oldest to summit that mountain, but died in his sleep back at C3 after telling one of his teammates "I am the happiest man in the world. I just climbed a beautiful mountain". Maloney was an avid climber, sailer, and runner, having competed in the New York City Marathon on no less than 20 occasions. This is the first death of the season in the Himalaya, and I send my condolences to the family.

In other news on Cho Oyu, the North Face Trilogy team that had been planning to scale the mountain and then run/mountain bike back to Kathmandu, are in the process of altering those plans thanks to the Chinese closing the Tibetan borders once again. According to their latest blog posts, they'll now consider a different peak in the region, since they won't have access to Cho Oyu until after October 8th, and they won't have the time to finish their project.

We also received an update on Ueli Steck over the weekend with the news that he reached the summit of Makalu late last week. He had been planning on making a solo, alpine style attempt on the West Pillar, but if you read his dispatches, you could tell how difficult that climb was going to be, so rather than go home empty handed, he topped out along the normal route while he was in the neighborhood.

IMG and Jagged Globe both put teams on the summit of Cho Oyu late last week and have posted photos and updates on the their teams as well, all of which are often the mountain and safe and are already en route back to Kathmandu for the journey hope. Congrats to everyone!

Summit bids are underway on Shisha Pangma, where Andrew Lock has updated his blog this morning with news that he is "Going For It". He and his team have spent a night at C2 and the camps are well stocked up to that point, and he now believes that they'll top out on Friday or Saturday of this week. They'll be taking an alternate route to the summit that is long and challenging, but should avoid the treacherous cornices and snow that turned back another team yesterday.

Teams have been very busy on Manaslu the past few days as well, and the Altitude Junkies were successful in putting three climbers high on the mountain, but the did not reach the true summit itself, coming up about 15 vertical meters short. It seems that the ropes were not fixed all the way to the summit, and left them just short of the top. They elected to not attempt to go further for safety reasons. Meanwhile, according to Alpenglow Expeditions, climbing with Himex, the team should reach the top today and upon doing so, descend back to C2. Hopefully all has gone well for them this morning.

Finally, ExWeb has an update on the Basque team on Everest. The team was making a summit bid up the Hornbein Couloir, but are now back in ABC after a very scary night 7200 meters in which they survived no one, but two avalanches. The first hit them while they were in the tent, and buried it. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, they elected to head down the mountain, but were hit by a second avalanche that covered them in snow. They ended up spending the night under a rocky outcropping before making a long, slow treacherous descent the next day. No word as of yet if they'll have another go at it.

Tweet

Himalaya Fall 2009: Summits on Cho Oyu, More To Come Soon!

It looks like it is going to be a busy weekend in the Himalaya with good weather holding steading over the region, clearing the way for summit bids on a variety of peaks heading into next week.

The big news from yesterday is the successful summits on Cho Oyu, where IMG is reporting that they had 12 members of their team top out, including Sherpas, under excellent weather conditions that deteriorated some after their descent. Jagged Globe has also reported a successful day on the mountain, with 10 climbers, two guides, and their Sherpa team reaching the summit. All are now safely back down the mountain and celebrating in BC. Expect more climbers to make their bids over the weekend.

Meanwhile, over on Everest, the Basque Team has begun their assault on the North Side, making an alpine style ascent of the Hornbein Couloir with an eye on reaching the top of the tallest mountain on the planet by Sunday or Monday. Reportedly the face had been swept clean of snow by an avalanche last week, so hopefully conditions are good for their very tricky and demanding climb.

Additionally, ExWeb says we should expect summit bids on Manaslu and Shisha Pangma in the next few days as well, as everything is progressing on schedule on those mountains, and the routes are now fixed to the summit.

