Winter Climbs 2014: It's Over On Nanga Parbat

The 2014 winter climbing season is now officially over. In the wake of the avalanche accident that occurred last weekend, the Polish climbing team on Nanga Parbat has elected to pull up stakes and head home. With just a few more days left in winter, and the weather remaining uncooperative, the team decided there simply wasn't going to be another opportunity to summit, and with two of their members recovering in a Pakistani hospital, they didn't have the man power to safely finish the expedition either.

The end of the climb, which has lasted more than three months, was officially announced on Jacek Teler's blog. He left Base Camp last week in order to ensure Pawel Dunaj and Michal Obrycki reached a hospital where they could be treated for their injuries suffered in the avalanche. While he was there, Tomek Mackiewicz stayed behind to help break down camp and organize the retrieval of all of their gear. By now, the men are starting to make their way home, where they will regroup, rest up, and consider possible future options.

The lack of success by several teams on Nanga Parbat this winter has left the mountain still waiting for its first ascent during that season. Amongst the 8000 meter peaks, only K2 still holds that distinction as well. Tomek has vowed to return to give it another go next year, but for now, Nanga has once again turned back all challengers. Fortunately, the mountain didn't claim any lives this year. It is a dangerous place to be in the winter, and while the avalanche put a scare into the Polish team, they were lucky to come away without worse injuries. The "Killer Mountain" is one of the toughest climbs in the world, particularly in the winter, but at least no one lost their lives trying to summit this year. Lets hope that trend continues.

Winter Climbs 2014: Injured Climbers Evacuated From Nanga Parbat

We have news from Pakistan today on the condition of the two Polish climbers injured in the avalanche on Nanga Parbat this past weekend. According to the team's Facebook page, Pawel Dunaj and Michal Obrycki were carried on stretchers from Base Camp to the nearby village of Tarashing. From there, they were expected to be taken by jeep to a hospital in either Gilgit or Skardu last night. There is no confirmation yet on whether or not they have reached a hospital just yet.

According to various reports, Pawel suffered both a broken arm and broken ribs, while Michal is nursing an injured leg and broken nose. Both are likely in a lot of pain and could no longer wait for a helicopter evacuation. Poor weather has kept that helicopter grounded for the past several days, and it didn't appear that it would fly soon, thus the need to evacuated the men from BC as soon as possible.

There is still no word on whether or not the expedition is now officially over, but it seems highly unlikely that they'll have the strength to give it another go. Forecasts call for poor weather over the next few days, and the risk of further avalanches is high. With just ten days left in the winter season, it is likely that the Poles will gather up their gear and head home. But for now, they have not mentioned what their plans will be.

Fortunately, no one was killed in this avalanche and the winter season will end with no summit on Nanga, but also no deaths either. We should get word soon on the team's official decision, but it seems that decision was probably made for them last weekend.

Winter Climbs 2014: Avalanche Injures Polish Climbers On Nanga Parbat

The winter climbing season is quickly coming to an end on Nanga Parbat, where only the Polish Justice For All team remains to challenge the mountain. But those efforts took a nasty turn this past weekend, when an avalanche struck two members of the team, leaving them injured and awaiting extraction from Base Camp. The question is, will the rest of the team press on, or call it quits after more than 80 days on the mountain.

Following several unsuccessful summit bids earlier in the season, the Poles were hoping for one last attempt at the first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat before heading home. With that in mind, this past weekend they sent Pawel Dunaj and Michal Obrycki up the mountain to help to clear the route for their teammates, Tomek Mackiewicz and Jacek Teler, who would follow a day behind. The plan was for the two advance climbers to set the stage, giving Tomek and Jacek an opportunity to complete the climb at last.

Pawel and Michal managed to get above 5000 meters (16,404 ft) on Saturday, but were hit by the avalanche soon there after. The force of the snow impacting them sent them tumbling down the mountain, and while they survived, they came away with some injuries, including broken ribs. Their teammates immediately sprung into action and brought them down off the mountain, but they are still in the village of Latabo awaiting extraction. A helicopter is standing by to retrieve them, but due to bad weather in the region, it is unable to fly at this time.

