Himalaya 2014: Summits Across the Himalaya!

As expected, there were a number of summit pushes across the 8000 meter peaks this past weekend, with climbers finding success on several mountains. It was a busy couple of days in the Himalaya, where teams sought to take advantage of a weather window, and top out during a period of relatively calm winds and good all around conditions.

We'll start on Kangchenjunga, where Denis Urubko summited the mountain solo after his teammates turned back out of fear of an unstable approach to the summit. Climbing along the North Face, Denis completed a new route that is a variant of the British Route used in the past. He has already returned to Camp 4, where his teammates, Alex Txikon, Adam Bielecki, Artjom Braun and Dmitri Sinev, were waiting. Alex and Adam had hoped to summit, and traverse down the South Face, but conditions were not good for such an attempt. All members of the team will now head down to Base Camp, and most likely prepare to head home.

On the South Side of Kangchenjunga, ExWeb is reporting that Spanish climber Carlos Soria has also topped out, nabbing his eleventh 8000-meter peak at the age of 75. He was joined on the summit by Italian Marco Camandona and Finnish climber Samuli Mansikka, who topped out without the use of supplemental oxygen.

Jumping over to Cho Oyu, Mike and Matt Moniz successfully topped out on Saturday, right on schedule. They had a very narrow weather window for their summit bid, as high winds are expected back on that mountain today. After setting out at 4 AM, the reached the summit at 11 AM that morning, before descending all the way back down to ABC before taking a rest. The father-son team had originally planned to now travel to the South Side of Everest, and attempt a double-summit of that mountain and Lhotse. With things shut down on the South Side however, we'll have to wait to see if they just head home instead.


Mike Horn and Fred Roux found success on Makalu on Saturday as well. They reached the summit of that 8463 meter (27,765 ft) mountain without supplemental oxygen or high altitude Sherpa support. Fred topped out at about 10:30 AM local time, while Mike followed along at 4:00 PM in the afternoon. That should give you an indication of how good the weather was, at that is late in the day for summit. Both men descended the mountain safely and reunited in ABC.

Other climbers who have reportedly topped out on Makalu this weekend include Serbian climber Dragan Celikovic, Canadians Al Hancock and Monique Richard, Norwegian Arvid Lennard Lahit, and  French alpinist Philippe Gatta with Pasang Gombu.

Not everyone was successful on Makalu however, as ExWeb reports that a team of Indian climbers led by Arjun Vajpai were forced to turn back just 150 meters below the summit due to exhaustion and a lack of fixed ropes going to the top. Other teams were in position to summit yesterday and today, but we'll have to wait for further confirmation on their success.

ExWeb also reports that there were 10 summits on Dhaulagiri this weekend as well, with clients of Seven Summits Treks topping out on Saturday that includes two Chinese climbers Jing Luo and Zhu Gang, Peruvian Rimac Trejo Victor and Nepalese clients Nirmal Purja and Krishna Thapa Magar.

Meanwhile, the climbers on Everest's North Side continue to wait for their turn to come. A weather window is now expected later this week so that rope fixing can be completed at long last. Most teams are now looking at making their summit push starting on Friday and extending into the weekend. We'll just have to wait to see how things play out then.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Himalaya 2014: It is Go Time in the Himalaya!

After weeks of acclimatizing, and days of waiting for a weather window, it appears that it is finally time for the summit season to begin in the Himalaya. All across the region there are reports of good conditions in the mountains, with the high winds that have been buffeting the area quieting down at last. That means it should be a busy weekend on the 8000-meter peaks, where teams have launched their summit bids at last.

We'll start on Shishapangma, where ExWeb is reporting that there have already been successful summits, with more yet to come. A team of four French climbers, Sébastien Moatti, Sébastien Ratel, Antoine Bletton and Max Bonniot topped out on Wednesday via the South Face, and are already safely back in Base Camp. Meanwhile, teams on the North Side of the mountain are on the move as well, and should have a legitimate shot at reaching the summit sometime this weekend.

Over on Makalu, Mike Horn and Fred Roux have launched their summit bid. They climbed up to 6800 meters (22,309 ft) yesterday, and are homing to move up to Camp 2 at 7500 meters (24,606 ft) today. They report that high winds are still making things difficult on the upper slopes, but they expect them to quiet down, and allow for an attempt on the summit on Sunday.


Other teams are on the move on Makalu as well, which is where Chris Jensen Burke is tuning up for an attempt on K2 later this summer. She expects her squad to be heading up this weekend as well, as everyone looks to take advantage of the weather window ahead. There hasn't been an update from Chris in a couple of days, but it is safe to assume that she, along with the rest of her team, are eying a summit on Sunday too.

The team of  Alex Txikon, Adam Bielecki and Dmitri Sinev, Denis Urubko and Artem Braun are looking to open a new route on Kangchenjunga, and after acclimatizing along the normal route on the North Face, they are on the move as well. If everything goes as scheduled, they should top out tomorrow or Sunday, with Txikon and Bielecki looking to descend on the South Side, completing a traverse of the mountain. The team is climbing without supplemental oxygen, or high altitude Sherpa support.

On Cho Oyu, it seems this will be a very narrow weather window, with storms predicted to move in early next week. With that in mind, Mike and Matt Moniz have launched their summit bid, with the hopes of moving quickly to the top, and getting back down before the weather window slams shut. They left Advanced Base Camp yesterday, and should be Camp 2 today, where they'll rest for a brief period before making a push all the way to the summit, which should happen tomorrow morning local time.

Conspicuous with its absence on this update is Everest of course. The North Side has been effectively shut down the past few days due to high winds. The ropes are reportedly fixed up to Camp 3, and Sherpa teams are preparing to install them all the way to the summit, which looks to be finished around the 20th or 21st of the month. After that, teams will begin heading up, and may even be in a position to summit soon after the rope fixing is complete.

