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: 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: A Few Expeditions Still In The Field

Heavy snow, generally poor weather and a waning climbing season in the Himalaya have brought an end to most of the expeditions this fall. Most of the big mountains have been abandoned now with the majority of teams now long gone. But there are a few smaller climbs still taking place in Nepal, where not everyone has completed their adventures just yet.

Yesterday I posted an update from Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb who are attempting to make the first ascent of Lunag-Ri, the tallest unclimbed peak in Nepal. If all goes as planned, they'll launch their bid later this week. It won't be an easy climb however, as they report heavy snow now on the mountain with more than 4 feet (1.2 meters) falling in the past week alone.

Over on Lhotse, the last of the 8000-meter peaks to see action this fall, we're still waiting on word from the Korean team. The last update indicated that they were headed up to Camp 2 on that mountain, but the amount of snow that was on the Western Cwm this season, even before the arrival of Cyclone Phailin, was daunting. There is no word on whether or not they are still attempting to summit or are planning on heading home.

ExWeb has shared a couple of other expeditions that are still ongoing as well. For instance, a team of French climbers arrived in country last week and are en route to Saipal now. Their travel has been delayed more than once due to poor weather, but they should arrive in Base Camp soon. Located in extreme Northwest Nepal, Saipal is a seldom climbed peak with an altitude of 7031 meters (23,067 ft).

Ama Dablam is also seeing some late season action. The popular climbing peak is 6856 meters (22,493 ft) in height and is often seen as a good tune-up for other climbs in the Himalaya. Himex has a team there now and a Pakistani group led by Shaheen Baig is also on the mountain. Aussie climber Chris Jensen Burke is also hoping to wrap up a busy year in the Himalaya with one final climb on Ama Dablam too.

While these few remaining expeditions aren't as big and sexy as some of the attempts on the 8000 meter peaks, they are still solid challenges, especially when you factor in the late season weather. It should be interesting to see how much success these teams find in the next week or so. These smaller mountains don't take nearly as long to climb and I suspect most of these remaining expeditions will wrap up by the first week of November.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Himalaya Fall 2013: Italians Call It Quits On Lhotse,

One of the teams that we have been following closely this season in the Himalaya have been the Italian squad of Edmond Joyeusaz and Federico Colli. The two men have been attempting to climb Lhotse and make a ski descent of the mountain. The expedition has been a major struggle from the beginning however with bad weather, inexperienced Sherpas and illness all conspiring against them. Those challenges have all taken their toll over the past few weeks and now as their permit nears its expiration date Ed and Fede have decided to call it quits and head home.

The latest update to the team's blog gives a bit of an indication of what they have been dealing with in recent days. It seems that heavy snows continue to fall on the slopes of Everest, Nuptse and Lhotse, creating extremely tough and hazardous conditions. It has been so bad there this fall that the Italians were never even able to reach Camp 2. In fact, they report that the Korean team that they are sharing the mountain with still have not established C2 after more than two weeks on the mountain. That doesn't bode well for their expedition to summit Lhotse either, although they'll continue to give it a go.

In an attempt to salvage a bit of the expedition, Federico decided that he had to put his skis on at least once. He also knew that he had to climb up to Camp 1 to retrieve their tent and other supplies there. So, he scrambled up the mountain and with the help of a couple of Sherpas, was able to collect what gear they had stashed there. Once the work was complete, he donned his skis and proceeded back to Base Camp, crossing the dangerous Khumbu Icefall in the process. This was the first Italian ski descent of the icefall and only the second ever. The first being made by Davo Karnicar, who is also the first man to ski Everest from summit to BC.

The blog post with the details of the ski descent was posted today but it is dated October 10, which means it is nearly a week old already. My guess is that at this point, the Italians are making their way back down the Khumbu Valley and are now returning to Kathmandu for their flights home. Judging from what was wrote, it seems they are a bit dejected by not achieving their goals, but considering the conditions they have been dealing with almost from the beginning, the deck was most definitely stacked against them. There was simply too much snow and too many other obstacles to overcome.

