Karakorum Update: Summits On Nanga Parbet, K2 Climbers Push Higher

Even though this is the quietest season in the Karakorum for some time, the teams that are there continue to make progress and push towards their summits. Such was the case this weekend, when teams tried to take advantage of improved weather, some with more success than others.

On Nanga Parbet, the ninth highest mountain on the planet at 26,660 feet, there were summits by the Iranian, Nepali, and Korean teams, who, according to ExWeb, reached the top on Saturday. The Korean team reported back that the weather was bitter cold with high winds, but they still managed to put three of their climbers on top of the mountain.

The Basque BAT Team making an alpine style attempt on Broad Peak weren't so lucky however, as poor weather did prevent them from completing their expedition. While the team did reach the summit of BP's north peak on Friday, they were unable to continue on with their planned traverse that would have seen them crossing all three of Broad Peak's summits. Undaunted however, the boys have returned to Base Camp where they are waiting for the weather to improve once again, before making another attempt at the traverse.

Similarly, Mike Horn and Kobi Reichen abandoned their attempt on Broad Peak at 7900 meters (25,918 feet) on Friday due to heavy snow and high winds as well. No word on what Mike and Kobi's plans are for another attempt just yet.

On K2, the world's second tallest mountain, the teams have now established Camp 3, and ExWeb is reporting that Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner  has spent the night at 7000 meters as she continues to acclimatize. She and other members of her team, most notably husband Ralf Dujmovits, hope to climb as high as Camp 3 today, where they'll spend the night, then head back to BC before a round of bad weather is forecasted to hit tomorrow.

Finally, over on the Gasherbrums, a number of teams are focused on making progress as well. For instance, the Altitude Junkies established Camp 1 over the weekend, and even had the odd experience of seeing a glowing glacier while making the trek up from BC in the evening. High winds at the summit were preventing other teams from making their bids over the weekend however, so much like the rest of the region, they're all holding their breath and crossing their fingers for good weather. This includes Don Bowie and climbing partner Alexey Bolotov, who aborted an attempt on the summit of G1 at 7500 meters when conditions worsened as the winds picked up.

Lets hope weather across the Karakorum improves this week so the teams working hard on the mountains can finally get a crack at the summits.

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Karakorum Update: Summit Bids and Acclimatization

Things are starting to get busy in the Karakorum, where teams are starting summit bids on some peaks, while others continue the process of acclimatization on others. High camps are being stocked and the weather is deciding factor, as the season moves further into July.

We'll start on Broad Peak, where the action is underway with a major push by the BAT Basque Team made up of Alberto Iñurrategi, Mikel Zabalza  and Juan Vallejo. According to ExWeb, the boys headed up the mountain today on their initial summit push in the hopes that they can take advantage of four days of good weather that is currently in the forecast. They'll be making an alpine style climb, along a new route no less, that will eventually see them traverse all three of Broad Peak's summits. Apparently they're going as light and fast as they can, carrying no oxygen, and using no porters, fixed ropes, or established camps. They hope to summit on Saturday and complete the traverse on Sunday, if all things go according to plan. Stay tuned for more on this dramatic climb. 


Mike Horn and his climbing partner Kobi Reichen have begun their second summit attempt on BP as well. The two turned back due to bad weather a week or so back, and have been patiently waiting for a weather window ever since. It seems they'll try to take advantage of the four days of good weather ahead too. 


The Field Touring Alpine Team is also working the normal route on BP, and are expected to finish fixing the lines up to Camp 3 today. They expect to spend the night there tonight and then descend back to Base Camp tomorrow. They're hoping to then rest for a few days and decide the best time to make their own summit bid. The Broad Peak climb is being used as a warm-up and acclimatization process before heading over to K2. 


Speaking of K2, Fredrik Ericsson and his partner Trey Cook, have checked in from that mountain, giving us some details of their recent climb up the mountain that resulted in them descending back down, on their skis, in bad weather. They had hoped to spend more time acclimatizing themselves, but a predicted small storm turned into a raging blizzard, forcing them back to BC for awhile. Upon their arrival back in Base Camp, they learned that their missing supplies had finally arrived, and that the Polish Team is planning to head up the mountain tomorrow, with Gerlinde and Ralf going up on Saturday. They also report that a Korean team working the Abruzzi Spur, dismissed their high altitude porters, creating a bit of a stir in their camp. They'll now join forces with one of the other teams to work the route. 


Summit bids are underway on other mountains in the region as well, including a Korean Team going for the top of Nanga Parbet and the Altitude Junkies are reporting that teams are preparing to make their bids on Gasherbrum II as well. Nearby on GI, Don Bowie and Alexei Bolotov reportedly had to navigate their way to C2 using a GPS due to the incredibly bad weather that has plagued the area of late. In fact, the weather has been so bad that one French team has elected to call it quits, going home early, calling the weather "exasperating". 