On the South Side of the mountain, where the two women climbers are making attempts on Everest and Lhotse, it is impossible to say what their schedule is. Rope fixing needs to be done there as well, and both of the ladies are probably still acclimatizing to the altitude. That story is an evolving one of course, so we'll just have to wait to see how it plays out once they come back down the mountain.

I'll post updates next week with results of these summit bids. Hopefully everyone gets up and down safely this weekend.

Himalaya 2014: Waiting for a Weather Window

It has been a week or so since I posted a general update from the Himalaya. During that time, not much has changed, as most of the teams have been simply waiting for a weather window to open. As the middle of May fast approaches, most of the climbers are now acclimated, and are just biding their time for the right opportunity to come. Over the past week, high winds and snow have been common across the entire region, but that is about to change, signaling the start of summit pushes on several mountains.

We'll start on the North Side of Everest, where roughly 100 climbers are waiting for their opportunity to go up the hill. Rope fixing is complete up to Camp 3, located at 8300 meters (27,230 ft), but high winds are preventing anyone from going any higher at the moment. Until the Sherpa team from the Chinese-Tibet Mountaineering Association can complete the job of installing the ropes, no one will be able to summit. But a weather window is approaching, and most teams are now expecting their summit pushes to begin next week. Expect possible summits on May 21. Until then, the teams are resting in Base Camp.

Over on the South Side, there continue to be reports of guerrilla climbers who are defying the closure of the mountain to make their own attempts on the summit. As previously mentioned, they include American Cleo Weidlich and Chinese mountaineer Jing Wang, both of whom have reportedly chartered a helicopter to fly them to Camp 2, thus avoiding the dangerous Khumbu Icefall. Rumor has it, these two women may not be alone on the mountain. At least not for long. There are some indications that others may try to join them at Camp 2, using the same helicopter. These stories only help to perpetuate what has already been a strange season on Everest. What happens from here will certainly be interesting to watch unfold, and will make a great story for sure.


Elsewhere, Mike Horn and Fred Roux are prepping for their summit bid on Makalu. They've been waiting for a good window for some time as well, and it looks like it'll come late this week. They hope to begin their push on Friday, and summit over the weekend. They had been planning on an alpine style ascent, but considering the delays, and the general schedule at this point, it appears they'll be moving up with the rest of the teams on the mountain. They will climb without the use of supplemental oxygen, or Sherpa support however.

Aussie climber Chris Jensen Burke is also on Makalu, and she reported in from ABC yesterday. She says that her team is ready to go as well, but high winds are keeping them grounded for now. They are eyeing a summit bid this weekend as well however, with the current schedule having the push set to begin on May 14 or 15, with everyone topping out on May 17 or 18. She indicated that rope fixing is nearly complete, and while there are some challenging sections that will need to be overcome along the way, she is feeling confident as she prepares to head up.

Jumping over to Cho Oyu, Mike and Matt Moniz are in a holding pattern as well. The weather has been poor there too, and it looks like it'll only get worse next week. They are now eyeing a narrow weather window which will arrive over the weekend. The winds are expected to die down on the summit on May 17, which may give them the opportunity they need to dash to the top, and get back down. Hopefully they'll be able to achieve their objective in that time frame.

Denis Urubko has posted an update from Kangchenjunga, where he and his team are attempting a new route along the North Ride. After acclimatizing for some time on the standard route, they are now preparing to begin the real work they came to the Himalaya for. The first pair of climber moved up to Camp 1 yesterday, and should push ahead to Camp 3 today. That will put them at 7500 meters (24,606 ft), with some tricky rock faces to overcome. Denis reports that high winds have been an issue there as well, and that they'll need to die down before they can make their true push to the top. As is usual with this team, they are climbing in alpine style, without Sherpa support, and without oxygen.

Finally, a quick note on Annapurna. You haven't heard me mention it much this season, but there were a couple of summit attempts on the mountain a few weeks back. But conditions were once again far too dangerous, and all climbers were turned back before they could reach the top. Those expeditions then picked up their gear and left Base Camp, determining that Annapurna was simply too dangerous to climb this spring. This is the second year in a row without any successful summits on this mountain during the spring. Last year, there were several summits during the fall, so we'll have to wait to see if success can be found there once again.

That's all for now. More soon.

Himalaya 2014: The Season Continues Away From Everest

With the South Side of Everest shut down, the news from the Himalaya will be a bit more sporadic and quiet as compared to other years. But now that the shock of the events that occurred on the Big Hill has started to wear off, everyone is getting back to work on the various 8000 meter peaks across the region. The season is still progressing, and there is much to report, even if it doesn't involve the tallest mountain in the world.

On Makalu, a summit push is underway. Mike Horn and Fred Roux set out from ABC yesterday, and hope to make camp at 7500 meters (24,606 ft) today. Once there, they plan to rest for a day, before continuing up to 8000 meters (26,246 ft) on Thursday. If they reach that point, they'll rest again, then make an attempt on the summit this weekend. Stay tuned for progress reports.

Also on Makalu is Chris Jensen Burke, the Australian climber who is tuning up for K2 this summer. Her most recent dispatch was from Advanced Base Camp last week, where she and her team were waiting for the weather to clear. They had just completed their Puja ceremony, and were preparing for their first rotations up the mountain as they began to acclimatize. She also touched on how the tragedy on Everest had impacted the Sherpas on her team as well.


Jumping over to Cho Oyu, Matt and Mike Moniz have been acclimatizing above Camp 1, where they are making solid progress. Daily storms have been hitting the mountain in the afternoon, but otherwise the acclimatization process has been going as smooth as possible. Their initial plan was to top out on Cho Oyu, located in Tibet, then move back across the border for an attempt on Everest and Lhotse. Obviously those plans are now changed after the shift in climate on the South Side.