What the loss of Pawel and Michal means to the future of the expedition remains to be seen. It seems likely that the team will not want to risk further avalanches high on the slopes of Nanga, but if they feel conditions are safe, they could still try to go for the summit. If I were to venture a guess however, I'd say that once their injured men are pulled off the mountain, the rest of the team will pack up and head home too. For now, we'll just have to wait to see how things go. Thankfully, no one was killed during this incident and everyone can still go home in one piece, even if they are a bit worse for wear.

I'll update more when the team's plans become more evident.

Winter Climbs 2014: Summit Push Unsuccessful On Nanga Parbat, Only Poles Remain

While I was away on my short hiatus, a summit push was underway on Nanga Parbat as two teams attempted to complete the first winter ascent of that mountain. But the weather never improved enough to really give them a legitimate chance at reaching the top. With the days of winter starting to slip away, two teams have called it quits and are heading home, while one remains with the hopes of another shot at the summit.

Last week the summit push began with the Polish Justice For All and the North Face teams heading up the mountain. The forecasts indicated that the winds would drop and the temperatures would rise, making for safe passage to the top. But the winds never diminished enough to allow for a legitimate push, which resulted in most of the climbers never getting above Camp 2. On the North Face squad, Simone Moro experienced stomach issues and was forced to turn back, while his partner David Göttler moved up to 7200 meters (23,622 ft), where he was joined by Tomek Mackiewicz from the Polish team. The rest of the climbers were never able to join them.

After waiting and watching the skies, David and Tomek were determined to go up to the summit together. But unfortunately they never got the opportunity and eventually they were forced to descend as well. For the North Face team, that meant that it was time to pack up and go home. After more than two months on the mountain, they were running out of supplies and had waited long enough. They are now en route back home to Italy and Germany.

For their part, the Poles have stayed on the mountain and look to be determined to give it another go before they go home. They have extended their visas and climbing permits once again, and they are now waiting for the weather to give them one final opportunity to summit. They have three weeks left in the season, and hope to take advantage of it.

Meanwhile, on the Diamir Face, Italian climber Daniele Nardi has also called it quits. After a close call with an avalanche last week, he was unsure of the stability of the mountain. That gave him reason to pause and consider whether or not it was wise to continue with his solo, alpine style attempt. In the end, he determined that it was not, and elected to go home instead.

This leaves just one team left on the mountain. Only the Poles remain to challenge Nanga Parbat this year. While things looked very promising early on, it now appears that the mountain will likely go unclimbed for yet another winter season. With three weeks to go, there is probably only a single summit push left on the schedule. Soon, the spring will bring heavy snows, making it very difficult to climb in Pakistan. But until then, they hope to get once more chance. We'll have to wait to see if that happens.

Winter Climbs 2014: Weather Window Opens At Last! Summit Push Begins On Nanga Parbat!

The weather has begun to clear on Nanga Parbat, where two teams have now launched their summit bids with the hopes of topping out this weekend. It has been a long and difficult winter so far on that mountain, but the forecast calls for a three day window during which winds will be relatively calm on the 8126 meter (26,660 ft) summit. This may be the best opportunity anyone has had for climbing Nanga in the winter, and if successful, it will be the first ascent of the mountain during that season. 

The Polish Justice For All team were the first to launch their summit bid, sending Tomek Mackiewicz up to Camp 2 a few days back. He has now moved higher and is at an intermediate camp between C2 and C3, where he'll wait for the weather to improve starting tomorrow. His teammates Pawel Dunaj and Jacek Teler are in Camp 1, waiting to move up as well. 

Also in C1 are the North Face team of Simone Moro and David Göttler. They report good weather and no wind at that point on the mountain, although conditions are still a bit dicey higher up. Those conditions are expected to improve over the next few days however, which has the climbers eying Saturday or Sunday as possible days to make their final push. 

If all goes as planned, I would expect them to move up to Camp 2 tomorrow, then C3 on Friday, with the final push coming soon there after. This being Nanga Parbat, and in winter no less, all plans are highly tentative of course. The weather can change rapidly there and weather windows are known to slam shut. This does look like a fairly stable weather pattern however, and the two teams are looking to take advantage of it while they can. 

On the Diamir Face, Daniele Nardi is struggling with his thoughts on whether or not he should make his own attempt on the summit. After a close call with an avalanche a few days back, he has since witnessed more instability on the mountain. That has made his route more treacherous than normal, and is giving him some pause while he weighs in options. 