Seems like it's going to be a challenging season once again in the Karakorum. Weather conditions are, as usual, very nasty, and the peaks there are unforgiving to say the least. Lets hope these teams get a crack at their respective summits. 

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Karakorum 2010: The Girls of K2

It looks like K2 is the mountain of choice for the ladies headed to the Karakorum this season. ExWeb is reporting that a number of female climbers have set their sights on the world's second highest peak, including Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, who is hoping to top out, sans oxygen, and become the third woman to climb all of the 8000-meter peaks. The first without oxygen however.

Joining Gerlinde on K2 will be Polish climber Kinga Baranowska, as well as Leila Esfandiari, who is leading her Iranian team. A British climber named Katrina is on the team with the Field Touring Alpine group, and Canadian Meagan McGrath is also setting her sights on K2. You may recall that Meagan started the year off with a successful solo ski to the South Pole as well.

Elsewhere in the Karakorum, a number of teams are still arriving at their respective mountains. The Basque Team on Broad Peak have reached BC, but their porters are still arriving. The supply train was slowed greatly by the snow that continues to fall around that mountain. Similarly, the Altitude Junkies Team, which is hoping to climb the Gasherbrums, began their trek to base camp yesterday and are hoping to arrive by Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Polish Team on Nanga Parbet has been plenty busy already. The team has fixed the ropes up to Camp 3, but the weather conditions have been extremely cold, and that has not made the experience a pleasant one thus far. They're back in BC now, resting up before proceeding higher on the mountain.

More to come soon. The Karakorum is just now starting to heat up.

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Karakorum 2010: A Quiet Season in Pakistan?

As I mentioned last week, the climbing season is about to get underway in the Karakorum Range, where a few climbers are already making their way to mountains such as K2, the Gasherbrums, and Broad Peak.

According to ExWeb it may be a very quiet year in that part of the world, because as of now, only 25 climbing permits have been issued for the entire region, and that includes all of the 6000, 7000, and 8000 meter peaks. My hunch is that the economy is keeping some climbers from traveling to the Karakorum and even sponsorship dollars are still at a premium. The 2009 season was considered a quiet year as well, but even then 70 permits were issued. Guide Fabrizio Zangrilli, who has just arrived in Islamabad ahead of his attempt on Broad Peak, believes that economy, as well as recent flooding in the area, may be helping to keep the traffic down.

Meanwhile, a number of climbers are already in Pakistan and are either en route to their mountain of choice or are already there. Fredrik Ericsson is in Skardu and still making plans for the trek to K2 Base Camp, where he hopes to ski down the mountain. Keep an eye out for updates from Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, who should be arriving in Pakistan soon too. She has just K2 left on her list before she becomes the first woman to summit all 8000 meter peaks sans oxygen. Explorer Mike Horn is also trekking in the region right now as he continues his Pangaea Expedition. On Nanga Parbat, the Polish Team climbing there has worked it's way up to Camp 2, while the Altitude Junkies haven't even gone home from Kathmandu from their Everest climb, and will instead head straight to Islamabad.

I guess one good thing about this season will be that with so few teams, at least it should be fairly easy to keep track of everyone.

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Karakorum 2009: Tragedy on Broad Peak

Sad news once again today from the Karkorum, as we begin another week with a tragedy in the mountains. ExWeb is reporting that Italian climber Cristina Castagna has perished on Broad Peak, after falling on her descent from Camp 4 following a summit bid. It is unclear if she had successfully topped out before her fall, and as of right now, there is no word on any successful summits on the mountain.

The news of Christina's death comes just one week after the news that Kroean climber Go Mi-Sun was lost on Nanga Parbat. Christina's climbing partner, Giampaolo Casarotto, says that she was walking about ten meters in front of him when she slipped and fell into a crevasse. By the time he could scramble to her assistance, she was already gone, and there was nothing more he could for her. The 31-year old Italian woman, nicknamed "El Grio" or the Cricket, already had Shisha Pangma, GII, Dhaulagiri, and Makalu on her resume, with plans to knock off Broad Peak and then make a run at Gasherbrum I this year.

While there have been no confirmed summits as of yet on BP, and the rumors are most teams turned back due to high winds, the Field Touring Alpine Team released an audio dispatch on Saturday that confirms they had no summits and were returning to BC. One of their climbers, Paul Rowntree, did reach the point known as Rocky Summit however, which sits at 8013m (26,289 feet).

On Gasherbrum I, the Altitude Junkies are sitting in BC, looking up at a cloudless sky and what appears to be great weather, but all the reports indicate that there are high winds on the summit, and will be for the next few days. After that a weather window is expected to open that should allow access to the top of the mountain, something that Veikka and Kazuya are counting on as well.