The fall season is winding down quickly now. There are still a few major expeditions on the mountains but it appears that nearly everything will be wrapped up by November 1, if not sooner. Stay tuned for more.

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: More Summit Bids Underway On Manaslu

Despite the fact that a number of commercial teams have wrapped up operations for the fall climbing season in the Himalaya, some climbers still have work ahead of them and are hoping to nab summits before they head home. This is the case on Manaslu in particular, which has been an active mountain so far this fall. It seems the weather there has improved over the past day or two and a new window is set to open. That has launched a new round of summit bids with climbers hoping to top out in the next few days.

ExWeb is reporting that the remaining teams on Manaslu left Base Camp on Sunday with the hopes of taking advantage of good weather that is suppose to start today and run into the weekend. Amongst those teams is an expedition from the British Army and a group led by Adventure Peaks. Those squads are due into Camp 3 today and are looking to go up to the summit either tomorrow or Thursday. There are another couple of teams that are still in BC as well after having just wrapped up their acclimatization rotations. They'll hope for another window next week as well.

While we're on the subject of Manaslu, Alan Arnette has returned from Nepal and posted his final trip report to his blog. It is a detailed and lengthy read that is definitely worth your time as it not only shares good information about a climb on this particular mountain but excellent insights into a Himalayan expedition in general. Alan also posted the video below which will take you through the climb as well, starting in the busy, chaotic streets of Kathmandu and going all the way to the summit of the mountain.

Over on Shishapangma, ExWeb is also reporting that teams are giving up their summit bids due to the high danger of avalanches on that particular mountain. Heavy snows on the upper slopes have made things dangerous and unstable, which has forced all the climbers to abandon their attempts. There were only a couple of summits on Shisha this fall and it has been one of the more elusive summits of the season.

Things aren't looking great on Lhotse either where high winds and snow continue to hit the mountain. The Italian squad remains in Base Camp even as the clock ticks towards the end of their expedition. The two climbers have already sought an extension but at the moment things are not looking good. They have had little chance to acclimatize at altitude and there is still a lot of work to be done before they could even think of attempting the summit or skiing back down. Their reports indicate that winds are howling at 80-90 km/hr (50-56 mph) in BC and are worse higher up the slope. For now, they sit and wait for an opportunity.

That's it for today. Hopefully more new soon!

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: Summit and Ski Descent on Shishapangma!

There isn't a lot of news to report from the Himalaya today. Most of the current rounds of summit bids took place earlier in the week and most of the big commercial teams have now returned to Base Camp and are preparing to head home for the season. Still, late yesterday afternoon I received some interesting news on an expedition that I hadn't shared yet and I wanted to pass along that news to you as well.

On Wednesday of this week, Polish mountaineer and skier Andrzej Bargiel reached the summit of Shishapangma alone and in poor weather conditions. There were other climbers on the mountain that day but they all turned back, leaving Andrzej to press on by himself.

Climbing from Camp 3 directly to the summit took eight hours to complete. Once there, he donned his skis and proceed to make a ski descent all the way back to where he started that morning. The descent took a total of 34 minutes to complete. Not much else is known about the climb at this time but hopefully we'll get more details soon.

Congratulations to Andrzej on this impressive climb. And thanks to Jakub for sharing the news!

Speaking of big mountain skiers, the Italian team of Edmond Joyeusaz and Federico Colli have checked in from Lhotse once again. They duo made another trip up to Camp 1 and were a little worried when they found the paw prints of a fox on the glacier. The fear was that the animal had torn into their tent to get to the food that they had stashed there, but fortunately upon their arrival everything was intact, although the fox did circle their campsite a few times before moving on.

The two climbers, who hope to summit and ski down Lhotse, have not had an easy go of it so far this fall and they are still waiting for two experienced Sherpas to join them and help shuttle gear to the higher camps. They have returned to Base Camp once again and have made the decision to let the Korean team that is there as well do some of the work in establishing Camp 2 and higher. This will let the Italians rest up some and regain their strength. Having been on the mountain a couple of weeks now, they still have yet to go higher than C1. It will soon be crucial that they start to acclimatize to higher altitudes although they do have several more weeks left in the season.