A weather window is projected to open for him this weekend as well, but he still feels that conditions could shift quickly. Daniele says that it feels like spring is coming early on Nanga Parbat, which means that more avalanches will be a distinct possibility. His forecast says that heavy snow is predicted starting on March 2, so that means he would have until Sunday to get up and down the mountain. Since he hopes to make a solo, alpine style attempt, he'll have to plan his moves carefully. 

For now, we'll have to wait and see if the current weather patterns hold. If they do, we could see history being made on Nanga Parbat in jus a few days. 

Winter Climbs 2014: Weather Window Opening On Nanga Parbat

It has been a long, difficult week on Nanga Parbat, where teams have been anxiously watching the skies and hoping for improved weather. There is little to do in Base Camp during this time, so they read, write and wait for conditions to improve. Now, a new forecast say that a good weather window is about to open, which means they climbers could be on the move again as early as tomorrow.

While the Polish Justice For All team still hasn't updated their own website with any information, word out of the North Face camp indicates that things are about to improve dramatically. Their forecasts now say that clear skies, low winds and warmer temperatures (relatively speaking!) will arrive by next weekend. If that forecast proves to be accurate, the climbers are looking at a weather window that is believed to be three days in length, which is the perfect opportunity to get up and down the mountain safely.

With that in mind, they intend to hold tight today and get a more accurate forecast by tomorrow. If all of the weather patterns are taking shape as expected, they'll set off on Tuesday or Wednesday for what will likely be their final summit push. March is nearly upon us, and both of these teams have been on the mountain for more than two months. Supplies are starting to run low and their patience is nearly at an end. This will likely be their last chance to bag the first winter summit of Nanga Parbat, although they haven't completely ruled out stay longer if conditions are right.

Meanwhile, on the Diamir Face, Daniele Nardi has been facing some challenges of his own. Late last week he set off to scout the route he intends to use on his solo, alpine style attempt on the mountain. The plan was to evaluate the route above Camp 1 to ensure it was safe to make a summit bid. After reading his report, it is unclear if he still hopes to proceed with the climb.


The first indication that things were not going his way was that upon arrival in C1, he discovered that his rations had been raided by a fox wandering at altitude. The animal had been able to gain access to Daniele's tent and proceeded to eat some of his energy bars. While the fox did little else in the way of harm, it was disheartening to find some of his food had been eaten.

But things got much worse after he went higher on the slope. While proceeding along the Mummery Ridge, the Italian climber heard a rumble above and caught sight of a collapsing serac as it tumbled down the side of the mountain. While the larger chunks of ice missed him completely, the collapse did set off an avalanche which he had to run out of the way to avoid. He managed to do so, but still managed to get caught in some of the debris and residue.

With that close call behind him, he decided to ski back down Nanga Parbat to return to Base Camp, where his Pakistani camp manager was relieved to see him in one piece. The avalanche has clearly unnerved him however, so it'll be interesting to see if he'll still continue his climb or take this as a warning sign and head home.

That's all from Nanga for today. Stay tuned for more updates. Summit pushes seem to be on tap starting in the next few days. We'll see how things proceed from here.

Winter Climbs 2014: Bad Weather Keeps Teams In BC On Nanga Parbat

It is a new week on Nanga Parbat, but the news largely remains the same. Bad weather is keeping the teams in Base Camp while they await the next weather window. In these anxious times, they find ways to stay busy, while keeping fit and well acclimatized to the altitude. It can be very frustrating, but this is what it is like to climb in the Himalaya in the winter, and these veteran mountaineers are accustomed to it.

On the Rupal Face, both the Polish team and the North Face squad have settled back into BC while they wait. The two teams attempted a summit push late last week, but the window was slammed shut when high winds and cold temperatures enveloped the summit. Those conditions have not dissipated yet, as temperatures on top of Nanaga are said to be in the -70ºC/-94ºF range. That is far too cold for anyone to attempt a summit push, hence the reason they are all waiting for the next opportunity. It is tough to say when that opportunity will come however, as the forecast says that it will get worse before it gets better.

While they are in Base Camp, the climbers have been finding ways to occupy their time. The TNF team has been editing photos and videos, and making back-up copies of their work, while also trekking nearby. They have also been reading, sending emails, and resting too. The Poles have brought a drone to Nanga this winter, and it has provided some diversion during the day. The batteries only last about 20 minutes however, and they are slow to recharge using the generator or solar cells. The little aircraft also crashed hard last week, requiring extensive repairs. Fortunately, a little tape and ingenuity had it back in the air in no time.