Finally, Don Bowie has posted the second and third parts of his report on the team's summit bid on G3. Not only did the climb get a bit hairy, and then stall out due to extremely poor weather, the descent back to base camp became quite an ordeal as well. Very good read with a glimpse of what it's like on the mountain at the moment.

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Karakorum 2009: Gasherbrums Turn Back Teams, More On Go Mi-Sun

The Karakorum climbing season is evolving quickly in no small part because of the weather conditions there. While many of the teams are remaining patient and hoping for the best, others are electing to call it a day and head home for the year. Take for example the Jagged Globe team, who were hoping to summit Gasherbrum II, but have now decided it is time to go home. They blame the shifting jet stream that has brought a ton of snow to the mountain and are now preparing to leave base camp on the weekend. Apparently they won't be the only ones fleeing the Gasherbrums, as ExWeb is reporting that other teams are planning on packing it in for the season too.

Don Bowie and the rest of his crew having been struggling away on G3 for the past few weeks, and he posted the first of his summit bid dispatches today.

Over on Broad Peak, the summit bids are underway for the Field Touring Alpine team, who are on their way to Camp 2 today and hope to top out on Saturday. From the sounds of things, there is a mass summit push underway, with nearly every climber on BP giving it ago. Winds are expected to die down tomorrow, opening a weather window through the weekend.

Snow continues to fly on K2, but the weather is also said to be quite warm in base camp. The climbers are still finishing up their acclimatization process for the most part, while Kazakh climbers Maxut Zhumayev and Vassiliy Pivtsov have just arrived in camp and well be climbing under the same permit with Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, who is going for her 13th 8000m peak.

Finally, ExWeb posted a story a few days back that shed more light on the death of Korean climber Go Mi-Sun. In a dispatch sent out from Joao Garcia, we learn a lot more about the conditions on Nanga Parbat and what led to the tragic fall that took the life of Miss Go. Joao doesn't pull any punches when he explains how the process for fixing the lines worked this year, and how a certain Austrian team didn't really pull their weight. It was because of them that the lines were removed between Camp 2 and Camp 3, which led to Miss Go not being roped in when she slipped and fell. Joao stops short of accusing the other team of being responsible for her death, but he makes it clear how he feels about the whole incident.

There is another report today on the state of climbing in Korea, where a culture of competitiveness has built up. ExWeb received word from someone in Korea that talked about the rivalries between the mountaineers, in this case Miss Go and another female climber named Miss Oh. It's a rather revealing look at the drive to be "first" in some capacity in the mountains.

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Karakorum 2009: Gasherbrum Summits a No Go, Teams Leaving K2

More news from the Karakorum today, where we're learning that the weather remains bad and conditions on some of the big peaks are not improving as the teams would like.

We'll start on the Gasherbrums, where ExWeb is reporting that a large snow storm has struck the mountain, sending teams down from C2 where they had been hoping to launch their summit bids on both G1 and G2. News on the Jagged Globe website confirms that their team was amongst those that retreated off the mountain as it was blasted with snow. It seems that Viekka Gustaffson was amongst those forced down from an attempt on Gasherbrum I.

Meanwhile, there have been no updates to Don Bowie's site since July 8th, when we were told that Don and the crew were climbing up to 7000m and hoping for a weather window on G3. We can only assume that conditions are bad on that mountain as well, and that perhaps they were forced down too.

Jumping over to K2, the reports are that the mountain is loaded with snow, especially on the tricky upper slopes. There is enough there to send Giuseppe Pompili packing from the mountain altogether, saying that it isn't worth the risks to continue climbing the mountain this year. He's not the only one calling quits, as both Sean Wisedale and Tunc Findik have left base camp as well. Both men indicated that they were listening to their gut instincts while giving up their climbs as things don't feel right on the mountain at the moment. Wisedale went so far as to say "The presence of death here is overwhelming". Tunc will now head over to G2 with a hope for better luck.

Finally, back on Nanga Parbat, the teams are still dealing with the two deaths there over the weekend. Yesterday I mentioned that Korean climber Go Mi-Sun had fallen to her death, and I incorrectly stated that her body had been found and removed from the mountain. It turns out that that isn't true, and while the team knows where her remains are, they haven't gone up to find them, nor has a recovery operation been mounted at this time. As you can imagine, the mood is described as somber in BC.

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Karakorum 2009: Go Mi-Sun Lost on Nanga Parbat!

Sad news is coming in from the Karakorum following this weekend, as Korean climber Go Mi-Sun has perished on the mountain. According to this report from ExWeb, she fell on her descent at an altitude of 6200 meters and went missing near Camp 2. Her body was found later, and has since been removed from the mountain. She was in an unroped section of the Nanga Parbat at the time.