Finally, the Field Touring Alpine Team may have reached the top of Satopanth several days back, but the story of their climb is still emerging, with details still falling into place. It seems on their descent from the summit an earthquake hit the mountain, with the entire summit ridge trembling. Seracs were shaken loose and went tumbling down the mountain, and it was a scary scene for climbers who thought they had put the worst of the mountain behind them. Turns out, it was a 6.1 magnitude quake with the epicenter just 25 miles away. Everyone is safe of course, and they are now making their way back to Delhi for the return home, but that had to be one scary moment.

Tweet

Himalaya Fall 2009: It's Go Time!

The Fall Himalaya season seems to be rapidly heating up as summit bids are now underway on a variety of mountains across the region. The acclimatization process is finished, the lines are fixed, and the high camps are stocked. Looks like it's go time!

On Everest, the Basque team of Alberto Iñurrategi, Mikel Zabalza and Juan Vallejo will begin their assault on the Hornbein Couloir tomorrow, with an eye on reaching the summit on Sunday morning, according to the latest update from ExWeb. The current plan is to survey the route tomorrow and if everything goes as planned, begin their alpine style ascent, which as ExWeb points out, has only been accomplished once before.

Jumping over to Makalu, we finally get an update from Ueli Steck, who is taking on the West Pillar solo and in alpine style. Ueli has had some set backs in that climb, and he is currently in BC, hoping for better conditions on the mountain, and knowing that he has just three weeks to make a go at it. If you read his very personal account of his attempt to go up the mountain, you'll get a sense of the frustration he is currently feeling at not being able to climb as quickly and safely as he'd like. He's even considered giving up and going home, which is so unlike the indomitable spirit we usually see out of him. It's a bit sobering considering how strong a climber Ueli is, but it also says a lot about the conditions and challenges of this route on this mountain. Definitely a good read.

Meanwhile, the Chilean Ski Expedition is hoping to begin their summit bid on Manaslu tomorrow. They hope to top out on Sunday as well, and will then make the descent back down the mountain on their skis. On that same mountain, the Altitude Junkies should be in the middle of their summit bid right now, and should be hopefully reaching the summit this weekend as well. The Himex Team is apparently progressing with their acclimatization, and have already spent two nights at at 6300 meters, and are eyeing their bid, weather permitting, in the next week and a half.

Andrew Lock checks in once again from Shisha Pangma where he reports great conditions. He has now climbed up to Camp 1, but described the route as slow and treacherous at this point. It took him and his climbing partner, Kinga Baranowska, seven hours to make the trip up to 6250 meters. That climb was made several days ago, and today he and Kinga are back up to C1 to spend the night, before moving on to Camp 2 tomorrow. For Andrew, this is his 14th 8000 meter peak, so obviously he's keen on using the great weather to his advantage and finishing off the last of the big mountains.

The North Face Cho Oyu Triology Team continues to make their way to that mountain, and are posting regular updates to their blog. Yesterday we were treated to some great photos from the area on the team's blog and the video posted below was put up today. It shows climber Simone Moro in Chhukung village discussing his previous experiences in the Himalaya, of which he has had many.

Also on Cho Oyu, the IMG blog is reporting that their team is now in the middle of their final push to the summit, and updates later today should clue us in on their success. It looks like they should be standing on top very soon.

FInally, the Field Touring Alpine Team has updated their blog to let us know that the entire team is now back in BC on Satopanth after successfully putting several climbers on the summit of that peak located in the Hindu Kush of India. Well done team, and glad you're all safe!

Tweet

Himalaya Fall 2009: Summits on Satopanth, Bids on Cho Oyu

It was another busy weekend in the Himalaya, as the teams continue to work towards their goals, while slowly acclimatizing to the altitude and building their high camps. But while most are still making their way up their mountain of choice, one team has already topped out.

The Field Touring Alpine Team sent out word today that they have successfully reached the summit of Satopanth, a 7075 meter peak in India's Hindu Kush. The report says that the weather was perfect and the climb from C3 to the summit took just five hours. The team will return to C2 today before making their way back to BC tomorrow, where they'll celebrate their success. Congrats everyone!

