Himalaya 2010: Edurne Claims Number 14, Summits on Everest!

It was a busy weekend across the Himalaya, with summits on a number of peaks, most notably Everest itself, where the expected weather window opened, giving access to top of the word. But that wasn't the only news to come out of the region this weekend.

We'll start on Shishapangma, where spanish climber Edurne Pasaban topped out, claiming her 14th 8000 meter peak, and adding her list to the names of elite climbers who have accomplished that feat. Edurne and her team reached the summit at 11:30 AM local time today, making her the second woman to nab all of the big mountains. Korean Oh Eun-Sun was the first just a few weeks back. Congrats to Edurne on a job well done!!

Edurne wasn't the only one taking advantage of the great weather that hit the Himalaya yesterday, and continuing through today. A number of teams put climbers on top of Everest from the South Side this morning, including the Hanesbrands sponsored Climb With Us Team, which had Jaime Clarke and Steve Simper top out. They're using the new Everest Supersuit on their climb, so I'm eager to hear out it performed. The Peak Freaks have put a number of their clients on the summit as well, including Carina Raiha, who became the first woman from Finland to climb Everest, ending a rivalry and race with Anne-Mari Hyryläinen, who is climbing with the Altitude Junkies, and was hoping to beat Carina to the summit.

All told, about 60 climbers topped out on Everest today, including Kenton Cool, who claimed his 8th summit of the mountain. Another wave of climbers is expected tomorrow, with roughly 60 more waiting for their opportunity to stand on top of the world tallest mountain. A second major push is expected to come next week, when another weather window will open, and more commercial teams will begin their ascents.

Meanwhile, just next door to all the action going down on Everest, there has been some developments on Lhotse as well. A strong Kazakh team led by Maxut Zhumayev topped out on the mountain yesterday. The weather conditions were reportedly quite good, with little wind as well, just like on Everest. But that isn't the biggest news from the mountain, as another Kazakh climbing star, Denis Urubko, has opened a new route on the mountain from the South Col. According to RussianClimb.com, Denis went solo on the new route when he summitted yesterday as well. All the Kazakhs are back in Camp 2 and resting before going back to BC tomorrow.

Finally, ExWeb is reporting that there has been trouble on Dhaulagiri, where an Austrian team aborted a summit bid last week due to poor weather, but a Chinese team went up in the conditions anyway. The team reportedly reached the summit, but were caught in whiteout conditions on the way down, and things only got worse from there. One member of the team died on the descent, and four others were severely injured, prompting a helicopter rescue to evac the climbers from the mountain. Lets hope there are no more casualties and that everyone makes a speedy and full recovery.

Stay tuned for Everest updates throughout the week. There is sure to be big news from the North Side soon too.

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Himalaya 2010: Action on Annapurna, Push Set To Begin on Shisha

The calendar has flipped to May, which can mean only one thing in the Himalaya –summits ahead!

We'll start on Annapurna, where plenty of climbers topped out last week, including Miss Oh Eun-Sun, the first woman to summit all 14 8000-meter peaks. Tragically, climber Tolo Calafat perished during that same summit push, succumbing to altitude sickness while making his descent. As ExWeb notes, this makes it seven straight years with at least one casualty on the mountain, which has more than earned its reputation as one of the toughest of the 14 to summit successfully.

Still, not everyone is done with Annapurna for the season. ExWeb is also reporting that Korean climber Park Young-Seok, who has summitted all 14 of the big peaks as well, is planning a new route up the South Face along a variation of the Bonnington route. The team hopes to have all their prep and scouting work done in time for a mid-May summit bid.

Moving over to the 26,289 foot Shisha Pangma, it seems teams are preparing to make summit bids this week. Included amongst them is Edurne Pasaban, who is successful, will join Miss Oh as the only women to claim all of the 8-thousanders. Reportedly, she was considering a light and fast alpine ascent, having already acclimatized on Annapurna, to go after the record for herself, but with Miss Oh claiming the crowd, she'll know take a more traditional approach to the climb, possibly joining one of the other teams already on the mountain. Watch for word on Shisha summits in the next few days, and another woman officially joining the boy's club of 8000 meter climbers.

Over on Makalu, teams have fixed ropes and established camps as high as C2 at the moment, and there had been plans to go higher over the weekend, but high winds and cold weather prevented that from happening. Most teams are now looking at a mid-week window for climbing up to Makalu-La at 7400 meters. Once that has been accomplished, they'll return to BC before making the final prep for their summit bids.