That's all for today. I'll keep an eye on these big expeditions as they unfold. The season isn't over just yet.

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: No Summits on Shisha, Waiting For News Elsewhere

The waiting game continues in the Himalaya where we know that summit pushes are underway amidst good weather. But the forecast calls for a change starting tomorrow, with snow and high winds predicted. That means that teams are on the move today with news of successful summits to come shortly.

One team that we've been keeping a close eye on this week is the Ski Shishapangma squad. They made an attempt on the summit on Monday with the hopes of completing a ski descent of that mountain. Since then we hadn't heard any word on their progress, but a dispatch this morning tells us that Rich Emerson and Dave Etherington turned back 450 meters (1476 ft) below the summit. They are safely back in Base Camp now and Dave says that his climb is over. Rich, on the other hand, seems to be weighing his options and may consider giving it another go once he has had the chance to rest and recover his strength.

If the weather forecast holds as many as 60 climbers could top out on Manaslu today including groups from both the Altitude Junkies and Himex. Our friend Alan Arnette is a part of that group as well and I expected we'll get an excellent account of the climb once he he safely back in BC.

The other peak that should see plenty of action today is Cho Oyu where several teams should be closing in on the summit as well. The IMG squad isn't among them however as their latest dispatch indicates that they have now completed their second acclimatization rotation to Camp 2 and have descended to Base Camp as well. With the change in weather coming tomorrow they'll take the time to rest and eat lots of good food as they wait for a weather window to open to start their eventual summit bids. That looks like it won't happen until sometime next week at the earliest.


The Italian team on Lhotse has moved down the Khumbu Valley to Gorak Shep where they are taking a break as well. The sent a length dispatch today discussing the trash situation on Everest and Lhotse, where overcrowding have turned the mountain into a bit of a junk heap. Conditions in BC have improved considerably since the Nepalese government started imposing fines, but further up the mountain there is still plenty of trash to be cleaned up. The boys have a proposal on how to solve the issue, which would in a sense do away with commercial climbing on Everest altogether and put severe restrictions on who climbs the mountain. There ideas would never fly as they would be economically disastrous for Nepal, but it certainly makes for an interesting read and discussion.

That's all the news I have from the Himalaya today. Mostly we sit and wait for confirmation of successful summits today. With a shift in the weather coming, things will quiet down there heading into the weekend, but the season is far from over and there are still plenty of interesting developments to come I'm sure.

Himalaya Fall 2013: Weather Window Opens Across The Himalaya, Summits In Sight

As noted yesterday, the first real summit push of the fall Himalayan climbing season is now underway and we wait anxiously for word on the whereabouts of the numerous teams that are currently on the move. The weather forecast across the region seems favorable, at least for a few more days, and the climbers are now getting themselves into position to make a push to the top of their respective mountains within the next day or two. After that, it seems the window will close once again and those who aren't able to take advantage of it will wait for their turn in the days ahead. For now though, there is quite a bit of activity taking place.

Yesterday I noted that Rich Emerson and Dave Etherington of the Ski Shishapangma expedition were planning on making their summit bid. The weather was reportedly quite good and it was thought that they would go to the top, then attempt a ski descent. There has been no update on their progress since then however so it is unclear weather or not they did indeed summit and ski or if they ended up descending for some reason. We'll have to wait and watch their Facebook page for updates on their progress.

On Manaslu the summit push is in full swing with most expecting to top out tomorrow. As reported yesterday, the Altitude Junkies squad is amongst them with Alan Arnette part of that team. It seems that the Himex climbers have also joined the summit party and their team is on the way up as well. The forecast says that there should be little wind on Manaslu tomorrow, which should give the teams perfect conditions to top out. After that, rain and snow are expected on the mountain with the potential for some heavy powder to fall at higher altitudes. At the moment, as many as 60 climbers are in Camp 4 and waiting to launch their final push.