Over on Manaslu the Altitude Junkies are reporting good weather too, despite a forecast that had looked grim. Because of that, they're making better progress than expected, nearly every one of the team members is on schedule and has spent a night at Camp 2, so the acclimatization process continues as expected. They do report that the climb up to C2 is more technical than last year however, and the 2-4 hour climb turned into a 3-7 hour ascent. Extra snow on the mountain is not making it easy.

ExWeb is reporting that Basque team of Alberto Iñurrategi, Mikel Zabalza and Juan Vallejo on Everest have gone as high as 7500 meters now and are reporting poor conditions as well. It seems that the snows at that level are quite deep, with the climbers sinking to their knees and while at that altitude, they were pounded by a blizzard while they spent a sleepless night in the tent. With their acclimatization process now complete however, they'll turn their eyes on the Hornbein Couloir, which was swept clean of snow after a major avalanche this weekend. Hopefully that'll make a bit of an easier climb, as the couloir is challenging enough as is.

Andrew Lock reports in from Shisha Pangma, where he completed his Puja Ceremony on Saturday and was scheduled to go up to Camp 1 yesterday, spend the night, and move on to C2 with some supplies. He says that the team all have coughs and colds, which is natural in the region, but the weather is good, and they are itching to get underway.

The North Face Cho Oyu Trilogy Expedition is finally getting underway, with the latest news from their blog saying they have departed Kathmandu on their way to the mountain. Over the next 15 days they'll be trekking in the valley as they work on their own acclimatization process, before making a bid on the fifth highest peak in the world. Once they reach the summit, one of the team members will attempt to snowboard back down, and if that wasn't enough, once they're all back in BC, they'll return to Kathmandu under their own power. Two will trail run the entire way, and the other two will mountain bike. I'll take the bike, thanks.

Speaking of Cho Oyu, it seems teams that are already on the mountain have begun their summit bids, with IMG chiming in with that news earlier today, and if everything holds to the schedule, they'll top out on Thursday of this week. Likewise, the Jagged Globe Team has finished their preparations, and they should begin their final ascents in the next day or two as well. Good luck everyone!

Tweet

Himalaya Fall 2009: Puja Done, Time to Move Up!

There wasn't a whole lot of news out of the Himalaya over the weekend, as teams on a number of mountains were waiting for the weather to clear at the beginning of the week so they could get down to business at last. Part of that process is going through the traditional Puja ceremony performed by the Sherpas to ensure that the spirits of the mountain protect the climbers as they begin their ascents.

The Altitude Junkies had their Puja on Manaslu over the weekend, and from the sound of things, the team shared plenty of early morning beverages of the alcoholic variety. With the ceremony finished however, it was now time to go to work, and today the team began shuttling gear up to Camp 1. The latest dispatch reports great weather on the mountain, and successful hike up and back, along a more direct route than the guides had seen last year at this time. So far, things are looking good.

The Himex team is also on Manaslu, and took part in the Puja over the weekend as well. Reportedly, it went on for three hours, with the monk performing it taking great care to put his blessing on all the climbers. The Sherpas have now gone to work fixing the lines up the mountain, while the climbers take some glacier hikes for training exercises and begin their acclimatization process.

Meanwhile, the IMG Team checks in from Cho Oyu with the news that their Sherpas have been working in conjunction with the other teams, and have now fixed the route up to the Ice Shelf, and beyond to C2. The Sherpas will join the acclimatization rotation at Camp 2 this week, before starting work on the ropes further up the mountain.

Speaking of Cho Oyu, the North Face Trinity Team is now in BC and have begun updating the blog of their expedition as well. This is the team that plans on summitting the mountain, snowboarding back down, and then mountain biking and trail running back to Kathmandu. Should be fun to follow along with their exploits.

The Jagged Globe Team has also checked in from Cho Oyu with the news that their entire team has now slept at Camp 1, which means that their acclimatization process is moving along on schedule. They also report that the mountain is starting to get busy, but that the Ice Shelf looks to be more approachable than it has in recent years, which bodes well for the climb ahead. They'll now return to BC for a few days rest before making the climb up to C2 to continue their acclimatization.

