Chad Kellogg Dies While Climbing In Patagonia

There was sad news out of Agentina this past weekend as the news broke that American climber Chad Kellogg has died while climbing in Patagonia. Kellogg was climbing Fitz Roy with and Jens Holsten. The two apparently successfully topped out and were beginning their descent when a rope dislodged a rock that struck Chad in the head. He reportedly died instantly.

The accident occurred late last Friday, but it took Holsten some time to descend safely and walk to the nearest village. The news has slowly filtered out since then and the climbing community is still reeling. Due to the remoteness of the accident, his body will not be recovered.

Kellogg was well known for his speed climbing on Rainier and Denali. Over the past couple of years, he even made a couple of attempt to break the speed record on Everest.  Chad enjoyed climbing remote peaks and opening new routes with a variety of close climbing partners. His legacy will include new routes in the Himalaya, the Andes, and China.

My condolences go out Chad's friends and family.

Himalaya Fall 2013: Last Attempt On Lhotse, Over On Lunag-Ri

Two of the expeditions that we've been following closely this fall season in the Himalaya have come to an end, closing the season at last. With autumn drawing to a close, and heavy snows falling across the region, there will now be a break in the action while we wait for the winter expeditions to arrive on the scene in late December or early January.

One of the late-season expeditions that has been so intriguing this year as been Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb's attempt to summit Lunag-Ri, the tallest unclimbed peak in Nepal at 6895 meters (22,621 ft). When last we checked in with the team, they had retreated from their first attempt after a large chunk of ice or rock had struck Chad in the shoulder, causing an injury that would prevent them from continuing upwards. The boys went back back to Base Camp and regrouped for a second attempt, which proved to be just as challenging in hits own way.

It took them about a week to get organized for another attempt and they set off once again along a different route that they hoped would allow them access to the summit. Temperatures were starting to drop and snow remained an obstacle, but Chad and David were optimistic about their chances. They proceeded upward and were making steady progress when Gottlieb realized that he couldn't feel some of his fingers. Removing his glove, he could see that frostbite was starting to set in and further examination showed that six of his fingers were in danger. It was a simple choice at that point. Time to abandon the climb and return home.

The two men descended back to Base Camp and on November 6 they started their trek back to civilization. For now, Lunag-Ri remains unclimbed and a lure to other mountaineers looking to make a first ascent.


Meanwhile, ExWeb is reporting that the Korean team on Lhotse was making a final "fast and light" attempt on that mountain at the end of last week. The team was turned back on their initial summit bid two weeks ago due to heavy snows. They hoped to give it one more go and if successful, they should have summited over the weekend. There is no news yet on whether or not the succeeded, but considering how uncooperative Lhotse has been this fall, it seems unlikely. If news of the teams success comes my way, I'll be sure to share it here.

ExWeb also has follow-up information on the French climbers who were evacuated from Annapurna a few weeks back. We knew at the time that they were suffering from frostbite, but we didn't know the extent of those injuries. Yannick Graziani suffered only minor issues and is now on the mend but Stephane Benoist is facing much worse problems. He has been flown home to France where his injuries are being treated, but it now seems he'll face the amputation of one of his feet and the tips of several fingers. Thankfully the injuries weren't more life threatening but this was still quite a price to pay.

In a sign of things to come, ExWeb also says that teams are now starting to gear up for the winter season, with one team already aiming for an attempt on Nanga Parbat, one of only two 8000 meter peaks that have yet to be climbed during the winter season, the other being K2. It should be interesting to see what lies ahead.

Himalaya Fall 2013: Update From Lunag-Ri

One of the few remaining expeditions in the Himalaya that we've been waiting on an update from was Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb's attempt on Lunag-Ri, the tallest unclimbed peak in Nepal at 6895 meters (22,621 ft). We do know that the duo set off on a summit push a week and a half back, but we hadn't heard anything of them since. Yesterday Chad posted an update on their attempt and the difficulties the faced trying to reach the top.

After shuttling gear to ABC on Oct. 22, and taking a rest day on the 23rd, the two climbers launched the summit bid on Thursday, Oct. 24. Ahead of them was a 4500-foot (1371 meter) wall that has resisted all attempts in the past. The route is a mix of snow, ice and rock that is difficult under the best of conditions. Unfortunately for Chad and David, these weren't the best of conditions.