According to ExWeb, the summit bids have begun on Cho Oyu as well with the first climbers possibly topping out as early as tomorrow as well. The forecast there is the same as elsewhere: good conditions through Wednesday with heavy snow moving in afterwards. Considering that no one has been above Camp 2 yet on the mountain, it is unclear what conditions will be like on the way to the summit, but after tomorrow they are expected to get a whole lot more challenging. Amongst those hoping to top out are American mountain guide Adrian Ballinger and Russian climber Sergei Baranov.

The Italian team of Edmond Joyeusaz and Federico Colli are back in Base Camp on Lhotse where they have enjoyed a warm shower and some much needed rest. They intend to descend to Gorak Shep for a bit of a break and to get an Internet connection to post some more detailed updates. The boys are no longer alone in BC however as a Korean team has arrived in the past day or two and has begun to set up shop. It is unclear at this point whether or not the Koreans will be attempting Lhotse as well or if they are there to make a rare attempt on Everest in the fall. We'll just have to wait to see what exactly their objectives are.

Finally, Ueli Steck and Don Bowie should now be settled into Base Camp on Annapurna and will most likely be scouting the route that they'll take to the summit. There have been no updates yet from the dynamic duo but it is their hope that they'll be able to find success on one of the world's toughest mountains where both have had their struggles in the past. Even if they don't manage to climb Annapurna this fall however, it is good to see Ueli back in the Himalaya following the unfortunate events of this past spring.

That's all for now. Hopefully my next update will contain good news of successful summits.

Himalaya Fall 2013: Summit Bids Underway!

It was a busy weekend in the Himalaya where most of the teams continued their acclimatization rotations in an effort to prepare for the challenges ahead. While those squads dutifully marched up and down the mountain in an effort to get their bodies accustomed to the thinner air, other teams launched their summit bids at long last. If the weather stays calm and things go according to plan, we could see our first successful summits of the season later today.

One of the teams that is now in position to top out is the Ski Shishapangma squad. They started their summit push last Friday and should top out today, hopefully putting both Dave Etherington and Rich Emerson on the summit. The weather report indicates clear skies and tranquil conditions on the mountain, so provided any unforeseen changes, it seems summit day will be a good one. As the name of the expedition implies however, climbing the mountain is only part of the plan. Dave and Rich also intend to ski back down Shisha, which is the shortest of the 8000-meter peaks at 8013 meters (26,289 ft). Good luck to the team as they make this final push and ski descent.

Also on Shishapangma, 74-year old Carlos Soria is biding his time and waiting for his opportunity to summit. With his acclimatization rotations done, he is now resting in Base Camp, watching the weather and waiting for the right time to move. He is estimating that he'll get on the move around the middle of the week with a possible summit on Sept. 28, which would be Saturday. A savvy veteran of the Himalaya, Soria also says that his team is patient and they will wait for the right opportunity to being their bid for the summit.

The Altitude Junkies have also launched their summit bid on Manaslu setting out on Saturday for their final push. The team, which includes our friend Alan Arnette, spent the night in Camp 2 last night and will proceed to Camp 3 today. Tomorrow they'll move up to C4 and be in position for a potential summit bid on Wednesday of this week. The weather window looks promising at the moment and it seems that the route to the top is in good shape. Over the weekend the Sherpas had to replace three ladders that went missing in avalanche, but all is good now. Hopefully we'll hear news of their success in the middle of the week.


On Cho Oyu the IMG team has moved up to Camp 2 where they spent the night last night as part of their normal acclimatization process. The climbers have now been in Tibet for three weeks and their bodies should begin responding positively to the higher altitudes. The weather is reported good on the mountain and everyone is expected to descend back to Base Camp today for a couple days rest before proceeding back up.