Miss Go's death wasn't the only one to hit the mountain over the weekend. Wolfgang Köblinger slipped and fell near the summit, shortly after he topped out. According to reports, there were high winds on the mountain at the time, and he was descending behind a Korean team, but when they looked back to check his progress, he was no longer there. Is last known footprints led to a very steep drop off at 8060 meters. There is no hope of finding him alive. Wolfgang was climbing with Gerfried’s Göschl’s team.

This is incredibly sad news, as I don't think it was any secret that Go Mi-Sun had quickly become a favorite climber of mine whom I was cheering on from a far. After she knocked off three 8000m peaks in Nepal this past spring, she had gotten herself into a position where she had an outside shot of becoming the first woman to knock of all 14 of those mountains. The plan for the summer was to top out on Nanga Parbat, using it as an acclimatization climb at the same time, then head to the Gasherbrums to knock off G1 and G2. That would have left her with just Annapurna to go.

Last week, when the reports came in about her successful summit on Nanga, the word was that she had used supplemental oxygen, which was not her typical approach to climbing. We are now told that she was not in fact on the O's when she topped out, but it was one of her companions instead. It was also noted that she was quite exhausted when returning from the summit, and I remarked at the time that I hoped her ambitious schedule was not catching up with her. Sadly, you can't help but wonder if that exhaustion didn't play into her fall on that unroped section between Camp 2 and 3.

My condolences to the friends and families of these two climbers. The mountaineering community grieves with you today.

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Karakorum 2009: Summits on Nanga Parbat and G2

Great news from the Karakorum today as word on successful summits have begun to trickle in, starting on Gasherbrum II where Ueli Steck has topped out yesterday and returned to BC today according to the Hardwear Sessions blog. Not many details are known yet on the climb, but it is being reported that Ueli was using this as a training climb for Makalu in this fall.

Meanwhile, ExWeb is reporting that Joao Garcia has summitted Nanga Parbat, claiming his 13th 8000 meter peak and leaving just Annapurna on his list. Joao's climbing partner Amin Ulal also topped out as well.

Korean climber Go Mi-Sun also reached the summit of Nanga Parbat earlier today, but had to use supplemental oxygen to do so. Miss Go has generally climbed without the O's, but perhaps her ambitious climbing schedule is getting the best of her. After resting, she'll move on to the Gasherbrums to have a go at both G1 and G2 in her bid for a second 8000m Triple Header this year.

The summits aren't quite done yet on NP however, as Gerfried Göschl's team is moving up along a new route, and if everything stays on schedule, they should be topping out tomorrow. They're climbing alpine style and established a fourth camp today where they are waiting for the winds to die down before proceeding up.

Moving over to Broad Peak, the Field Touring Alpine team is now in place and ready to begin their summit bid as well. All of their camps are established, and the climbers are finished with their acclimatization process, and now they are watching for a three day weather window that will give them access to the summit. Reportedly conditions are very good on the mountain, and it is only a matter of time before they move up.

The Gasherbrums are abuzz with activity besides just Ueli's successful summit. The Jagged Globe Team set off on their summit bid a few days back, while the Altitude Junkies are in BC and keeping an eye on the jet stream, hoping for a window. Don Bowie and his team have their sights set on G3, and their latest update has them all at 7000 meters and waiting for the winds to die down as well.

Jumping over to K2, it seems that weather has cleared up enough for teams to begin establishing the route to C2. Most of the teams have spent a night at C2 at this point, and are anxious to get higher on the mountain, but conditions have been really dicey so far.

Finally, Kazak climbing legends Maxut Zhumayev and Vassiliy Pivtsov have arrived in Pakistan are reportedly in Skardu. They'll begin the trek to K2 soon and are expected in base camp around the 22nd of the month. I'm not sure what their plans are, but they will no doubt be making some spectacular attempt, alpine style, on the mountain. Stay tuned!

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Karakorum 2009: Teams Go For Nanga Parbat Summit!

While the weather remains iffy throughout the Karakorum, ExWeb is reporting that teams have begun their summit push on Nanga Parbat, with the plan of reaching the top on Friday, July 10th, provided everything remains on schedule. Both Gerfried Göschl and the Korean team that includes Go Mi-Sun have set off for Camp 1 today. Another team, led by Giuseppe Pompili, is setting off in their wake with the intention of going to C3 to acclimatize. From there, they'll return to BC, rest up, and push for the summit around the 15th of the month.

According to the Field Touring Alpine site, their teams on both K2 and Broad Peak are back to work today following a break in the bad weather. Both teams are working the route and planning to climb high to acclimatize. On K2, the plan is to move up to C2 and spend the night their before going back to BC, but on BP it is being reported that there is more snow on the slopes, creating more of an avalanche threat. The FTA BP team will be more cautious in their approach of course.