Chad goes into more detail about the ascent and the conditions that they faced on the climb. It seems that things were going about as well as could be expected, with the exception of debris falling down the mountain face due to warm sun and strong winds blasting the mountain. At one point, the men took refuge in a bowl that provided some shelter while they waited for the sun to go down and temperatures to cool the mountain. The thought being that it would be safer to climb once everything solidified as the snow and ice froze again. After waiting about two hours, they then continued up the slope.

Even though the temperatures had dropped, the mountain didn't solidify completely. Chunks of rock and other debris continued to rain down on the climbers and at one point they heard something big rip off the face and start to tumble down. It was a large rock that ended up striking Chad in the shoulder and causing a severe, if not serious, injury. The arm wasn't broken, but Chad couldn't raise it above his shoulder and was having a difficult time swinging an ice axe. There was no way to continue up, so they elected to descend, reassess the situation and decide what to do next.

Chad and David made it safely down to Base Camp where Chad's injury was checked out. It seems he's fine, but quite sore. They are now weighing their options and considering making another attempt along a different route. For now, we'll just have to wait to see if that is possible.

Himalaya Fall 2013: Summit Push On Lhotse Underway

The 2013 fall climbing season in the Himalaya just seems to keep on going, despite the fact we keep wanting to declare it finished. Heavy snow across the region has made it a difficult year, particularly in the latter stages. But a few teams are still plugging away and holding out hope for late season summits.

Perhaps the most surprising expedition that is still on going is the Korean team's attempt to climb Lhotse. ExWeb is reporting today that the squad is still on the mountain and has launched their summit bid at last. The team moved up to Camp 3 today and are expected to go to C4 tomorrow with the push to the top to follow shortly thereafter. The report says that the Korean climbers attempted to shuttle gear to Camp 4 a few days back but were turned away by excessive snow. If that is the case, I would expect the upper slopes to be very difficult, making the way to the summit a real challenge. If all goes according to plan, it looks like they'll make the final push this weekend. Lets hope it is a safe climb up and back down.

ExWeb is also reporting news from several expeditions to smaller mountains in Nepal as well. A French team is attempting the 7031 meter (23,067 ft) Saipal in the western party of the country, while another French squad has wrapped up a new route on Gauri Shankar, a 7314 meter (23,996 ft) peak on the border of Tibet. British climbers Mick Fowler and Paul Ramsden were also able to make the first ascent of Kishtwar Kailash a few weeks back. You can read details of their ascent of that 6451 meter (21,164 ft) mountain by clicking here.

Finally, we're all still awaiting word from Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb on their attempt to make a first ascent of Lunag-Ri. It has been ten days since we received the last dispatch and at that time the boys were prepping for a summit push that was to begin on October 25 and should have taken roughly 4-5 days to complete. Given that they expected quite a bit of snow up near the summit, it is possible they are still working the route or making their descent. Hopefully we'll get news from them soon. At 6895 meters (22,621 ft) it is the tallest unclimbed peak in Nepal. Chad and David aren't the only ones attempting the mountain this fall either. There was another team in BC that was a day or two ahead of them in acclimatization and launching their own summit bid.

That's it for now. Hopefully we'll hear more about these last few expeditions in the next day or two. It seems the season will truly wrap up in the next week or so.

Himalaya Fall 2013: Snow Delays Climb On Lunag-Ri

As mentioned previously in my updates on the fall climbing season in the Himalaya, things are definitely winding down across the region. The majority of the expeditions have returned home although a few are still there and attempting to make summit bids on various mountains. Heavy snows are not making it easy however as teams continue to dig out from the massive cyclone that dumped impressive amounts of powder on the mountains last week.

Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb have checked in from Lunag-Ri, the target of their efforts this fall. As you may recall, the mountain holds the distinction of being the tallest unclimbed peak in Nepal with an altitude of 6895 meter (22,621 ft). When last we heard from the boys, they were on there way to Base Camp after just setting out from Namche Bazaar. The trek to BC was relatively uneventful and duo arrived on the mountain where they were greeted by two other climbers hoping to make the first ascent of Lunag-Ri as well. That team had already established Advanced Base Camp further up the slope and were in the process of wrapping up their acclimatization efforts.