Finally, we can't leave out Everest itself. Alan Arnette is reporting that snow hit the Big Hill over the weekend, dumping six inches of the white stuff, and prompting teams to stay put in their tents today. Most are eying tomorrow for their next go up the mountain, with some planning on heading up to Camp 3 for their acclimatization rotation.

This is all pretty much standard fare for this point of the season. Up and down the mountain, acclimatize, wait for a weather window, repeat. We're still a couple of weeks out from any real attempts on the Everest summit, but it won't be long now, weather permitting.

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NG Adventure Looks At Brewing Miss Oh Controversy

Yesterday I mentioned that Korean climber Oh Eun-Sun had successfully topped out on Annapurna, and in the process had become the first woman to summit all 14 of the 8000 meter peaks. In that same story, I also noted Miss Oh's claim to that title was being disputed and that controversy was already afoot over the whole affair.

The National Geographic Adventure Blog has posted a good article that recaps the story and takes a look at this brewing controversy a bit more closely. It seems that Miss Oh's summit of Kangchenjunga last year is the one that is in dispute, as there are no photos showing the Korean woman at the summit. Instead, the only photographic evidence that is being offered is an image that is well below the top. In her defense, Miss Oh says that weather conditions at the summit made it impossible for her to stay their long enough to take a photo.

The Kangchenjunga climb has especially been called into question by Edurne Pasabán, the talented Spanish climber who needs to just knock off Shisha Pangma to complete her list of 8000 meter peaks, something she expects to do in the next couple of weeks. Edurne says she decided to speak out on the subject after her own climbing record was examined and called into question by South Korean television reporters last week.

As if that wasn't enough to cause a stir, Miss Elizabeth Hawley, who is the definitive expert on all things related to climbing in the Himalaya, has weighted in on the topic as well. She says that there is enough doubt cast on Miss Oh's Kangchenjunga summit to warrant an investigation.

In the end, I suppose the mountaineering community will decide.

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Himalaya 2010: Kathmandu Busy, Base Camps Showing Signs of Life

As I mentioned yesterday, the annual descent on Kathmandu has begun, with climbers and trekkers beginning their pilgrimages to the various mountains that have been calling their name over the past few months. Word from KTM is that the city it is busy and bustling at the moment, as our usual cast of adventurers make last minute preparations before heading out to the mountains. \

One team that has been in and out of Kathmandu, and on their mountain of choice, is Edurne Pasaban's Annapurna Squad. For the moment, they remain the only team on the mountain, and have already established themselves up to C2. In fact, the team has been fixing ropes to C3 the past few days, and have been living in Camp 2 since Wednesday, which puts them well along in their acclimatization process. The group is hoping to make an early summit then move over to Tibet to take a stab at Shisha Pangma, grabbing the last two 8000 meter peaks on Edurne's schedule.

ExWeb is reporting that another woman in pursuit of the 8000 meter peaks, Miss Oh Eun-Sun of South Korea, is set to arrive in Annapurna BC this week, after acclimatizing on Tharpu Chuli. Anna is the only mountain left to add to her resume as well.

Meanwhile, the Shared Summits Team is in Nepal and preparing to take on Makalu, the 5th highest peak in the world? The team consists of Chris Warner and Marty Schmidt, who will be attempting a new route on the mountain along the South Face.

The Adventure Dynamics Team is made up of a group of climbers from South Africa who are taking on Everest from the North Side. The team leaves in a little less than a week for Kathmandu, and are in the last minute stages of planning.

Similarly, the Peak Freaks have begun sending updates from their Everest team, with climbers arriving in Kathmandu. The dispatch from today notes that bad weather is once again delaying flights into Lukla and Phablu, another village nearby. Seems like a rocky start to the season, but not unusual for this time of the year, and the mountaineers are in no rush to get to Base Camp at this point anyway.

Hold on to your hats, by next week this time, things will really be getting interesting.

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Himalaya 2010: Annapurna Teams Go For C2

The 2010 Himalaya season is probably still another week or two away from really getting started in ernest, but as I mentioned while back, there are already some teams on the ground in Nepal, with more than a few climbers making their way to Annapurna. ExWeb has an update from that region, with the news that Edurne Pasaban and her team are preparing to go to Camp 2 as early as tomorrow.