Over on Kangchenjunga, the team of Denis Urubko, Alex Txikon and Adam Bielecki have started acclimatizing for their attempt at a new route along the North Face. Once fully prepared, they'll attempt an alpine style accent, without the use of oxygen or Sherpa support. The 8586 meter (28,169 ft) mountain is the third tallest in the world, and a considerable challenge along standard routes. Attempting a new route is one of the boldest climbs we'll see this spring.

ExWeb has posted brief updates from several Himalayan peaks, including Annapurna. They report that Norwegian climber Tore Sunde-Rasmussen came within 1000 meters (3280 ft) of the summit, before turning back this past weekend. He has now left the mountain and is on his way back home. Conditions are said to be difficult and dangerous again on Annapurna this spring, which is a notoriously difficult climb under the best of conditions. Last year, it was so bad that no one reached the summit during the spring season at all.

Also, Horia Colibasanu and Peter Hamor are currently back in BC following an acclimatization rotation on Shishapangma last weekend. They'll make a push up to Camp 3 in the next few days, weather permitting. They had intended to use Shisha as a warm-up for Everest, which they had hoped to do sans bottled oxygen. Now, they'll hope for a summit here, before going home.

That's a rundown of some of the things happening in the Himalaya at the moment. Watch for more updates in the days ahead.

Himalaya 2014: Progress Reports From Other Mountains

While hearts are heavy with the news from Everest today, climbers on other peaks have been checking in with progress reports as well. Much like the teams on the Big Hill, they are mostly just getting underway, and starting their acclimatization process. But with the season starting to roll, there will be more things to report soon.

Denis Urubko and his team, which includes, Artem Brown, Adam Bielecki, and Alex Txikon, are on their way to Kangchenjunga where they will soon begin their attempt of a new route on the North Face of that mountain. At 8586 meters (28,169 feet) in height, it is the third tallest peak in the world, behind only K2 and Everest. It is also a considerable challenge to climb no matter which route you choose. After acclimatizing in the region, Denis and company will attempt an alpine style ascent, without Sherpa support at altitude. They should arrive in Base Camp this weekend.

Mike Horn and Fred Roux are now in BC on Makalu, where they'll be attempting an alpine style ascent as well. They'll also being going up without Sherpa support, and sans bottled oxygen. They are just starting to get settled into place, and haven't posted too many updates just yet, but expect to hear more from them soon. Makalu is the fifth tallest mountain in the world, standing 8481 meters (27,825 ft) in height.

Aussie climber Chris Jensen Burke has her sights set squarely on Makalu this spring as well, and should arrive in Base Camp today. She reports heavy snow on the trail, but BC is said to have no powder at the moment. This will serve as a warm-up for other things to come. This summer, Chris will head to Pakistan to attempt K2.

Finally, Mike and Matt Moniz are on Cho Oyu, where they are acclimatizing for their first 8000 meter peak of the year. The father and son team (Matt is just 16 years old), are attempting to put together a Himalayan triple-header this spring. Once they wrap up their climb in Tibet, they'll jump back across the border to Nepal, where they'll attempt Everest and Lhotse as well. They report that things are going great so far, and their first rotations have been successful ones.

Everest 2014: Teen Goes For Triple-Header, New Route On Kangchenjunga

As mentioned earlier in the week, it is a busy time in Kathmandu, where the climbing teams are now arriving ahead of the official start of their expeditions. Nepal's capital is a bit chaotic anytime of the year, but that is even more true now. Most are still organizing their gear and planning the last minute logistics of their adventure, while also trying to relax before they have to truly go to work. Over the next couple of months, we'll be sharing their stories as we follow along with their progress.

One climber that you'll be hearing a lot about in the weeks ahead is Matt Moniz. At the ripe old age of 16, Matt is already a veteran climber who has summited Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Aconcagua, and Denali. A few years back, he and his dad Mike reached the highest point in each of the 50 U.S. states, accomplishing that task in just 43 days, and earning Matt the honor of being named one of National Geographic's adventurers of the year. Since then, his passion for the mountains has only grown, and this spring he'll attempt his first 8000 meter peak. Well, technically he'll attempt three of them.

Matt and Mike will head to Nepal next week, where they will begin an ambitious expedition. They'll first travel to Tibet where they'll acclimatize and test teen's skill on Cho Oyu, an 8201 meter (26,906 ft) mountain that is considered one of the easier 8-thousanders, if you can call any of them easy. If all goes according to plan, they'll summit around mid-May, then transfer back to Nepal, where they'll travel to Everest Base Camp on the South Side. From there, they'll have a go at the 8848 meter (29,029 ft) summit of Everest. If successful on the tallest mountain on the planet, and conditions are right, they'll then try to summit nearby Lhotse (8516 meters/27,940 ft) as well. Since Everest and Lhotse share much of the same route, they hopefully won't need to descend back to BC, but can link up both summits in a single push.



Whether or not they'll be successful has yet to be seen, as a number of factors such as weather and health, will have an impact. Last year, Mike was able to bag both Everest and Lhotse however, and that experience will prove invaluable on this expedition as well.

On a personal note, I had the pleasure of meeting both Mike and Matt in person at last year's Outdoor Retailer show. They are incredibly down to Earth, humble individuals who simply love to climb. I am wishing them the very best on this big adventure, and I'll be following their progress all the way. If there is one young man who is capable of pulling off this triple header in the Himalaya, it is Matt, and I look forward to reading about their progress.

While the mountaineering community will be squarely focused on Everest in the days ahead, it won't be the only big Himalayan peak to see action this spring. In fact, some of the more interesting climbs will probably be taking place away from the Big Hill, as top mountaineers look to avoid the large crowds that are now associated with climbing the tallest mountain on the planet. Take for example, Denis Urubko, who will be leading a team at they attempt a new route on Kangchenjunga, the third highest mountain on the planet at 8586 meters (28,169 ft).