The Italian team of Edmond Joyeusaz and Federico Colli had a tough climb up to Camp 1 on Lhotse over the weekend. As much as 40 cm (15.8 inches) of fresh snow had fallen and it made what should typically be a relatively easy climb into a very tough slog. As they moved higher, the snow started falling again and soon the found themselves in a blizzard that ended up dropping as much as 70-80 cm (27-31 inches) of new powder. With conditions deteriorating rapidly, they were forced to continue up to C1 rather than turn back. They spent an cold, wet and generally uncomfortable night at that spot, waking up the next day to find that the skies had cleared and conditions had improved dramatically. This gave them the opportunity to return to BC for some much needed rest. While on the hike up to Camp 1, Edmond displayed some signs of altitude sickness which could be troubling. Hopefully the rest in Base Camp will help alleviate the issue and he can continue with the expedition as planned.

Finally, Ueli Steck and Don Bowie were expected to reach Annapurna Base Camp yesterday, which means they have probably already gone to work today. The duo planned on scouting various routes to the top once they arrived in BC. It is there belief that Annapurna, which is amongst the most dangerous mountains in the world, will be more stable in the fall with colder conditions and less snow. Both men have tried this mountain in the past and the summit has eluded them thus far. Hopefully this season will be a little different.

Stay tuned for more updates as they come in.

Himalaya Fall 2013: Acclimatizing For The Challenges Ahead

The Fall 2013 climbing season in the Himalaya is definitely in full swing now with most of the teams now fully ensconced in their Base Camps. With good weather in place across the region, the climbers have begun taking advantage of the opportunity and have started their first real acclimatization rounds. If the forecast remains good we could see some early summits this year. But for now, most are content to work hard and take things one day at a time.

One of the more ambitious projects this fall will take place on Lhotse, where Italian climbers Edmond Joyeusaz and Federico Colli hope to summit and make a ski descent of the mountain. The two men have been acclimatizing in the Khumbu Valley over the past week or so and are now settled in at Everest Base Camp, which is of course the shared launching pad for Lhotse as well. Yesterday they went up Kala Pattar, a nearby peak that provides excellent views of Everest and they report that their conditioning is good and everything is proceeding as they had hoped. They also completed their Puja ceremony, which will now allow them proceed up the mountain. They hope to make their way through the Khumbu Icefall today and climb to Camp 1 as part of their first acclimatization rotation.

Over on Manaslu things are proceeding well. The Altitude Junkies have finished their first big rotation and are now back in BC after spending a night at Camp 1 and two more at Camp 2. They'll take a few days off to recover now before heading higher and the Sherpas hope to establish Camp 4 within the next few days. The team is in good spirits after their first real workout and the good weather is helping to make things a bit easier at the moment.

Also on Manaslu is the Himex team, whose Sherpas have been doing the bulk of the work fixing the ropes, with a little help from the Altitude Junkies as well. The group made it's first rotation a few days back going up to Camp 1 for the first time. It was a four hour journey from BC up to that point but everyone climbed strong and had very few issues. They're now back in BC as well and preparing for their first push to Camp 2 where they'll spend a few nights at altitude to get their bodies accustomed to the thinner air.

Polish climber and skier Andrzej Bargiel has his sites set on Shishapangma this fall. He hopes to make a speed attempt on that mountain and then ski back down. It isn't clear if he is in Tibet just yet, but his plans were to begin climbing in late September and hopefully complete the expedition in October. Hopefully we'll get more updates as he proceeds.

Also making his way to Shishapangma is 73-year old Spanish climber Carlos Soria. He isn't quite into Base Camp just yet, but should be there within the next few days. The video at the bottom of this report gives an update from the trek and while it is in Spanish, you'll still get a good idea of the logistics involved in getting to the mountain. There is also a wild scene with a yak who simply does not want to carry a heavy load further up the valley. Scary stuff!

Things are starting to heat up on Cho Oyu as the teams begin their first rotations there as well. The IMG squad reportedly went to Camp 1 and spent the night while the Sherpas having been busy fixing lines and shuttling gear. They should have Camp 2 well established today and will continue up the mountain after a brief respite back in Base Camp.

That's all for now. Expect more updates soon as the teams in the Himalaya really start to progress.