All of this happened early last week before the cyclone made landfall, bringing heavy snows along with it. The forecast indicated that the storm could dump fresh powder on the Himalaya for several days, so Chad, David and their companions all settled into their tents to wait. Before long, a full fledged blizzard was hitting the mountain, burying everything in sight, including the tents they were staying in. It was an uphill battle keeping them from collapsing under the weight, but they managed to make it through relatively unscathed. By the time the snow stopped falling it had deposited 4 feet (1.2 meters) on the ground, which has made things difficult to say the least.

Over the weekend the team started shuttling gear up the mountain towards ABC. They made a cache halfway to that point and plan on going all the way up today. They'll build their campsite there, then drop down to fetch the cache tomorrow. After that, it'll be back to BC for a brief rest and then they'll launch their attempt on the summit. Chad estimates that it will take them roughly four days to make the climb. That ascent could start late this week.

It sounds like conditions will be tough all the way to the top, as the boys will be forced to break trail much of the way. They are particularly concerned about how much snow will be on the summit ridge as they approach the top, provided they even get a chance to reach that point. The weather forecast looks much improved for now however, so it seems they'll at least have a shot at topping out.

Stay tuned for updates.

Himalaya Fall 2013: The End Is In Sight

The 2013 fall Himalayan climbing season is rapidly coming to a close now. Most of the teams have wrapped up their expeditions and are now on their way back to Kathmandu as deteriorating weather conditions have spread across the region and effectively shut down most of the summits. But a few high profile expeditions are still taking place even as the end of the season looms ever closer.

Just how bad are the conditions on the big mountains at the moment? From the sound of things, it has gotten incredibly bad at times. For instance, ExWeb is reporting that when Italian climber Danilo Callegari attempted a summit of Shishapangma last week and was turned back before he could reach the top. On the descent he managed to survive a fall into a crevasse and was nearly swept off the mountain not by one avalanche but three. On top of that, he had to survive for three very long days without food as well as he finally made his way back to Base Camp just happy to be alive.

Perhaps the most high profile expedition of them to take place this fall was Ueli Steck and Don Bowie's Annapurna attempt.  As we all know by now, Ueli made a solo summit of the mountain along the South Face late last week but aside from that few details are known. We should get more information soon however as the two men left Base Camp on Friday and started their trek back to Pokhara. It'll take a few days before they arrive there at which time we hope to know more about this amazing effort on the part of the "Swiss Machine." When the news of the climb broke last week I had thought the duo might stay on Annapurna and attempt another summit, after all their permit runs for another month. But it seems they were content with their efforts and are now more than ready to head home.


Over on Lhotse, the Italian and Korean teams are still holding tight and waiting for an opportunity to move up the mountain. Conditions above Camp 2 continue to be bad and the outlook is not good for either team to summit this season. With the weather taking a turn for the worse, there doesn't appear to be any windows to the summit coming anytime soon. But both squads continue to hold out hope even as the clock ticks. The Italian's in particular must feel the pressure as they have just two weeks left on their permit, which has already been extended once this year.

Finally, there has been no word from Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb yet from Base Camp on Lunag-Ri. We do know that they reached Namche Bazaar last week and were expected in BC yesterday. Hopefully they are setting up shop and getting settled into their campsite before they begin the climb itself. You may recall that their objective is to summit the highest unclimbed peak in Nepal, which stands at 6895 meters (22,621 ft). After acclimatizing on a trek for the past two weeks, I'm sure they are more than eager to take a crack at that mountain.

That's it for today. As I mentioned, things are starting to get very quiet now. Soon there will only be a couple of expeditions to cover as fall season nears the inevitable end.

Himalaya Fall 2013: News From Annapurna And Lunag-Ri, Summit Bids Over On Manaslu

We have more news from the Himalaya today as a couple of teams we've been waiting to hear from check in at last. But before we get to those high profile climbs there is also an update from Manaslu where it seems a busy and active season is about to come to an end.