The Altitude Junkies are on the Gasherbrums, and are eying both G1 and G2. Their latest update indicates good weather may be on the horizon, at least for the next few days. Snow is predicted to return at the end of the week however, so the team is sitting tight in BC for now, and letting the snow settle. They say that the route from C2 to C3 is quite dangerous at the moment, and the idea of more snow coming by Friday does not sit well. There has been so much snowfall on the mountain that all the ropes from C1 to C3 are buried, and if they can not be retrieved, they'll have to be refixed.

Both the Jagged Globe team and Don Bowie haven't posted an update in the last day or two, but they are also aiming at various Gasherbrum summits. Presumably they are waiting for the snow to settle on the higher portion of the mountain as well, but with more snow in the forecast, it doesn't seem like things are going to get better soon.

At least we have some movement on one off the big peaks. Hopefully we'll hear word on successful summits on Nanga Parbat later by the weekend. If the Koreans, and more specifically Go Mi-Sun, top out, they'll move turn their eyes on G1 and G2, making their bid for the Karakorum Hat Trick. If they pull them all over, Miss Go will have bagged six 8000m peaks in a matter of a few months. Should be fun to watch.

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Karakorum 2009: Bad Weather Everywhere!

It's been nearly a week since I posted any updates on what is happening in the Karakorum, but for the most part, aside from more teams arriving, the biggest news it the bad weather that is making it rough on the climbers at the moment.

Last week I reported that Elisabeth Revol , Antoine Girard, and Ludovic Giambasi were making a weekend run at the summit of Broad Peak. Unfortunately bad weather turned them back for the second time, and they are now back in BC resting up, and waiting for the weather to pass. The commercial teams on the mountain, such as Field Touring Alpine, have begun fixing ropes, and have established C2, but their latest updates indicate that heavy snow and high winds continue to buffet the mountain. Progress has been steady so far though, and if the weather breaks as expected, they'll push all the way up to C3, and are eyeing a summit bid in about 10 days time.

Switching over to the Gasherbrums, a similar story is being told with snow and winds hitting the various peaks that make up that massif. Don Bowie reports that he, Bruce Normand, and David Falt set off last week to stash some gear at 7000m, but after spending the night in C1 and trying to climb higher on the mountain, they were turned back due to high winds causing "spindrift avalanches". They did console themselves with a bit of ice climbing on a face that was protected form the storm though.

The Altitude Junkies have checked in from G1 and G2 as well, and they report that they have both Camp 1 and 2 established, and they are just waiting out the weather as well. They hope it'll pass in the next few days and they can turn their eyes on the summit, in the mean time, they're finding it impossible to recharge their gadgets the past couple of days thanks to the complete lack of sunshine. The Jagged Globe team has just returned from C2 and are reporting "thigh-deep snow" and unstable condition on the upper portions of the mountain, which means it may be awhile before they can get a real crack at the summit.

Weather seems to be the issue on Nanga Parbat as well, where, according to ExWeb, Gerfried Göschl is acclimatizing on the normal Kinshoffer route, but fully intends to climb a new route when he makes his summit bid. Gerfried also reports that Korean climber Go Mi-Sun has arrived on the mountain, and simply passed on through BC on her way up to C2 where she stayed for the night to begin acclimatization. You may recall, she is the Korean climber that pulled off the Himalayan Hat Trick in the spring, and is looking to knock off three more 8000m peaks in the Karakorum this summer. She'll start on Nanga before heading to G1 and G2.

Finally, on K2 the Field Touring Alpine team is hoping to begin working the route once again on Friday, when winds are expected to die down and allow access to the mountain. So far, it seems that teams have established Camp 2, and are eager to get working on the route to C3, but for now, they sit and wait a storm that is blasting BC.

Hopefully the storms will clear soon, and these climbers can finally get going. But as a base of reference, last year the main summits on K2 didn't take place until the end of July. Still plenty of time.

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Karakorum 2009: Preparations Underway on BP, K2, and Nanga Parbat

While the mountaineering world is still reeling over the death of Italian skier Michele Fait, teams continue their preparation for their upcoming climbs. Base camp on all the major Pakistani peaks now have teams in place, and the long, challenging work of fixing the lines and setting the camps has begun.

On K2, as you can imagine, the mood is a bit subdued with the passing of Michele. But the teams no that the best way to keep their minds off things is to stay busy, and with plenty of work to do, that's just what they are doing. The word is that teams are shuttling supplies up to C2 today, beginning their acclimatization process at the same time.