Edurne and company have been on the mountain since last week, and have already set up BC and Camp 1. Today they are planning to hike back up to C1 and spend the night, then proceed up to Camp 2 tomorrow, where they'll cache their supplies for the climb ahead. The Spanish climber has just Annapurna and Shisha Pangma left on her list of 8000 meter peaks, and she'd love to knock them both off this season. To do that, she'll need to acclimatize now, and get an early summit on Annapurna, before moving over to Shisha once Tibet re-opens to visitors.

Another woman chasing the glory of being the first female to nab all of the 8000 meter peaks is Korean climber Miss Oh Eun-Sun. She has just Annapurna left for herself, and is now in the process of preparing for that mountain. According to ExWeb she is currently acclimatizing on Tharpu Chuli, also known as Tent Peak, and will join her support team next week to begin the trek to base camp. Miss Oh has become such a celebrity back home that her climb will be broadcast on television there, and reportedly there is a crew of 15 following her from the network alone.

Meanwhile, Kinga Baranowska is back in the Himalaya and on her way to Pumori, which will serve as a warm-up for Annapurna. Currently, she and her "Pan-European" team are enjoying a trek through the Khumbu region, and reached Namche Bazaar a few days back. The all-star team of climbers from across Europe include Piotr Pustelnik and Kinga, both from Poland, Horia Colibasanu of Romania, Peter Hamor from Slovakia, Russians Sergey Bogomolov and Evgeny Vinogradskiy and Joao Garcia from Portugal. As you can imagine, all of those nationalities has led to some interesting language barrier issues amongst the team so far, although they do seem to be getting along well.

So, it seems that for now, Annapurna remains the center point of expeditions in the Himalaya. The 26,545 foot mountain may be the 10th highest in the world, but it is one of the most dangerous and difficult to climb. At this stage of the season, I'm sure there is still plenty of snow on the mountain. Hopefully it'll remain safe in the days ahead.

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Himalaya Fall 2009: Death on Shisha

It has been a tumultuous fall season in the Himalaya with some great climbs and disappointing results, mostly due to the wildly unpredictable weather that is common in the region this time of year. That weather has forced many teams to go home, but a few intrepid expeditions are still there, and trekking to some of the lesser known peaks as we speak.

There was tragic news a few days back from Shisha Pangma, where Italian climber Roby Piantoni fell while on a particularly tricky section of the climb. His team descended to find his body, and then buried on the mountain, but his family has requested that it be sent home, so today, a ceremony was held for him on the mountain, and operations are underway to recover his remains. Several climbers, include Edurne Pasaban, and her Sherpas, are helping in the recovery, which will entail taking his body back to Nepal via Yak due to a ban on helicopter use in the area. With this sad news, I send my condolences to Roby's friends and family in their time of grief.

Australian Andrew Lock finished up his climb on Shisha awhiel back, and in the process, claimed his final 8000 meter peak. That story has been picked up by the mainstream audience back in his homeland, with the media reporting on the expedition and the challenges to his climb. Andrew has already shared his thoughts on his accomplishment, but if you want to read a different account, check out this story over at the Australian Broadcasting Company's website.

Turning away from that sad news, it appears that the Korean team on Annapurna is getting ready to have a second go at the mountain. Reports seem to indicate that they are on the move and will be heading up over the weekend with an eye on reaching the summit on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. If successful, Oh Eun-Sun will become the first woman to summit all 14 of the 8000 meter peaks, so stay tuned for updates on that.

The Climb With Us Team, led by Jaime Clarke continues their trek to Pumori. I've been reminded that you can get updates on the expedition not on from the Climb With Us website but also the Live Out There page too. The expedition is an opportunity for the team to field test some new outdoor gear courtesy of Hanesbrands, before they head to Everest in the spring. It'll be a few more days before they reach BC yet, and then things will get really interesting.

Expect further updates from teams in the region in the days ahead, as Field Touring Alpine, Adventure Consultants, Peak Freaks, IMG, and others all have climbers en route to Pumori, Ama Dablam, and more.

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Himalaya Fall 2009: Over For Edurne, Miss Oh Ready To Go!

More updates from the Himalaya today with some news on the two ladies who have been vying for their place in history on the 8000 meter peaks.