That's all for now. Seems like we should hear more from the entire region later in the week as the weather improves, and teams can finally go to work. The season's just getting started and there are some big climbs and milestones in the works.

Tweet

Himalaya Fall 2009: Let it Snow!

The reports coming in from the Himalaya all report the same thing, snow! And plenty of it. Teams are sitting in base camps throughout the region, while plenty of snow is already building up, especially at altitude. We'll just have to wait to see if that has a major impact further into the season when summit bids begin.

These are exactly the same thoughts that Ueli Steck is having in his latest dispatch, where he is reporting that he and the other climbers on Makalu are stuck in BC, where he reports that it is never comfortable, with temperatures that are either too hot or too cold. His weather forecasts give him reason for hope however, as the conditions should improve through the weekend, with clear, sunny skies reported for next week. Perhaps then he can get started on his solo, alpine style ascent of the West Pillar.

Meanwhile, Andre Lock has updated us on his plans, as he makes his way to base camp on Shisha Pangma. He was in Kathmandu a few days back, but already planning his journey into Tibet, and hopes to reach the mountain by Sept. 16. Andrew has been dreaming of this climb for some time, and it was delayed last year thanks to China closing off the Tibetan borders, but he's back on track now, and hoping to have a successful climb. If he does, this will be his 14th, and final, 8000 meter peak. Good luck Andrew!!

The Altitude Junkies are en route to Manaslu, and are currently acclimatizing in Sama Goan, the last village before they reach BC. They report wet, and very muddy, conditions on the trek in, but the team is said to be doing well, and enjoying their last break before they begin their climb. The mountain has remained a mystery thus far however, as due to the cloud cover, they haven't even seen it yet.

Over on Cho Oyu things are progressing nicely, as the IMG Team reports weather conditions have improved there, and they are progressing up to Camp 1 today. A similar report comes in from the Jagged Globe crew, who have gone up as high as 6000 meters already, as they plan their acclimatization process out. Likewise, Emily, reporting for Alpenglow Expeditions from Manaslu, says that the sun is finally shining there as well.

Finally, the Field Touring Alpine team checks in from India, where they are still making their way to base camp, amidst snowy conditions. The audio dispatches from the team have begun, and they note that they hope to be on Satopanth tomorrow.

Tweet

Himalaya Fall 2009: And So It Begins...

I just wrote about the 2009 Fall Himalaya Expedition List yesterday, and now we get word today that things are already starting to happen in Nepal. ExWeb is reporting that teams have begun to arrive in Kathmandu, including the Basque team that will soon depart for Tibet, where they'll be attempting the Hornbein couloir along the North Face. They're joined by a Mexican team that has its sights set on Manaslu and two Chilean teams, one already on the trek to that mountain, and another preparing to set out for Dhaulagiri.

Swiss climber Ueli Steck continues his penchant for impressive climbs this fall by making an attempt on the West Pillar of Makalu. Ueli warmed up for this climb by making a solo summit on GII this past summer, and in keeping with that theme, he'll be going solo on Makalu as well. He will be joined by photographer Robert Boesch and mountain guide Andy Waelchli, but neither of those two men will go above base camp. According to Ueli's website, he expects to finish this project by the end of October. If there is a climber out there that can make a bold solo climb like this one, it's probably Ueli.

The Altitude Junkies have an expedition planned for Manaslu, and according to their most recent dispatch, the team should now be in Nepal, and beginning their trek to the mountain today. Expect the usual excellent updates from AJ as the climb progresses.

Finally, here's an interesting climb that is being sponsored by The North Face. It's called the Cho Oyu Trinity project and it will see a team of climbers make an attempt on the 8021 meter Cho Oyu. Following a successful summit, the team hopes to snowboard back down the mountain, before running and mountain biking their way back to Kathmandu, a distance of approximately 275 miles. I guess they were looking for more of a challenge after climbing the sixth highest mountain on Earth.