The Story Behind Kenton Cool's Amazing Himalayan Triple-Header

If you followed the Himalayan climbing season this spring you're probably already aware of Kenton Cool's amazing expedition. Just last week, the British climber who already had ten successful Everest summits to his name, put together one of the most impressive string of climbs that anyone could ever hope to accomplish. In a single push, Cool managed to knock off Nuptse (7861 m/25,791 ft), Everest (8848 m/29,029 ft) and Lhotse (8516 m/27,940 ft), something that had never been accomplished in a single season before.

Since completing this ambitious expedition we've heard snippets of Kenton's tale but post climb exhaustion, a busy travel schedule and difficult communications from Nepal haven't allowed us to fully grasp the details. At least until now.

Alan Arnette has interviewed Kenton for Outside Online and the story is just as riveting as you would imagine. Alan gets all the details starting from how the idea to climb all three mountains came about, what events allowed for Cool to make the attempt this season and what it was like to bag a trio of Himalayan peaks in succession. As you can imagine, it was no easy task and there were a number of obstacles along the way, both physical and mental.

The article is a good read with lots of insights into climbing big mountains – Nuptse, Everest and Lhotse in particular. You'll come away with an even greater respect for Kenton's accomplishment, which is one of the most daring in recent memory as far as I'm concerned.

Himalaya 2013: Climber Stranded On Dhaulagiri

While things wrap up on Everest, elsewhere in the Himalaya there are other expeditions that are winding down as well. The past few days have not been good for numerous teams as there has been little summit success off of the Big Hill. Now, poor weather is moving in and closing down the mountains for the summer, as most of the teams pack up and prepare to head home.

The biggest news of the day is that Spanish climber Juanjo Garra is currently stranded on Dhaulagiri. Apparently Garra was descending yesterday along with his Sherpa guide from somewhere high up on the mountain. It is unclear if they two men made the summit or not, but on their way down the Sherpa slipped and fell, knocking Garra over as well. When he fell, the Spaniard broke his ankle, making it incredibly hard for him to move at all.

Reportedly, the two men bivouacked above 8000 meters and have now called for assistance in helping to get off the mountain. That includes asking Simone Moro to bring his rescue helicopter to the mountain in an effort to help get Garra down. Of course, the helicopter won't be able to conduct a rescue at 8000 meters, so other climbers may be en route to lend a hand. It has been suggested that Ferran Latorre and Alex Txikon may be headed to Dhaulagiri with the hopes of assisting rescue efforts. The two men completed a climb of Lhotse earlier in the week and are reportedly still in Everest Base Camp.

I'll try to post updates on this developing story as we get them.

Also on Dhaulagiri, Polish climber Pawel Michalski confirms that he turned back just 67 meters (220 feet) below the summit yesterday. He is descending back to BC today and says that he'll post more details once he has a better Internet connection. From the sounds of things, high winds were once again the culprit here, forcing him to descend even though his goal was so close.

Kinga Baranowska and Rafal Fronia have turned back on their summit bid on Makalu. Once again, it was bad weather that did them in. Conditions looked promising yesterday so the duo pressed on in their attempt to top out on the 8481 meter (27,824 ft) mountain. They are descending now and hope to be back in BC later in the day.

Finally, the Adventure Consultants have posted some summit photos from Lhotse that complement their Everest summit shots from earlier. You can checkout the images here. Most of them include shots of Everest in the background. Looks like it was a good day to be at the top of the world.

More news from the Himalaya as it comes in. Things are now winding down across the board and by next week the entire region will be much more quiet.

Himalaya 2013: Kenton Cool Completes Hat Trick!

Just as the Everest climbers continue to move up and down the mountain, other teams across the Himalaya are doing the same on various other mountains. Most are looking to top out in the next few days, but there are still some stories to tell today, starting with the epic effort that British climber Kenton Cool has just wrapped up.