We'll start on Shisha Pangma, where Edurne Pasaban has announced that her expedition is over and that the team is heading home. She reports that weather forecasts are not good, and that they don't look to improve any time soon, so rather than extend the climbing permit, she'll leave the mountain without a summit for the fourth time. Edurne is one of the top female mountaineers who has been working very hard the past few years to become the first woman to summit all 14 8000 meter peaks. She currently stands at 12, with Shisha frustrating her once again.

Meanwhile, over on Annapurna, Korean climber Oh Eun-Sun is about to take another crack at that mountain. Miss Oh has 13 of the eight-thousanders down, and is hoping to claim the title as first woman to summit them all. The only thing that stands in her way is Annapurna and all of it's very substantial challenges. She hopes to begin another push in the next few days, as a weather window seems imminent.

Pumori continues to be a busy mountain, with teams arriving late in the season to give the 23,494 foot mountain a go. The Peak Freaks have announced that they arrived in BC safely yesterday, and are enjoying a rest today, while they organize camp and take a look at the challenges in front of them.

The Climb With Us team is en route to Pumori as well, and have arrived in Namche where they will spend a day acclimatizing. You can read about their progress and the expedition so far on the latest dispatch from team leader Jamie Clarke, which can be found here.

Other teams are closing in on Ama Dablam, with the IMG team having crossed through Namche a few days back and continuing their trek to BC, while the Field Touring Alpine squad has gathered in Kathmandu and are preparing to depart for the Khumbu region in the next few days.

More to come soon I'm sure. Keep an eye on Annapurna for word on the Korean team and Miss Oh's chance to make history.

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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.

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Himalaya Fall 2009: Gearing Up On Pumori and Ama Dablam

There was lots of activity in the Himalaya again this weekend, as weather forecasts are predicting better weather ahead. A number of teams have seized the opportunity to rest up and to move into position to make summit bids in the next few days. Meanwhile, back in Kathmandu, some climbers prepare to go home, while others are just now arriving.

First up, we have news from Apa Sherpa, who I wrote about a few weeks back when it was announced that he would be climbing an unnamed, previously unclimbed peak in Nepal. Fall is an unusual time for Apa to be in the Himalaya, as he makes his home in Salt Lake City these days, but the 19-time Everest summitteer has joined Swiss climber Stephane Schaffter, as well as Pakistani mountaineer Adbul Karim, on this expedition none the less. The latest update from the team says that they have experienced heavy snow fall, like everyone else in the region lately, but they are expecting to launch their summit bid sometime in the next ten days. Stay tuned for more updates soon.

Meanwhile, Andrew Lock has once again updated his blog with the news that he is back in Kathmandu and preparing to go home to Australia. Andrew, who successfully climbed Shisha Pangma, claiming his final 8000 meter peak, discusses the return to the "real world", and says that he is still quite exhausted, but happy to be getting regular warm meals again. He also touches on the end of his quest to climb the world's biggest peaks and thanks his sponsors for helping achieve his goals. What's next for Andrew? He says he has his next climb planned for the spring, but for now we'll have to wait for details.

Things are starting to heat up on Pumori, where the Peak Freaks Team has now had their first blessing from Lama Geshi, which clears the way for the Sherpas to go to work on the mountain. They'll have their Puja Ceremony in BC soon as well, and the climbers will also be allowed to begin their acclimatization process. Follow along with the team through their SPOT Messenger tracking system as they go all the way to the summit.

The Climb With Us Team is also making their way to Pumori and Sara Lingafelter, AKA Rock Climber Girl, is along for the journey and helping report back from the Himalaya. In her latest dispatch, she reports that the team has left Kathmandu and are presently trekking in the Khumbu region, which has definitely left an impression on her, thanks in no small part to the stunning beauty of the mountains.

Finally, the Field Touring Alpine Team began to gather in Kathmandu yesterday, and will be proceeding out to Ama Dablam soon. Several of the climbers are already in the Himalaya and are on one of the numerous trekking routes, already working on their acclimatization no doubt. The rest should depart Kathmandu in the next few days.

That's it for now. We should be hearing more about summit bids in the next few days, with the weather likely being the deciding factor for many teams. Some have been out on their respective mountains for weeks now, and will be forced to give up their climbs should the poor conditions continue.

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Himalaya Fall 2009: Details From Andrew and Ueli

Two of the big name climbers in the Himalaya this fall have posted updates to their websites filling us in on the details of their climbs. Both reached the summit of their respective 8000 meter peaks after some struggles along the way.