Denis will be joined by Artem Brown, Adam Bielecki, and Alex Txikon on this adventure, in which they'll be trying to open a new line up the mountain's North Face. This experienced and talented team will have their work cut out for them, as Kangchenjunga is no easy mountain to climb, and can be very dangerous when conditions are poor. But each of them is looking to put a challenging 2013 behind them and try something new in the Himalaya this spring. They'll likely travel light and could possibly even attempt an alpines style ascent. Their expedition will be another one that I'll be keeping a close eye on this spring.

Good luck to everyone traveling to Nepal in the next few days. Be safe and enjoy a bit of calm before the hard work begins. You'll be on the mountain soon enough.

Himalaya 2013: Kangchenjunga Claims Five Lives

Now that the dust is settling on Kangchenjunga, more information is filtering out about what happened there over the past few days. While there is news of multiple successful summits, it seems that the mountain has also claimed the lives of five people, making it one of the most deadly seasons in recent memory.

Yesterday I reported that Hungarian climbers Zsolt Eross and Peter Kiss had spent the night without tents or sleeping bags at 8300 meters (27,230 ft) following a successful summit bid. The two men had been in touch with the support team and were letting them know that they were on the move, although it was slow going. At the time, they were attempting to reach Camp 4 to rest and collect supplies, but after that they lost contact and haven't been seen or heard from since. What happened to them remains unknown, but considering Kangchenjunga is one of the deadliest mountains in the world, it seems likely that they perished while trying to descend.

Unfortunately, Eross and Kiss weren't the only casualties on the mountain. An avalanche swept Korean climber Park Nam Su, as well as Phurba and Vivas Sherpa from the mountain. This incident apparently occurred higher up the slopes as another avalanche blew through Camp 2, causing damage there but not killing anyone. Like Annapurna, Kangchenjunga is notorious for its powerful and unpredictable avalanches.

ExWeb is reporting that 11 people reached the summit of Kangchen on Monday, May 20. In addition to Eross and Kiss, Iranian climber Raza Shahlai and Mingma Gyalje Sherpa topped out. There were two Korean climbers not far behind them. Catalonian climber Oscar Cadiach and Italian Mario Vielmo also topped out, as did Korean alpinist Kim Hong-bin. These successes have to be bittersweet at this point however, considering the number of climbers who turned back, as well as those who have lost their lives in the pursuit of the summit.
On Dhaulagiri Polish climber Pawel Michalski has returned to Camp 3 after making a final summit push. His website doesn't give much information but it does say that he reached 8100 meters (26,574 ft). If that is true, that means he came up just 67 meters (220 ft) short of the summit. It is always difficult to turn back when your objective is so close, but with weather conditions deteriorating rapidly, those final 67 meters could have been the difference between survival and struggling to get down alive. It appears that his expedition is over and Pawel will return to BC and then head home.

The outlook is better on Makalu, where Kinga Baranowska and Rafal Fronia have now reached Camp 4. As of their last dispatch, the duo were resting and preparing for their summit push. If all goes according to plan, they should be on their way to the top today. The wether is reportedly good, although winds are still of concern.

Finally, the word from Cho Oyu is that high winds kept teams in place earlier in the week but they should be on the move again now. A weather window was expected to open starting yesterday, which means teams could be on a summit push now. We'll have to wait for confirmation on success or failure from that mountain soon.

More updates to come as we get news.

Himalaya 2013: Trouble On Kangchenjunga

As the final days unfold on Everest as similar drama is playing out on other mountains across the region. The summit push is on for many climbers who are now also racing the clock to beat what appears to be an impending shift in the weather. If that shift comes, it could mean that the entire Himalayan season will be over. The Monsoon is now just days away.

We'll start on Kangchenjunga today, where ExWeb is reporting that there is a difficult story still unfolding. Hungarian climbers Zsolt Eross and Peter Kiss topped out on the 8586 meter (28,169 ft) peak – the third tallest in the world – on Monday. This a mountain with a fearsome reputation however, which they discovered on their descent. Exhausted from their climb, the two men were moving incredibly slowly and were forced to spend a night at 8300 meters (27,230 ft), most likely without a tent or shelter of any kind. Yesterday morning they told their home team that they were back on the move and feeling a bit better, but were still struggling to make progress. What has become of them since then is unknown, although it is believed that they may have been able to descend to Camp 4. Keep your fingers crossed. This is an evolving story at the moment and getting down from C4 will be no easy task.

And if things couldn't get any worse, there also appears to have been an avalanche on the mountain as well, which may have claimed the lives of Korean climber Park Nam SU and his Sherpa guide Phurba. That story is still coming out as well, but the news is that they are lost too.

Carlos Soria and Oscar Cadiach have abandoned their attempt on Kangchenjunga, coming up just short of the summit a few days back. Both men have returned to BC where they are resting before going home. High winds and some logistical issues kept them from reaching the summit, but they feel confident that they gave it their best shot and made the right decision in turning back.

Update: It seems Oscar did indeed summit Kangchenjunga on Monday and successfully returned to BC today. Oscar's partner Lluis Rafols turned back below the summit however. There are few details at this time, but congratulations to Oscar on completing this tough climb!

The Italian team that includes Annalisa Fioretti did manage to find some success, putting Mario Vielmo on the summit. It is unclear if anyone else on the team was with him at the time, but the entire group is back in BC and preparing to go home too. Update: Annalisa dropped me a note to let me know that while she did not summit, she did reach 8370 meters (27,460 ft) which is a new record for an Italian woman on Kangchenjunga.