Tweet

Himalaya Fall 2009: Expedition List Announced

With the summer Karakorum season now behind us, and the monsoon moving off, the mountaineering world is now turning back towards the Himalaya and big peaks there, including Everest. The fall season will get underway soon, with modestly sized teams making their way to Kathmandu for a decidedly different experience than found there in the spring.

ExWeb had just posted the first edition of the Fall Expedition list, and as usual, it has some very interesting climbs. For instance, Basque climbers Alberto Iurrategi and Juan Vallejo are headed back to the North Side of Everest to attempt the Hornbein Couloir in alpine style, while Simone Moro has his sights set on a new route along the South-West Face of Cho Oyu.

A couple of climbers will be hoping to finish off their remaining 8000 meter peaks, including Andrew Lock who needs Shisha Pangma to join the list of men who have topped out on all of those mountains. That list may not remain exclusive to the male gender for much longer however, as Korean climber Oh Eun-sun has her sights set on Annapurna, and if successful, she'll become the first woman to summit all 14 8-thousanders.

As usual, this list will probably be updated in the days ahead, as more expeditions firm up their plans and announce their last minute details. There are plenty of commercial teams making their way to the Himalaya as well, as the begin to lay the groundwork for Everest attempts next year. While the Fall Season isn't nearly as busy as the spring, it still holds plenty of excitement, as it seems that the climbers that are there are hoping to push the envelope a bit further without the crowds to get in the way. Should be fun to watch as usual. Lets hope everyone stays safe in the week ahead.

Tweet

Himalaya Spring 2009 Update: Action on the Other Summits!

While all eyes are trained on Everest, and the teams making their push, the rest of the Himalaya has seen plenty of action as well, including summits on other mountains over the weekend.

Lets start on Kangchenjunga, where Edurne Pasaban topped out over the weekend, earning her 12th 8000m peak in the process. That puts her, at least momentarily, in the lead to become the first woman to nab all of those mountains, but Italian Nives Meroi is also on the mountain, and should summit in the next few days as well, giving her her 12th peaks of the 8-thousnders as well. And, lets not forget Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, who is in C3 on Lhotse, and looking for her 12th in the next few days too. If all goes according to plan, they should all have just two mountains left after the spring season.

On other mountains in the range we're told that high winds have had an impact. On Manaslu for instance, teams were forced to stay in C3, although a weather window is expected to open tomorrow, clearing the way for the summit. The team attempting the West Pillar of Makalu were also forced back due to high winds as well. This was their second attempt, and they'd like to make a third, if time and weather permits. The Spanish team on Cho Oyu is also calling it quits after another failed attempt. They went as high as C2, but high winds prevented them from going higher. They're now going home, a bit disappointed.

The Lhotse-Everest Traverse team, who left C4 last Friday, turned back from the summit and returned to BC, but are preparing to go up again. Apparently weather turned for the worse as the afternoon wore on, and they felt it best to go down and wait for a new opportunity. When they make their next attempt, they'll find fixed ropes almost to the summit, courtesy of the other Kazakh team they were climbing with.

The Polish Team on Nanda Devi continues to work away on the mountain as well. They're into their third week now, and have shared some great photos from BC, ABC, and further up the mountain itself. The team hopes to complete their summit push soon, and the weather is reportedly very good.

Finally, the Ski The Himalaya team has posted an excellent account of their first descent of Baruntse. You may recall that last week I posted that the team had turned back just below the summit and skied down the mountain for the first time. They promised more details and they delivered. Ben Clark's dispatches are always fun to read, and this one doesn't disappoint either. The team is hoping to make one more push to the summit before coming home as well.

Tweet

Adventure Quickies!

Sorry about the lack of updates today, but the day job had me confined in a single meeting for ten hours, and I'm just now catching up on a few things before I go pack my back for Chicago where I'll be hanging out with the Gadling blogging crew for the weekend. But before tha happens, I wanted to post a couple of quick stories.