Meanwhile, on the Gasherbrums, Don Bowie reports that the team has been resting in BC, and watching a long line of porters bringing supplies up the valley. He says that the scuttlebut around BC is that as many as 13 teams could be climbing on multiple Gasherbrum peaks this summer, which could make for a crowded camp to say the least. Jagged Edge has a team looking to summit G2, and their latest update says that they've moved into the icefall, and their porters have already begun stocking C1 and will proceed to C2 within a few days time. Likewise, the Altitude Junkies are in BC, and held their Puja Ceremony a few days back. They're now ready to start their climb as well. They hope to top out on both G1 and G2.

Things are heating up on Nanga Parbat as well, where Gunther Unterberger and Gerfried Göschl are in the final stages of their acclimatization process. The duo will spend the night at Camp 1 today and if everything goes according to plan, they'll begin their summit bid in about 10 days time.

Finally, on Broad Peak, rope fixing is underway as well, although, as ExWeb reports, there are two teams already high on the mountain. Neither of those teams are using fixed lines however, so it has been left up to the commercial teams to place them. We do know that the team of Elisabeth Revol , Antoine Girard, and Ludovic Giambasi are in the midst of their summit bid at the moment, and are out of radio range, so hopefully everything is going well for them. We will likely not hear any news on the team until the weekend, summit or not. Good luck team!

More news from the range as it comes in.

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Himalaya Triple Header Puts Korean Climber in the Race for First Female on All 8000m Peaks

For months we've been hearing about how Nives Meroi, Gerlinde Kaltenbruner, and Edurne Pasaban were the three women who were gunning to become the first to reach the summit of all 14 8000m peaks. Well now, thanks to a stunning triple header in the Himalaya, there is another woman throwing her hat into the ring to make that claim.

South Korean climber Go Mi-sun along with climbing partner Kim Jae-soo, pulled off a first in the Himalaya this spring season by knocking off three 8000 meter peaks. The pair first took on Makalu, reaching the summit on April 30th, before moving on to Kangchenguna, reaching the summit of that mountain on the 19th of May. Not content with having added two big peaks to their resume, they went on to the summit of Dhaulagiri, finishing their triple header on the 9th of June.

Having completed these three climbs, Go Mi-Sun now has 10 of the 14 8000m peaks under her belt, and has achieved all 10 in just 2 1/2 years. She is also reportedly en route to Pakistan, where she'll attempt another triple header, this time bagging Gasherbrum I and II as well as Nanga Parbet. If successful, she'll have just Annapurna on her list, and she'll be right there with Nives, Gerlinde, and Edurne coming down the stretch.

Pretty impressive climbing to say the least. Having the potential to knock off six 8000 meter peaks in the span of just a few months is amazing. I wish her all the luck in the Karakorum this summer, and of course on Annapurna when she gets the opportunity. Saving that mountain for last may have been a good idea, but it is definitely no walk in the park, and often considered one of the most challenging mountains in the world.

Thanks to Stweart's Climbing Blog for this great story.

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Karakorum 2009: Another Summit Bid on BP

The Karakorum is getting down right crowded! Well, at least by Karakorum standards. More teams are arriving in base camp and setting up shop, as the season really gets underway. On some of the mountains, the acclimatization process is already underway, and all eyes are turning towards some of the highest, most beautiful, and most challenging summits in the world.

Over on Broad Peak, a second summit bid is underway for Elisabeth Revol , Antoine Girard, and Ludovic Giambasi who made an attempt last weekend but were turned back due to weather. According to ExWeb, the team would be setting of for the South and South East Ridges today and they'll leave their sat phone behind, so we can expect no communication from the team for the next six days. With any luck, they'll be topping out by the end of the week.

Staying on Broad Peak, the word is that other teams, including larger commercial teams, are now making their way into base camp. That includes the Field Touring Alpine squad and a team from Iran who will attempt to concentrate on mountaineering while their homeland is in turmoil.

K2 is getting plenty of traffic these days too, with a number of teams having reached BC, including Frederik Ericsson who hopes to ski the mountain. He'll be joined on the mountain by Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner who is continuing her bid to become the first woman to bag all 14 8000 meter peaks. With two to go, K2 may be the biggest hurdle she has had to overcome.

Gerfried Göschl has his sights set on Nanga Parbet, and has already climbed up to C1, establishing camp there and starting the acclimatization process. Joao Garcia has joined him in base camp, along with a team from South Korea.

Finally, on the various peaks of the Gasherbrums teams are beginning to establish high camps, despite continued bad weather. Don Bowie reports that his team is in good health and good spirits, and that they are preparing to go after either G3 or G4. They hope to have camp 2 established at 6000 meters in the next few days.

The Altitude Junkies made it to base camp on Sunday and are reporting that the bad weather has taken its toll on the porters, who are often woefully prepared for harsh conditions, lacking the proper gear. They do report good weather today however, and are preparing for their Puja Ceremony tomorrow.