Jumping over to Makalu, Kinga Baranowska and Rafal Fronia spent an extra day in Camp 2 yesterday in an attempt to let winds die down near the summit. They hope to move up to C3 today, which would put them in a position to summit tomorrow if all goes well. There is still now word from Don Bowie however. He is also on Makalu and presumably part of any current summit pushes.

Finally, Polish climber Pawel Michalski was unable to go for the summit of Dhaulagiri yesterday due to hurricane force winds. He was hoping to give it a shot today, although there has been no word yet on whether or not that was possible. In his most recent dispatch, Pawel says that this is the final chance. Hopefully he is on his summit push now and all is proceeding according to plan.

More updates soon.

Himalaya 2013: Kenton Cool Goes For Triple Header, Climbers Make Summit Bids

While everyone was obviously focused on Everest this past weekend as the big push truly got underway, there was plenty of action elsewhere in the Himalaya as well. Numerous teams are now on the move and have set their sights reaching their respective summits. The good weather is holding across the region, giving everyone an opportunity to realize their goals at last.

One man who came to the Himalaya with some serious goals this season is Kenton Cool. With ten previous Everest summits under his belt, Kenton wanted to do something a little different this year and over the weekend he launched an unprecedented attempt at a Himalayan triple header. On Friday, Kenton successfully topped out on Nuptse, a 7861 meter (25,791 ft) mountain that sits in the shadow of Everest on the South Side. He followed that up on Saturday with his 11th summit of Everest, which gave him two of the three summits that he is pursuing. Currently he is on his summit push for Lhotse, the 8516 meter (27,940 ft) neighbor to Everest. There has been no update yet as to whether or not he reached the top of that mountain, but hopefully news will come later today. He may also be caught up in the drama that I mentioned earlier, in which a climber on Lhotse is being assisted down by a group of Sherpas. Lets keep our fingers crossed that Kenton and the unnamed climber are doing well.

Speaking of Lhotse. Since the weather was good on Everest this weekend it was also exceptional on Lhotse as well. This allowed a number of commercial teams to top out, including members of Himex, IMG and Adventure Consultants, amongst others. While not nearly as crowded as the Big Hill, Lhotse saw its fair share of traffic the past few days as well.

Polish climber Pawel Michalski has moved up to Camp 2 today on his summit push on Dhaulagiri. He reports tough going so far but expects the weather to improve over the next few days. He's on schedule to top out on Wednesday, provided conditions hold steady or continue to get better.

On Makalu, Kinga Baranowska and Rafal Fronia are on the move today heading up to C2 on that mountain as well. They've accelerated their summit plans do to improving weather and are now looking to top out Wednesday too. No word from Don Bowie on whether or not he'll take advantage of the shift in conditions and begin his summit push too.

Things aren't going well on Kangchenjunga for Carlos Soria. His home team indicated that Soria's team ran out of rope on the way to the summit and he was unable to complete his climb. There is some talk of cooperation with another team on the mountain to finish getting the ropes into place, but after climbing as high as 8300 meters (27,230 ft), the 72-year old Soria has now reportedly returned to Camp 4 where he is resting. Whether or not he'll be able to take another crack at the summit remains to be seen.

Also in Camp 4 on that mountain is the Italian team that includes Annalisa Fioretti. It has been slow going on the summit push and the group, which is climbing without supplemental oxygen, may be currently resting at 7500 meters (24,606 ft). If they can regain some strength, their next push could take them to the top, provided their ropes are in place allowing everyone to go up. The weather has been changing rapidly, so they're keeping an eye on that situation too.

Raul Corominas and Peter Herms were attempting a summit of Manaslu but high winds and heavy snowfall has forced them back down the mountain. They are now in Camp 3 where they are resting and waiting for another opportunity. If things improve, and they have the strength, they plan to head up to C4 tomorrow and hopefully summit on Wednesday. This is their second thwarted summit attempt and the men are getting physically and mentally exhausted. They may not have the stamina to go one more time.

Finally, there is a summit push underway on Cho Oyu by an unknown team as well. According to ExWeb, the squad set out for Base Camp on Saturday with the hopes of topping out tomorrow. It has been an incredibly tough year on the mountain which saw four teams arrive this spring and three of them depart early. This final unit has been hit hard with illness and has reduced numbers, but they are pressing ahead none the less. Due to the incredibly bad conditions on Cho Oyu this spring, no team has yet to go above C3. Hopefully the weather will improve to give this last team a shot at the top.

More updates coming soon.

Himalaya 2013: Teams On The Move!

Just as the teams on Everest are on the move today to take advantage of the shifting weather patterns across the Himalaya, the climbers on other mountains in the region are hoping to make their summit bids as well. Many of them have been dealing with high winds for the past few weeks too and now that that those winds are dissipating at last, the climbers are eager to begin their ascents.

On Lhotse, most of the teams are following the same pattern as their friends on Everest. You may recall that the the two mountains share the same camps from BC up to C3. From there the routes diverge with those heading to the top of Lhotse taking a sharp right as they proceed up to their own Camp 4. High winds have kept that summit out of reach for now, but this weekend it should become accessible. Expect several teams to top out in the next few days.

On Dhaulagiri, Polish climber Pawel Michalski has begun his summit push. After being confined to BC  by bad weather, he was certainly eager to get going. He launched his bid on Wednesday, saying that his health and spirits were good. He now expects to summit on either Sunday or Monday (May 20-21) depending on the weather.

On Makalu the teams are still in BC waiting for the shift in weather to turn in their favor. News of the passing of Alexey Bolotov has reached that mountain as well, where Don Bowie has written a few brief words about his friend. As I've mentioned in earlier posts, Alexey was a very well known and highly respected climber and his death has had an impact on this Himalayan season and will likely to continue to do so for seasons to come.