Earlier in the week we knew that a several teams were attempting to summit Manaslu as a window of good weather was expected to appear over the past few days. It turns out the weather did not improve as forecasts indicated and as a result, the teams moving up the mountain had a much tougher time than expected. A dispatch from Adventure Peaks has all the details, but in a nutshell the climber were ascending in thigh-deep snow only to find that Camps 2 and 3 were completely destroyed by heavy snows and high winds. The effort they put in just to rebuild those camps was very taxing and at one point the Sherpas were forced to spend the night in a tent without sleeping bags because their bags had been buried under fresh powder.

Despite those challenges however the team still considered moving higher. But when they left C3 they discovered that the fixed ropes had been buried in snow and ice as well and were unusable. That was the final straw for the expedition with all climbers turning back and descending to Camp 2 safely. With conditions this bad so late in the season, it seems that the Adventure Peaks team will definitely head home and it is likely that others will too. It appears that the end of the season has arrived at last on Manaslu.

Elsewhere however the climbs continue. There have been no further updates from Annapurna, where yesterday we learned that Ueli Steck topped out solo on the mountain's South Face. That is an incredible climb and the entire mountaineering world is waiting to hear more details. At the moment, we believe that Ueli is back in Base Camp with his partner  Don Bowie, but what their next move is remains to be seen. Their permit runs through November 15, so it is possible they will attempt to go up again provided Don is feeling strong and ready to try to reach the top too. For now, we'll all have to wait for more information.
Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb have checked in from their Lunag-Ri expedition at last. Over the past two weeks they have been acclimatizing by trekking through the Rolwaling Valley and into the Khumbu. Along the way they took their time to let their bodies adjust to the altitude while David fought off an infection that was causing him to have a nasty toothache. They've now made their way into Namche Bazaar where they will spend a day or two resting before proceeding up to Lunag-Ri Base Camp. They expect to arrive there tomorrow where they'll begin their climb at last.

That's pretty much the news for today. There are still some major climbs taking place on Lhotse of course but there hasn't been any updates while the teams there wait for improved weather. Time is starting to run short for the Italian squad, whose permits has been extended to Oct. 27, but the Koreans are still getting themselves established. With any luck, we'll hear more on their progress soon too.

Himalaya 2013: Carlos Soria Calls It Quits On Shishapangma

It was a relatively quiet weekend in the Himalaya where most of the major commercial expeditions are starting to wrap up operations. With numerous summits on Manaslu and Cho Oyu, as well as a sprinkling of successful climbs elsewhere, the fall season is rapidly coming to a close for most climbers. But there are still a couple of major expeditions to keep our eyes on as we move ahead thanks to the very high profile climbers who are still searching for their summits.

We'll start today on Shishapangma where 74-year old Carlos Soria has elected to call it quits for another season. You may recall that last week Carlos made a summit bid but was turned back at Camp 3 due to poor weather conditions. While much of the region has enjoyed stable weather all season long, Shishapangma hasn't been so lucky. To date there has been just one summit on the mountain this fall and it doesn't appear that it'll be getting any easier in the days ahead. With that in mind, Carlos pulled the plug and is on his way home, although he says that he is already looking ahead to the spring.

To get an idea of what it is like to climb Shisha, take a look at the video below. It shows Carlos and a couple of his companions trekking up from Camp 2 to Camp 3 on that mountain. You'll get more out of it if you understand Spanish but if you don't, the views are still pretty great.

Elsewhere, the major expeditions that are still ongoing that will receive the bulk of attention moving forward include the Italians, Edmond Joyeusaz and Federico Colli, making an attempt to climb and ski down Lhotse. The last we heard from them they were back in Base Camp, fighting a bit of an illness and regaining their strength before attempting to go up to Camp 2 this week.

I'll also be keeping an eye on Ueli Steck and Don Bowie's attempt at a fall summit on Annapurna as well as Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb's expedition to summit Lunag Ri, the tallest unclimbed peak in Nepal. Neither of those two teams has shared many details from their respective mountains, but hopefully we'll get more dispatches from them soon. For now, we wait to hear about their progress.