Exweb reports that another Iranian team, this time 11-members strong is also on their way to the Gasherbrums and should be in BC for G2 soon. They will no doubt be climbing with heavy hearts with the events taking place back home as well. We wish them, and all the climbers in the Karakorum, good luck. Climb safe!

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Karakorum 2009: Teams Gearing Up

Things are starting to heat up in the Karakorum, as more teams are arriving in base camps across the range now that flights have resumed between Islamabad and Skardu. But before I report on events in Pakistan, there is one more story to update from the Himalaya.

Sadly, the search for Micah Dash, the third climber missing on E Gongga, has been called off. The bodies of his climbing partners, Jonny Copp and Wade Johnson, were discovered amidst the rubble of an avalanche more than a week ago, and a search and rescue team turned into a recovery operation instead. Now, after combing the mountain, the team has called off the search and headed home. At this point, I think everyone knew that Micah had likely perished along with his friends, but it's still sad for the family that they haven't received the closure that they may have wanted. Lets continue to keep them in our thoughts.

Meanwhile, moving back over to the Karakorum, last week I reported that the first summit pushes were a go on Broad Peak, but bad weather turned back the team of Elisabeth Revol, Antoine Girard and Ludovic Giambasi.Elisabeth and Ludovic attempted the summit last Friday, but heavy snow turned them back, while Antonie suffered with altitude sickness in BC. The weather reports don't look good for the near future either, so for now, the team will sit and wait, and hope something opens before the 12th of July, their projected date to leave base camp.

Things aren't looking much better on K2 at the moment either. Teams are still making the trek to the mountain for the most part, but they are already finding a lot more snow on the trail than last year, and the storms have been dumping plenty more on the summit itself. It's going to take some time before they have established their high camps, but at the moment, there are no impending weather windows on K2 either.

On Nanga Parbat, Gerfried Göschl and the rest of his team, are the first to reach base camp and have already begun setting up their base of operations. They've spent the last three days trekking into BC and are now at 4250 meters (13,943 feet).

The Altitude Junkies are just one of many teams who are in the trekking phase of their journey at the moment. They're on their way to the Gasherbrums, and their latest dispatch gives you an idea of the scope of the operations they are undertaking. The team has contracted 140 porters to carry all of their gear to BC, and they note that they expect to use many more in the re-supply process in the weeks ahead. They report great weather conditions at the moment, and if all goes well, they'll reach the mountain by Friday.

Seems like we have a lot of teams still in transit or just arriving and scoping out the scene. Hopefully there will be good weather in the near future and they can get down to climbing, although the heavy snow sounds like it could be treacherous on a number of the big peaks. Stay tuned!

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Karakorum 2009: Off To A Rough Start

For the worlds top mountaineers, the climbing season never really ends, it just shifts location. With the Himalaya behind us at last (I really mean it this time!), the focus shifts to the Karakorum, where teams have already begun to arrive in Pakistan, and are starting to filter out into the countryside, preparing for the long trek to base camps all over the range.

As is typical in the Karakorum, the 8000 meter peaks will be the focus, with teams already planning attempts on Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak, both Gasherbrums, and of course K2. Of course, some of the "lesser" peaks of the region will also see action, but everything in the Karakorum is a challenging climb, even if it doesn't break the magical 8000m barrier. For an excellent list of all the upcoming expeditions, check out this post over at Himalman's Blog, which is always a great source for mountaineering info anyway.

Meanwhile, ExWeb is reporting that many of the climbers in Pakistan are finding it rough going already, and they haven't even left Islamabad yet. Cancelled flights over the past few days have left many stranded, and some have now elected to take a 25-hour long bus trip to Skardu, rather than delay any longer. Skardu is a the distant frontier town that is the last stop before the treks into the mountains begin.

Not everyone is stranded however. as ExWeb is also reporting that at least one team is already in position on Broad Peak, and are making their summit bid, despite heavy snow. If everything goes as planned, they might bag the first summits of the season as early as this Friday or Saturday.

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Himalaya and Karakorum Winter Update: Over On Nanga Parbat

The winter climbing season in the Karakorum and Himalaya has only just begun, but we already have our first expedition called off. According to ExWeb, who posted this story earlier in the day, the Polish Team on Nanga Parbat have called it quits after facing excessive amounts of snow, bitterly cold temperatures, and dangerous ice on the mountain. Their most recent dispatch also hints at logistical issues, but it seems that the winter conditions on Nanga were just too much to over come, even this early into the season. The teams says that they'll clean up C1 tomorrow and return to BC before heading home.

The news is much better on Broad Peak, where Don Bowie, Artur Hajzer, and Robert Szymczak have already established C1 at 5500 meters, and are now making their way up to C2. If the weather holds out, they hope to have the ropes fixed to C2 over the next few days, and may be at that higher camp in time for New Years. Their latest dispatch reports little snow, but lots of ice and rock to contend with.