First up, ExWeb is reporting that Denis Urubko has topped out on Cho Oyu today, claiming the first summit on that mountain of the season. For the Kazakh climbing legend this is his 14th 8000m peak, which means he has added his name to a very elite list of men who have claimed all of those summits. Denis went up the unclimbed South East face on Cho Oyu in a single push, alpine style, and is reportedly safe and sound back in BC. Congrats Denis! Well done!

On Everest, things are proceeding according to plan, with teams still moving up the mountain and getting into position to take advantage of a possible weather window this weekend. Summits are expected to begin taking place this Sunday and Monday, although teams are keeping an eye on the winds, as they could kick up in the next few days, preventing summits once again. On the North Side, it looks like Summits could be in order for the end of next week, possibly starting on the 21st.

Meanwhile, the Ski The Himalaya Team is back in BC after turning back below the summit. They promise more information soon, but you can checkout the video interview from CNN below. They did make the ski descent they had hoped for, even though they didn't top out, but they aren't quite done with Baruntse yet, and intend to go back up for another attempt on the summit via a different route.

Tweet

Himalaya Spring 2009 Update: Baruntse Boys Are in C2

Despite the long update yesterday on everything that is going down in the Himalaya, there is still plenty more to say today, beginning on Baruntse where the Ski The Himalayas Team has moved up to C2 at 20,000 feet, and are beginning the next phase of their climb, making an alpine style first ascent on an unknown route. They don't make any mention of their intended summit day, noting that they don't know how hard or how long the climb will be at this point. Baruntse is a 23,390 foot peak that they intend to make the first descent on skis as well.

Over on Kangchenjunga, Korean climber Oh Eun-sun has claimed the first summit of the season on that mountain, amidst very high winds. Edurne Pasaban has reached C3, where she will wait for two days and pray that the winds die down before making her own summit bid. The Spanish team was said to be concerned for the Koreans due to the conditions, and were standing by to assist if needed. So far, no word of any issues.

Denis Urubko and climbing partner Boris Dedeshko have set their sights on a new route on Cho Oyu, making an alpine style attempt on the South East Ridge. The two very experienced climbers are making a go at the mountain now, but ExWeb reports that they left their sat phone behind, so there will be no word of their progress until they're up and back. Good luck guys!

Of course, Everest remains the focus with summit days just ahead. The mood on the mountain remains a bit muted today thanks to the death of the Sherpa in the Icefall yesterday. Alan Arnette is reporting that some teams are still forging ahead as planned, hoping to summit on the 12th, while others re-evaluating the schedule and watching the weather. It seems like the middle of the month will now be the target date from both the North and South sides of the mountain.

Finally, as further proof that the First Ascent Team are by far the most well covered and closely followed team on the mountain this year, I came across this story over at MacWorld.com, a site that covers Macintosh Computers and other products from Apple. It seems that the team and the production crew following them, have been using MacBook Pro laptops and iPods on the mountain, which has garnered the already over exposed rockstar climbing team even more coverage.

Tweet

Himalaya Spring 2009 Update: News From All Over!

As we sit on the edge of May, you can feel that we're also on the edge of lots of activity in the Himalaya. Teams are moving up and down Everest, making their last acclimatization runs, and the Sherpas are busy working on the final fixed lines, laying the ground work for plenty of action to come in just a few short weeks.

ExWeb starts the updates off today with the news that the Lhotse-Everest Traverse Team are on the move and expect to spend the night in C3 today before carrying the last of their supplies to C4 tomorrow. They'll spend the night there, then descend one final time. From there, they'll make a go at it on the next weather window, with the plan that they'll summit Lhotse, then trek across the ridge to Everest, where they'll top out one final time, before descending back down the mountain. This one should be fun to watch.