Spaniard Carlos Soria has launched his summit bid on Kangchenjunga. He set out from Base Camp earlier today and will now spend the next few days getting into position to top out. If all goes according to plan, he should summit sometime early next week. If successful, it will be the 72-year old's 12th 8000-meter peak.

The Italian team that includes Annalisa Fioretti will set out for the summit of Kangchenjunga today as well. Their forecasts indicate improving weather all around and they are now eyeing a summit attempt on the 20th, provided things continue to improve. The entire team will be attempting their climb without the use of supplemental oxygen.

News of Alexey's death has arrived on this mountain as well, as Oscar Cadiach learned of his fate prior to the launch of his own summit bid. It seems he'll be following a similar path as the others and will look to top out early next week.

There have been no updates from Kenton Cool since he launched his attempt at the Himalayan Triple Header earlier this week. In his last dispatch, Kenton was heading up to Camp 2 on Everest, where he was going to decide which of the summits he would go for first. You may recall that he hopes to bag Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest all in one push. The weather was expected to be the deciding factor on whether or not that was possible. We'll just have to wait until he is back in communications range to find out how many – if any – of those summits he actually managed to reach.

Speaking of Nuptse, it seems that the route to the top of that mountain was finally set in place earlier this week and since it sits so close to Everest we can expect summit attempts there this weekend as well. That includes the all-women's team with Bili Bierling that is climbing under the Himex permit.

Finally, ExWeb is reporting that during a summit bid on Shishapangma last week a climber passed away due to HAPE (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema). Apparently the team, which was being led by Thomas Laemmle, were all turned back from the Central Summit due to bad weather. A German member of the group took ill and Thomas elected to stay with him while the others moved down. But after an extended stay at altitude, the team leader began to take ill as well, so they two slowly descended. Thomas showed signs of HAPE too, but fortunately he received medication and treatment in time. The other climber, who is unnamed in the report, passed away shortly there after. Sad news indeed. Again, condolences to friends and family of the fallen.

More updates from across the Himalaya next week.

Himalaya 2013: Summits On Lhotse And Shishapangma

Moving away from Everest for now, there has been a host of activity across other peaks in the Himalaya these past few days as well. Weather has been an issue for the entire region, but a few climbers have been lucky enough to bag their summits while others continue to toil away and wait for their opportunity to move up.

Yesterday was a big day on Lhotse, the fourth highest mountain on the planet and Everest's neighbor. While the ropes to the summit on the Big Hill were completed last Friday, there were still a couple of hundred meters to go to finish that job on Lhotse. That work was wrapped up by a team consisting of climbers with the Himalayan Ascent squad as Chris Jensen Burke, Chirring Sherpa, Lakpa Sherpa and Pasang Sherpa fixed the final ropes to the top. Their efforts not only gave them the honor of the first Lhotse summits of the season, they have now paved the way for other climbers to follow after them.

The weather cleared on Shishapangma late last week, allowing a number of climbers to top out on the 8013 meter (26,289 ft) peak. ExWeb reports that Fabrizio Silvetti, climbing with Asian Trekking, reached the Central Summit on Friday as did climbers from Kobler & Partner.  Two other climbers with Asian Trekking – Austrian Zoltan Benedek and Batmanlai Ulzli-Orshikh of Mongolia – also summited but whether or not they made the Central or Main Summit remains unclear. Benedek is now moving on to Everest North Side to attempt a Himalayan double-header.

Over on Makalu, Kinga Baranowska and Rafal Fronia have now established their Camp 3 at 7450 meters (24,442 ft) and Sherpa teams have been working on Camp 4 at 7900 meters (25,918 ft). Having spent the night at C3, the duo are acclimatizing nicely and feel like they are strong enough for a summit bid soon. High winds are making that impossible at the moment and the forecast doesn't look good for the next few days. They'll likely now return to Base Camp and wait for conditions to improve. A summit bid could come early next week.

Oscar Cadiach is now ready for a summit push on Kangchenjunga. He and his climbing partner spent some time off the mountain trekking throughout the region while they waited for their health and the weather to improve. They went in search of the elusive snow leopard and came up empty, but did have a wonderful time at lower altitude before returning to BC. A weather window is expected to open on Thursday and they'll proceed up then. This could be a very narrow window, so they wanted to take advantage of it while they can. On a mountain such as this one, this could be the only chance they get to reach the summit.

Italian climber Annalisa Fioretti is on Kangchenjunga as well and is back in Base Camp following a trip up to Camp 2 and 3. She reports poor weather continues with winds and lots of fog. The team will be attempting their climb without oxygen and they are getting eager to move up, but as elsewhere in the Himalaya, the weather will determine when that will happen. Annalisa reports, via her home team/husband Luca, that a team of six climbers and three Sherpas are making a summit bid right now, but after several days on the mountain, there has been no word about the progress. Lets keep our fingers crossed that everyone is okay.

Finally, Polish climber Pawel Michalski continues to sit and wait in BC on Dhaulagiri. Bad weather, with hurricane force winds, is keeping him at the base of the mountain while he waits for things to improve. There have been few updates in the past few days, but presumably his weather window could come at the end of the week as well, allowing him to begin a summit push too. We'll just have to stay tuned to see if that happens.

It is now the clam before the storm in the Himalaya. If all goes according to schedule, in two days time there will be a lot of teams, on a lot of mountains, back on the move.

Himalaya 2013: High Winds Across The Region, Summit Push Begins On Dhaulagiri

While everything has come to a standstill on Everest, I thought it was best to check how things are progressing on some of the other mountains across the region. Turns out high winds are pretty much the hot topic everywhere as climbers struggle to complete the acclimatization efforts ahead of eventual summit pushes ahead. But for now, many of them are stuck in Base Camp, just like their brethren over on the Big Hill.