First up, Andrew Lock has updated his blog with the details on his summit of Shisha Pangma, which happened to be his 14th, and final, 8000 meter mountain. His tale is a good one, and well worth the read, as he lets us in on the scary nature of climbing up to the true summit amidst weather that was getting worse by the minute, and than played havoc with the descent. Harrowing stuff!

The other update comes from Ueli Steck, who is now home, safe and sound, after his climb on Makalu. Ueli had intended to make a solo, alpine style ascent along the West Pillar, but ended up going after the normal route and claiming a successful summit along the way. Ueli is back in Switzerland now, and starting to return to the routine of his normal life, but is also dealing with frostbite and exhaustion. He says that he has never been tested by a mountain like this one before, and that it was only through his strength of will that he actually stood on top. More good stuff.

While these two amazing climbers are safely down and sharing thoughts on their climbs, others are still preparing to make summit bids as the weather begins to shift in the region. ExWeb is reporting all of the weekend plans for teams looking to get into position for early next week, including Edurne Pasaban who is still hoping to become the first woman to join the list of the 8000 meter club.

ExWeb is also reporting that there is no change in status at this time for teams on Annapurna or Everest. On the former, Miss Oh is hoping to get another crack at the summit as well, so she can stake her claim at 8000 meter history, while on Everest, the Basque team is hoping at another shot at the Hornbein Couloir.

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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.

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Himalaya Fall 2009: Andrew Lock Claims Last 8000m Peak!

The weekend news from the Himalaya begins with Andrew Lock, who reached the summit of Shisha Pangma last Friday, claiming his final 8000 meter peak, and becoming the the 18th person to summit all 14. The details on the climb are still a bit thin, but judging from his latest dispatch, it sounds like things were a bit treacherous on the descent. Andrew reached the true summit on Shisha, along with Neil Ward, but on their way down they were forced to camp, without gear, at 7600 meters. They did return to BC eventually, but have yet to share the details of their harrowing climb. I sense there is a good story here. Congrats Andrew! Well done.

Also on Shisha Pangma is the Summit Climb Team, which I reported last week were having some drama high on the mountain. One of the members of the team, Bart Dirven, had collapsed on the descent, and was having a difficult time making his way down after a successful climb to the Central Summit. Bart was suffering from exhaustion and altitude sickness, but in their latest update, it was reported that the entire team, including Bar, were down safe and sound. Crisis averted!

Meanwhile, over on Annapurna, the Korean team was turned back this weekend due to bad weather conditions high on the mountain. They are all back in base camp now, and plotting another attempt. ExWeb is reporting that they hope to make their next summit bid sometime next week, with an eye on being on top by October 15th, provided they get a weather window to proceed. This has temporarily put a halt to Oh Eun-Sun's attempt to become the first woman to summit each of the 8000 meter peaks.

Over on Dhaulagiri, we have word that there is an Italian team making an attempt on that mountain. There hasn't been a lot of news from Dhaula this fall, but that doesn't mean it is deserted. The Italians went up as high as C3 over the weekend, but were also forced back down due to inclement weather. They hope to make another attempt, weather permitting, later this week.

Finally, teams are clearing out of the Himalaya and heading home. Alpenglow Expeditions returned to Kathmandu on Saturday, and Field Touring Alpine has already vacated the region, but they still found time to post an excellent trip report from their recent climb on Satopanth.

Clearly, the days are numbered on the Fall Season. Winter is not far off, but there are very few climbs during that season.

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Himalaya Fall 2009: Drama on Shisha Pangma

More news from the Himalaya today, this time coming via Summit Climb, who has a team on Shisha Pangma and a client who is struggling on the mountain.

According to the latest dispatch from lead guide Dan Mazur, the team was descending from the summit yesterday after reaching the Central Summit. The reached Camp 3, with everyone exhausted, when team member Bart Dirven collapsed and had to immediately be put on a heightened dose of oxygen. That helped to alleviate the problem to a degree, but Bart seemed to be suffering from the effects of altitude, and the entire team decided to continue down to C2 to try to alleviate the issues.

What followed was a grueling trek further down the mountain. Most of the climbers made it to Camp 2 by 6 PM, but Bart didn't arrive until 1 AM, and was said to have collapsed a number of times on his way down the mountain, where he was escorted by several Sherpas and guides. Upon reaching C2, the team gave him plenty of food and fluids, and he seems to have begun to recover now, although he is still exhausted.