As I reported yesterday, Kenton was in the middle of an absolutely massive challenge in the Himalaya. At that time he had already successfully summited both Nuptse (7861 m/25,791 ft) and Everest (8848 m/29,029 ft), claiming his 11th career summit of the world's highest mountain. He was also in the middle of a summit push to the top of Lhotse, the 8516 meter (27,940 ft) sister of Everest. No one had ever completed a back-to-back-to-back climb of all three peaks before, but I'm happy to report that Kenton has indeed done just that. His home team announced his successful Lhotse summit overnight and he has since returned to Base Camp where he is reportedly "totally shattered." The Brit is getting some much deserved rest now, but his team promises to share more information and photos on his Facebook page soon.

I want to extend a hearty congratulations to Kenton on a job well done. That series of three peaks is one impressive climb and I can't imagine how completely knackered he feels right about now. It is difficult to overstate just what kind of an effort it took to pull this off. One of the boldest expeditions in the Himalaya in quite some time.

Sadly, the news from Lhotse isn't all good today. Yesterday I also indicated that there was a climber that was struggling at altitude and that a rescue attempt was underway. That climber was Lee Hsiao-shih from Taiwan. Details remain a bit thin, but it seems he took ill on the mountain and perished in Camp 4. My condolences to his friends and family.

Finally, ExWeb is reporting that Cho Oyu was successfully summited on May 13, despite previously posting that no one had been able to climb above C3 yet. It appears that husband and wife climbing team Uko and Anu Noulik of Estonia quietly completed their climb last week, topping out at 9:30 AM local time. Bad weather had made it impossible for them to acclimatize above Camp 3 prior to their summit push, but they were able to weight out the high winds and summit last Monday. Congratulations o Uko and Anu on a job well done.

More news from the Himalaya in the next few days as summits are expected across the region.

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: First Summit Of The Season!

While the climbers on Everest head into the weekend completely focused on their acclimatization, elsewhere in the Himalaya other teams are going about their work as well. Most are in the midst of their rotations as well as they prepare for their eventual summit bids, but one climber has already knocked off his objective, claiming the first 8000 meter summit of the season.

ExWeb is reporting that Iranian climber Azim Ghychisaz successful reached the summit of the 8481 meter (27,825 ft) Makalu. Azim reported topped out on Wednesday after spending jus two weeks on the mountain. He was the first person in Base Camp this spring and while others have now joined him, his early arrival allowed him to get a head of the other teams and nab the early season summit. This is Azim's 11th 8000-meter peak. He still has Lhotse, Cho Oyu and Shishapangma to add to his resume. Congratulations on a job well done.

Also in Makalu BC this spring is Don Bowie who has written a good account of what it is like just to travel to Nepal and begin the trek to Base Camp ahead of the climb. If you've never made the trip yourself, it is a blur of airplanes and airports that takes the better part of two days to complete and that is just to get to Kathmandu. After that, its a flight out to Lukla just to get on the trail that will eventually take you to Everest, Makalu or any number of other peaks. It is quite the journey just begin the climb.

The Polish team of Kinga Baranowska and Rafal Fronia held their Puja ceremony in Makalu BC on Wednesday which allows them to officially launch their expedition. They immediately started lugging gear up the slopes and were expected to establish Camp 1 yesterday. Weather has been more dependable across the region the past few days, so it is likely that they've been able to complete that task and are now planning their strategy for moving higher.

Over on Dhaulagiri, Polish climber Pawel Michalski is on the move. Yesterday he spent seven hours climbing from BC up to Camp 1 and he plans to continue up to C2 today. After suffering horrible weather this past week, he is happy to be on the move once again. This is just a normal acclimatization rotation at this point, which will help his body to adjust to the thinner air at altitude.

Finally, on Lhotse most of the teams are following the same schedule as their Everest counterparts. Remember, the two climbs share the same route up to Camp 3 before veering off in different directions. The fixed ropes up the Lhotse face are expected to be in place by Monday, which means both Everest and Lhotse climbers will be looking to head up to C3 shortly there after. So far, everything is moving according to plan and right on schedule. Just like clockwork.

More soon.