There is good news from Pawel Michalski, the polish climber who is attempting the 8167 meter (26,795 ft) Dhaulagiri. After waiting out some nasty weather last week, it seems things have taken a turn for the better. Michalski launched his summit bid yesterday, arriving in Camp 1 at 5800 meters (19,028 ft). He reports that snow conditions are good and that the forecast is favorable for him to continue up the mountain. With any luck, he'll be topping out late this week. Good luck to Pawel and his team.

Unfortunately, nearly everyone else is reporting bad weather that is preventing them from moving higher. For instance, Kinga Baranowska reports that she and her climbing partner Rafal Fronia are back in BC on Makalu. They have managed to establish Camp 2 at 6670 meters (21,883 ft) and have carried a load of gear up to the location of C3 at 7200 meters (23,622 ft). Those efforts have helped with acclimatization, but high winds have now forced them down. The forecast for the next few days remains sketchy as well and it looks unlikely that they'll be able to move back up before the weekend at the earliest.

Also on Makalu this spring is Don Bowie, who will also be returning to Base Camp today, although he'll be coming from the other direction. In his latest dispatch, Don says that just as he was getting ready to begin the actually climbing part of his expedition he got ill from a bug going around BC. He was so sick in fact that he temporarily abandoned the mountain in favor of the village of Yanglekharka, which is found down the valley at 3962 meters (13,000 ft). Don spent four nights in the tiny settlement as he let his body get healthy once again. With his strength finally returning, he's heading back up to truly get his expedition started, but with the high winds in place, it may be tough to make much progress in the next few days.

The winds are keeping 72-year old Spaniard Carlos Soria in Base Camp as well. The grizzled veteran of numerous climbs in the Himalaya is on Kangchenjunga where he is looking to nab his 12th 8000-meter peak. Updates from Nepal indicate that Carlos is in BC and watching the weather. When the winds shift sometime in the next few days, he'll launch his summit bid at last.

Oscar Cadiach is also Kangchenjunga this spring and managed to establish Camp 3 on the mountain. But his team also reports nasty winds that are keeping them in Base Camp where they occupy their time playing cards and chess or just about anything else that will keep their mind off of the work that still lies ahead. Forecasts indicate improvements are coming on Friday, Oscar and his companions will look to be on the move again then.

Italian climber Annalisa Fioretti and her team have returned to BC on Kangchenjunga too with the same reports of extremely high winds on the mountain. After establishing Camp 3 at 7000 meters (22,965 ft) earlier in the week, the group now waits for a weather window too. The entire team is attempting the climb without the use of supplemental oxygen, so they are being cautious about when they begin their ascent.

Finally, the news from Lhotse obviously mirrors what is taking place on Everest. The lines are now fixed up to Camp 4 and the Sherpa teams are expected to finish placing the ropes up to the summit by Friday. After that, the road will be clear for the climbers to begin their ascents. A narrow weather window is expected to open this weekend, but I suspect most of the Lhotse climbers will delay until a second – longer – window is set to open sometime next week.

That's all for now. The winds are dictating when anyone can move at the moment, so like these teams, we mostly sit an wait.

Himalaya 2013: More Teams Prep For Altitude

While the teams on Everest move up and down the slopes acclimatizing, the Sherpas are busy continuing their rope fixing. Yesterday they reached Camp 4 on both Everest and Lhotse, and it is now believed that they'll reach the summit by Sunday or Monday at the latest. Elsewhere across the region, climbers are going about their business on other mountains as well as they play the waiting game, continue to prepare their bodies for the thin air and keep one eye on the weather.

Over on Kangchenjunga, the incomparable Carlos Soria is working on his 12th eight thousand meter peak. The 74-year old Soria is currently in Base Camp on the mountain, which is the third tallest in the world at 8586 meters (28,169 ft). He has already acclimatized up to Camp 1 however, which is located 6600 meters (21,653 ft). He'll head back up the mountain this weekend as he prepares for a summit push in a few weeks time. If successful here, he'll have just Dhaulagiri and the always difficult Annapurna to add to his resume.

Speaking of Dhaulagiri, Polish climber Pawel Michalski is in a holding pattern while he waits for the weather to improve. He reports high winds high on the slopes are preventing any kind of summit push at the moment. The forecast calls for improved conditions after the weekend, so perhaps he'll have a crack at the top sometime early next week.

Kinga Baranowska and Rafal Fronia have moved up to Camp 2 on Makalu as they continue their acclimatization efforts. the weather forecast on that peak calls for unstable conditions in the days ahead and temperatures have been cold recently. But the weather isn't bad enough to keep the climbers off the mountain and they're taking any opportunity they can in order to get their rotations in.

Don Bowie is also on Makalu and doing his best to get ready for the eventual summit push as well. In his latest dispatch he shares the second part of his journey into Base Camp. He notes that the mountain looms over the climbers in BC, giving them both a beautiful and terrifying view of the summit. A place that he knows he'll eventually be trying to reach.

On Lhotse the climbers looking to scale that peak should be heading up to Camp 3 this weekend as part of their rotation. With the ropes now fixed to C4, the anticipation of what is to come must be palpable. Once the Sherpas are finished running the lines to the summit of Everest, they'll turn their attention to Lhotse as well. It should take just another couple of days to wrap up that work, and then the summit pushes can begin there as well.

Back on Everest itself, we have word today that Denis Urubko has rejoined his teammate Alexei Bolotov in Base Camp after spending some time resting down in the Khumbu Valley. The two men intend to go back up to 7000 meters (22,965 ft) to acclimatize a bit longer. After that, they intend to launch their alpine style, no oxygen attempt along a new route on the Southwest Face.

Good luck to everyone climbing this weekend. Stay safe!