On Everest's South Side there is poor weather in the forecast, with snow expected tomorrow, which may strand a few teams in BC before making their next rotation up the mountain. Most are on their way to Camp 3 for the acclimatization process, where they'll spend the night before one final hike back down the South Col. From there, it'll just be a matter of resting up, and watching the weather.

The North Side is facing it's own set of issues, as more teams are arriving on the mountain, but suffering from acclimatization issues of their own. Thanks to the fancy new road that was built to base camp for the Olympic Torch Team last year, teams are arriving faster than ever, but are also finding themselves ill equipped to deal with the altitude and finding themselves out of breath when they do get there. At least one team has gone back down the mountain to regroup already as well.

In other parts of the Himalaya, teams are preparing to make their bids. On Kangchenjunga for instance, Edurne Pasaban has gone up to Camp 3 and cached supplies, while other teams have moved up as well. On Makalu, a large Korean team is building the high camps and fixing the lines, while a lone female team member stays in BC, and awaits her shot at going up. Over on Dhaulagiri there have been rumors of a summit push going on now, but there have been no confirmations of this or word of successful summits just yet, while the word from Cho Oyu is that BC is quiet with relatively few teams there this season.

Finally, our friends on Baruntse, who are attempting to climb a new route, then make the first descent on skis checked in with CNN again yesterday. Check out the video below.

Tweet

Himalaya Spring 2009 Update: Acclimatizing in Namche Bazaar

By now you're probably already getting tired of hearing me reference the First Ascent Team, the all-star mountaineering group with Ed Viesturs, Dave Hahn, Melissa Arnot, and a host of others. Yesterday I mentioned that they had their own YouTube channel, which already has some great footage of the approach to base camp, and today I came across their Born Out There Blog, which is being updated as they travel as well. The best part about this expedition is that they have plenty of resources at their disposal, as you can already tell, and we're getting to follow along like never before. Daily video dispatches from the region and blog posts promise to give us a behind the scenes look at an Everest climb that we've possibly never had before. It'll be interesting to see if they can keep it up when they get to the hard stuff. For now, they're in Namche Bazaar, and acclimatizing before they continue their trek. Namche is traditionally a place where trekkers and climbers rest for a day enroute to Everest. Check out their video from the place below.

The Eco Everest Team is now reportedly preparing to set off for the mountain as well, with the legendary mountaineer Apa Sherpa now in Nepal. Apa makes his home in the U.S., but travels back on yearly basis to guide a team up the mountain. He'll be seeking his 19th successful summit this year, hopefully breaking his own record. Alan Arnette is reporting on his Everest 2009 page that Apa won't be alone this year though, as his wife will be on hand to witness his new milestone. Alan is also reporting that David Tait is currently en route to the mountain, and from his latest dispatch, it seems he's also in Namche Bazaar.

Bill Burke is still hopeful that he can take a shot at at his planned traverse of Everest, but everyone is still waiting to see if the Chinese will begin issuing permits to climb the mountain, along with Shisha Pangma and Cho Oyu as well. Bill is currently on his way to Nepal, but with the announcement that the borders of Tibet will reopen on April 5th, I think there is a cautiously optimistic feeling amongst those who are hoping to climb in Tibet this spring.

Across the Himalaya, teams are now making their way to various mountains. Joao Garcia's team is already on Manaslu and making gear drops, while Carlos Pauner and his partners are still making their way to that mountain. A number of teams are already establishing base camp on Annapurna as well, which looks to have its fair share of traffic this spring as well.

For the teams, it's an interesting time. They've arrived back in the Himalaya, which has become common place for many of them this time of year, and they are trekking or otherwise finding ways to get to their destination. Everything is rather hectic right now, but it'll calm down quite a bit once they reach base camp and get settled there. Then the waiting will start, with occasional hikes up the mountain to establish their camps and acclimatize. Soon we'll here talk of weather windows and summit days, and more, but in between, there will be an awful lot of waiting. Such is the spring climbing season in the Himalaya.

Tweet

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.

Tweet