Meanwhile, Simone Moro reports that he and climbing partner Denis Urubko will arrive in Kathmandu just in time for the New Year's celebration there, before heading out to Makalu. They are hoping to become the first men to summit that peak in winter.

Finally, the only other winter climb ongoing is on Manaslu, where the Czech team has been working on fixing a route to Camp 2. There have been no updates to their website for the past ten days however, so it's impossible to know what their progress has been and where they are currently at on the mountain. Hopefully they have just been extremely busy and haven't had time to send dispatches, and we'll hear more from the soon.

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HImalaya and Karakorum Updates: Christmas Eve In BC

All the teams are in place, save one, to begin their winter climbs in the Himalaya and Karakorum. According to ExWeb, Simone Moro and Denis Urubko will celebrate Christmas in Italy, at Simone's home, before heading off to Makalu in the next few days. At least they'll have one more good meal and a warm bed.

That won't be the case for Don Bowie, Artur Hajzer, and Robert Szymczak, who have now arrived in base camp on Broad Peak. Apparently the team was shuttled to BC yesterday and have already established their home for the next few weeks while they acclimatize and scout the mountain.

We're getting similar stories from the Polish Team on Nanga Parbat and the Czech Team on Manaslu as well. Both of them are in their respective base camps as well. The Polish Team is dealing with bitterly cold temperatures, not uncommon on these high altitude winter climbs, while the Czechs have been forced back to BC thanks to bad weather conditions. They've already established their C1 and are in the process of fixing lines to C2.

Stay warm boys. Merry Christmas!!

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Himalaya and Karakorum Winter Update: Winter is Here!

The season officially changed to winter yesterday, which meant that the handful of teams preparing to make winter climbs in the Himalaya and Karakorum could at last get underway. Many of the climbers involved in these expeditions were already in place and ready to go, but just wanted to be sure that everything was official before starting up their respective mountains.

Amongst the expeditions to watch in the coming weeks are Simone Moro and Denis Urubko's assault on Makalu, the last of the 8000 m peaks in the HImalaya to go unclimbed in winter. They'll attempt it in alpine style, and by most accounts should be in BC now, and acclimatizing and preparing to get started.

The Czech Team on Manaslu has wasted no time in getting underway, and are currently searching for a route between C1 and C2. Since the last climbing season on the mountain, apparently the seracs along that route have collapsed and covered the trail, making it incredibly challenging for the team to make their way up. They're also reporting clouds and snow adding an interesting challenge to the mix.

On Broad Peak, the team of Don Bowie, Artur Hajzer, and Robert Szymczak are still waiting for their airlift out to BC. In the mean time, they are acclimatizing in the Sadpara Valley and hoping the weather will lift soon. They're all in good spirits and getting along well as they make their preparations to go after the first 8000m winter climb in the Karakorum.

Finally, there is the Polish Team on Nanga Parbat, where they have now established base camp, but not in the traditional location. With more than 1.5 meters of snow on the ground, the team has had to shift their location 5km away from the Diamir Face, which could make for some logistical issues down the line, although mostly it'll be a longer walk up to C1.

Expect more updates this week and the days ahead as the climbs finally get underway.

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Winter Himalaya and Karakorum Climbs Are On!

ExWeb has some updates today on the impending winter climbs in both the Himalaya and Karakorum.

The Broad Peak team, that includes Artur Hajzer, Robert Szymczak and Don Bowie are already in Pakistan, and have made their way to Skardu where they are awaiting an airlift to the mountain. If weather conditions hold, they'll catch a ride, via helicopter, to base camp on Thursday (Dec. 18), where they'll set up shop and wait for winter to officially begin on the 21st, before beginning the climb itself.

Meanwhile, the Czech team that will attempt Manaslu in winter has already come and gone from Kathmandu, and are now within sight of their mountain. They note that they can see the summit from their lodge, and they are eager to get started, although once again, they will wait until the actual start of winter to begin the climb.

In recent years it has become a bit of a controversy over what exactly constitutes a "winter climb". There have been some mountaineers who have started their acclimatization and climb up the mountain before winter officially arrives, only to reach the summit on the 21st of 22nd of December. Some in the mountaineering community publicly criticized these climbs saying they were not done in "true winter". The men setting out to bag these summits are aware of that controversy and want to remove it from the picture altogether, but waiting until the winter solstice has passed before getting underway.

There are a couple of other winter climbs on 8000m peaks scheduled to start in a few weeks as well, with attempts on Makalu and Nanga Parbat gearing up to get underway soon. I'm sure we'll here a lot more about all of these in the days ahead.

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