Video: To The Summit Of Kangchenjunga

At 8586 meters (28,169 ft) in height, the mighty Kangchenjunga is the third tallest mountain on the planet. Falling on the border of Nepal and India, the mountain actually consists of five massive summits, each of which is a challenge to climb. The video below was shot by mountaineer Tunc Findik when he summited the mountain back in 2011. It gives us all a good look at what it is like to climb this monster which is amongst the more challenging, but lesser known, 8000 meter peaks.

KANGCHENJUNGA 8586 m.-Tunç FINDIK 2011 SUMMIT AT KANCHENJUNGA! from nurdem on Vimeo.

Himalaya Fall 2012 Update: Arrivals

Last week I mentioned that we were on the verge of the start of the 2012 fall climbing season in the Himalaya and linked to a couple of expeditions that were ready to get underway. Since then more climbers have been arriving in Kathmandu and have set out for their respective Base Camps. It seems it is shaping up to be a relatively busy season, by fall standards, in the mountains.

One peak that won't be busy this autumn is Cho Oyu. The Adventure Consultants had planned to lead a team to the 8201 meter (26,906 ft) mountain but China has extended their closure of the border, forcing climbers to go elsewhere. As a result, the AC squad is now headed to Manaslu (8156m/26,759 ft). That expedition got started on Sunday with the group assembling in Kathmandu and they'll first take a helicopter to the village of Sama Gaon where they'll make some acclimatization hikes before proceeding to Base Camp.

Also on her way to Manaslu is Billi Bierling who is making the trek on foot. That journey started last week but a dispatch over the weekend says that they expect to reach BC tomorrow. The weather reportedly remains very hot at this point and Billi says that there are few trekkers on the trail, making for a quiet hike to the mountain. The temperatures should begin to drop in the days ahead, but for now it seems the team will be very working in hot conditions.

Manaslu will be a busy place this fall as the Mountain Professionals team, IMG squad and others are also en route to Base Camp this week.

Other climbers that are currently planning fall Himalaya expeditions include Sophie Denis who, according to ExWeb, has set her sights on the 8013 meter (26,289 ft) Shisha Pangma. Mexican climbers Yuri Contreras and Laura González are taking aim at Makalu (8481m/27,825 ft) and 73 year old Carlos Soria will be taking on Kangchenjunga (8586m/28,169 ft).

More updates as we have them. For now, most of the teams are still in transition, but the actual climbs should start as early as the weekend.

ExWeb Lists 2012 Pakistan Climbing Expeditions

The Everest season is barely over and it is already time to look forward to Pakistan and the upcoming climbs in the Karakoram. While the summer season isn't nearly as busy as spring in the Himalaya, it will still be filled with plenty of drama and intrigue as some of the top climbers in the world take on the toughest peaks on the planet.

As usual, ExWeb has the definitive list of expeditions and they've begun updating that list to reflect the new season ahead. Most are scheduled to take place in June and July, with Gahserbrum I (8080m/26,509ft) and II (8035m/26,362ft), a well as Broad Peak (8051m/26,414ft) getting the early attention. After that, K2 (8611m/28,251ft) will take center stage with no fewer than three expeditions currently set to take on the toughest climb in the world.

Climber Sophie Denis has big plans for the months ahead. Not only is she scheduled for K2 in July, but she'll warm up on Gasherbrum I and II first. She's also stenciled in Shisha Pangma (8013m/26,289ft) for the fall as well, which seems like quite an ambitious scheduled at this point. She'll be joined on K2 by Canadian Al Hancock and a large Korean team as well.

Elsewhere, 73-year old Carlos Soria has plans to climb Kangchenjunga (8586m/28,169ft) in September as he continues his quest to nab all 14 of the 8000 meter peaks. In addition to this peak, he'll also attempt Annapurna and Dhaulagiri this year.

Interestingly enough, ExWeb also has two expeditions listed for the Trango Towers in July as well, both by Korean teams. One is listed as a "Free Climbing" expedition, which should be quite the challenge to follow. The Towers are made up of some of the most dramatic rock faces you'll find anywhere on the planet and are a difficult mix of high altitude mountaineering and technical rock climbing. The tallest, known as the Great Tower, is 6286 meters (20,623ft) in height, but features a prominence of 800 meters or about 2625ft leading to the top.

Of course we'll be following all of these and more once the Karakoram season gets into full swing. The first of these expeditions is scheduled to get underway next week, so stay tuned for updates.

Himalaya 2012: ExWeb Interviews Nives Meroi

A couple of years ago there was big showdown between a number of very talented female mountaineers over who was going to become the first to climb all 14 8000-meter peaks. The race boiled down to Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, Edurne Pasaban and Nives Meroi (two Korean climbers not withstanding). In the spring of 2009 the ladies were all in the Himalaya and pursuing their own goals. Nives was climbing on Kangchenjunga (8586m/28,169ft) with her husband Romano Benet when he suddenly took ill and had to be rushed off the mountain. It would be two years before they started climbing again, and in that time Edurne and Gerlinde completed their quests. But this spring Nives and Romano have returned to the Himalaya – on Kangchenjunga no less – where they hope to finish what they started.

Yesterday ExWeb posted a great interview with Nives that details their comeback. In that interview she talks about Romano taking ill, and nearly losing his life, their long struggle to return to climbing and where they stand now. Benet has fully recovered at last and after a tune-up climb on Mera Peak (6476m/21,247ft) last fall they are ready to head to the High Himalaya once again. They thought that it was only fitting that they return to Kangchenjunga and continue where they left off three years ago.

As is usual with Nives and Romano, they are climbing without Sherpa support or supplemental oxygen. They also haven't adopted any new technologies and won't be sending dispatches or blog posts back from their climb. The pair prefer to climb in pure alpine fashion and that hasn't changed since they've been away.

It truly is a great story and I'm glad to see that Romano has not only recovered but that he and Nives have returned to mountaineering. I wish them lots of luck on their current expedition.