As of this dispatch, he now working his way yet further down Shisha, being short roped by Dan and the sherpas. Hopefully he'll reach BC today where Bart can get some rest and move out of danger. Send some positive thoughts his way and hope for the best.

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Himalaya Fall 2009: Miss Oh A Go For Annapurna Summit!

I know that I already posted an update on the Himalaya today, but ExWeb has posted news from Annapurna, where Korean climber Miss Oh Eun-sun has set off on her summit bid. The story indicates that she is behind her projected schedule, but has gone up to Camp 1 today, and hopes to go to C3 tomorrow with the hopes of topping out this weekend, most likely on Sunday. If she is successful, she'll become the first woman to climb all 8000 meter peaks, knocking off five this year alone.

I want to wish Miss Oh the best of luck. I hope she is taking every precaution in her Annapurna climb, as many consider it the toughest of all the 8000m peaks to summit. She's had a very ambitious hear in the Himalaya, and hopefully discretion will win out over ambition should conditions become dangerous.

ExWeb also reports that the Basque Team on Everest have regained their strength in Base Camp and are now prepared to make another attempt on that mountain. They have been going after the Hornbein Couloir, and were forced down by avalanches earlier in the week, but now feel confident to give it another go. They'll be going to the summit in an alpine style push, and may top out this weekend as well, but more likely it'll be next week.

Finally, the ExWeb article also does a good job of explaining the difference between the Central and Main Summits on Shisha Pangma, both of which I mentioned in my earlier post. The Central is lower than the Main, but many don't make it to the top, as it is a very treacherous climb, especially with snowy conditions. It is an interesting read on the topography of the mountain.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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!

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Himalaya Fall 2009: Climbers Making Progress

More news from the HImalaya, where the weather seems to have improved in general, and the teams are going to work, full steam ahead.

Starting off on Makalu, Ueli has updated us on his progress, and from the sound of things, this is not going to be an easy climb, even for a guy who makes climbing look easy! Over the weekend Ueli made an ascent up to 6700m to take a look at the challenge ahead, as he is planning a solo, alpine style ascent of the West Pillar. What he describes is a very difficult path ahead, and it was enough to make him consider packing up and going home. A good night's rest back in BC helped him recover, but if Ueli was seriously reconsidering, it should say something about the difficulty of this climb. If anyone can do it however, it's probably him.

Progress is continuing on Manaslu according to schedule, with the Altitude Junkies reporting that the entire team has now gone up to Camp 1, with a few going even higher to explore the route to C2, which the Sherpas have finished setting the ropes to. Great weather has made is possible for the acclimatization process to truly get underway, and the team is taking advantage of the window while they can.

Speaking of Manaslu, it seems that it is a popular ski destination this Fall, with two teams, one from Chile, the other from the U.K., both planning on making a ski descent. I know that mountaineering on a big peak like this is inherently challenging, but skiing down one seems even crazier! Fun, but crazy! :)

ExWeb has a host of updates from the region as well, including the news that the Korean team has arrived in BC on Annapurna, where they've already started to go to work. They will be joined next week by Oh Eun-Sun, the climber who will claim the distinction of being the first woman to summit all 8000m peaks if she successfully reaches the summit.

The word from Shisha Pangma is that Carlos Pauner and Javier Perez have departed BC for Kathmandu. Carlos slipped and fell this past weekend while shuttling supplies up to C2, and broke a rib, which has made it painful for him to even breathe. He and his team thought it was best if he returned home to heal rather than try to spend much more time on the mountain.

The Basque Team continues to work the route on Everest's North Side as well, although we haven't heard a lot out of them so far. So far they've spent two nights above 6500 meters on the normal route, and they'll go as high as 7500m while the scout the Hornbein Couloir and complete their acclimatization. Once they are finished with that, they'll begin their real climb, which is up the Couloir itself.

Finally, hopping over to India, the Field Touring Alpine Team is in the midst of their summit bid on Satopanth. The team climbed up to C1 yesterday and are expected to be shuttling gear to C2 today. They'll "climb high and sleep low" however, by returning back to C1 for the evening. If all goes according to plan, they hope to top out around the 21st of the month. Good luck team!

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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.

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