Himalaya Fall 2013: More Summits On Manaslu and Cho Oyu

As predicted there has been another round of summits across the Himalaya this week as good weather allowed teams to move up in relatively stable conditions. So far the fall climbing season has gone pretty much by the book with few major issues or problems. There are still some major expeditions under way of course, but it seems that a number of the larger commercial operations are wrapping up their fall itineraries and starting to head home.

It has been a productive season on Manaslu where there have been two major summit pushes within the past week or so. More teams reached the top on that mountain yesterday with Chris Jensen Burke being amongst them. She sent an audio dispatch announcing the team's success and letting friends and family know that everyone had come back down the mountain safely. Her squad was just one of a number of groups to summit yesterday with more expected to top out today.

Over on Cho Oyu there has been a similar level of activity over the course of the season and the past few days. Several commercial squads topped out over the past few days including the IMG team as well as climbers from Amical Alpin and Adventure Peaks. The weather has remained stable on the mountain all through the season, which has helped facilitate safe climbing on the mountain. The most recent summiteers have already returned to Base Camp and are resting up before the trek home.

The weather hasn't remained quite so consistent on Shishapangma however and a number of teams have turned back on their summit bids there. Rich Emerson of the Ski Shisapangma squad turned back on his second summit attempt due to an excessive amount of soft snow around the summit. He was able to get within 450 meters (1476 ft) once again but conditions wouldn't allow him to go any higher. He is now back in BC and intends to wrap up the expedition tomorrow. Meanwhile, 74-year old Carlos Soria  climbed as high as C3 on his summit bid before the weather forced him to retreat as well. He has gone back down the mountain to BC to re-evaluate his choices. Fresh snow and high winds made for poor visibility high on the mountain, which brought an end to summit bids. At least for now.

On Lhotse, the Italian team of Edmond Joyeusaz and Federico Colli continue to have their struggles. The two men went back up to Camp 1 a few days ago and found it in disarray due to recent storms. They rebuilt their campsite and dug out their tent, which was buried in snow both inside and out. They then spent a terrible night there in which Ed was sick once again and Federico's sleeping bag had a broken zipper, which made for a long, cold evening in the tent. They had intended to go up to Camp 2, but with their situation being less than ideal, they moved back down to BC instead. They hope to fix the sleeping bag and we're told that Ed's illness has more to do with food poisoning than altitude, so they'll push back up the mountain in another day or two. Meanwhile, the Korean team that has joined them in BC has built a path through the Khumbu Icefall and is preparing for their first acclimatization rotation soon as well.

Finally, there continues to be no updates from Ueli Steck and Don Bowie on their attempt to climb Annapurna. They checked in a few days back saying they had gone up the mountain to as high as 6000 meters (19,685 ft) but were back in BC at the time. For now, we wait to hear about their plans. Similarly, Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb have yet to check in from Lunag Ri. Presumably they are still en route to the mountain and will begin sharing dispatches once they get settled. At 6895 meters (22,621 ft), that peak is the tallest unclimbed mountain in all of Nepal. It should be interesting to follow both of these expeditions moving forward.

That's all for now. More news from the Himalaya when there is something to share.

Himalaya Fall 2013: Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb Attempting Lunag Ri

While a number of teams are in the middle of a second round of summit pushes across the Himalaya today, I wanted to share another expedition that is on going that will certainly be of interest in the days ahead.

Explorers Web is reporting that Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb have returned to Nepal and have once again set their sites on Lunag Ri this fall. The two men were expecting to arrive in country last week and should be en route to the mountain, and while there have been no dispatches so far, I'm hoping that they'll begin soon.

The 6895 meter (22,621 ft) Lunag Ri has the distinction of being the highest unclimbed peak in Nepal which was a huge lure for Chad and David last year. Unfortunately they never got a real opportunity to make a true summit bid as David fell ill early in the expedition and Chad was unable to complete a solo summit in very dangerous conditions. He did however make the first solo ascent of Jobo Rinjang instead.

Hopefully the team will have better luck this season and actually get the opportunity to test their skills on the slopes of Lunag Ri. You should be able to follow Chad's dispatches by clicking here. With a little luck they should be in Base Camp soon with updates on their progress to commence shortly. If last year is any indication of what to expect, we could see a summit push sometime in early December.

Good luck to both David and Chad!