Jumping over to the Diamir Face, Daniele Nardi has wrapped up his acclimatizatiton process and is waiting for a summit attempt too. He shared some details of his recent summit of Ganalo Peak, which was a good warm-up for the main event – his solo, alpine style attempt on Nanga. Once he is fully rested from that climb, he'll watch the forecasts and prepare for his push as well.

With nasty weather arriving on the mountain over the next few days, it looks like it will be the weekend, at the earliest, before another summit push can get underway. Stay tuned for updates. I'll post them as they come in.

Winter Climbs 2014: Second Summit Push Over

Yesterday, I wrote an update from Nanga Parbat that was filled with hope and promise for the climbers attempting to achieve the first winter ascents ever on that mountain. The teams on the Rupal Face were in motion, as they moved upward to get into position to take advantage of a possible weather window. But now, just 24 hours later, those hopes are dashed, with all climbers back in Base Camp.

The first time to go up the mountain was the Polish Justice For All squad. The Poles have a long history of winter climbing and they seemed poised to at least make an attempt at extending that legacy. When I last posted an update, they were in an intermediate camp between C1 and C2, with plans to go higher today and hopefully push to the summit tomorrow. Unfortunately, one of the members of the team has taken ill, and they were forced to abandon this push.

The North Face team was on the same trajectory, even though they left BC a bit behind the Poles. Simone Moro and David Göttler were sharing the same campsite yesterday and remained there, even while their companions elected to descend. But it seems that the weather window that they had originally hoped for has failed to open, and they too have now gone back to Base Camp. For now, there will be no summits.

It should be noted that while Nanga gets less technical on the upper slopes, mainly above C3, it is also far more exposed. With the high winds still in place, it would have made the final push to the summit very difficult. Temperatures are also extremely cold, and the risk was far higher than any of these climber were willing to take. This window was never a sure thing to begin with, so they'll chalk it up to more acclimatization and now they'll rest, remain patient and wait for better opportunity in the days ahead.

Over on the Diamir Face, we have received word today that Italian climber Daniele Nardi has completed his acclimatization with a successful summit of Ganalo Peak. He has now returned to BC as well, where we're told he is comfortable and calm before the start of his ascent. He will also rest and watch the skies, waiting for an opportunity to launch his solo, alpine style attempt on the summit too.

Stay tuned for more soon. The winter is far from over and the climbers may yet get the chance they are looking for.

Winter Climbs 2014: Summit Push Round 2 On Nanga Parbat

The weather continues to be dicey on Nanga Parbat, where the teams have been in Base Camp for most of the week, waiting for a shift in conditions. It seems there may be an opportunity to make a summit bid coming this weekend, so with that in mind, two of the squads are on the move ahead of a potential weather window. If that window opens, we could see the first winter ascents of Nanga on Saturday.

The Polish Justice For All team has sent Tomek Mackiewicz and Pawel Dunaj up the mountain and after safely reaching Camp 1 yesterday, they are now halfway between C1 and C2 today. The same duo were part of the summit push last week, but were turned back due to high winds and extremely cold temperatures. They report that the summit is still shrouded in clouds, but elsewhere around the mountain it is calm. On Saturday, winds on the summit are expected to drop to 30 km/h (18 mph), which is about as quiet as Nanga will get in the winter.

Meanwhile, the North Face team is also on the move and looking to take advantage of this potential weather window. Simone Moro and David Göttler also reached Camp 1 yesterday and are with the Poles at their intermediate camp today. Their reports indicate it took them just 2.5 hours to move from BC to C1, which is a sign that conditions are far better than they were last week and the boys are more acclimatized as well. That bodes well as they continue their push upwards over the next few days, although it should be noted that no one has been above 7100 meters (23,293 ft) yet, so there could be difficult conditions above that point that have yet to be discovered.

Jumping over to the Diamir Face, Italian climber Daniele Nardi is close to wrapping up his acclimatization work on Genalo Peak. If the weather holds out for him, he should complete that process in the next day or two, then return to Base Camp before launching his alpine style summit attempt when the weather permits.

The forecasts indicate that this new weather window will be a narrow one. It will probably only last for two days tops, which is why the climbers are moving into position now. They'll have to make a dash for the summit and get back down as quickly as possible, or risk getting caught in poor conditions on the more exposed portions of the climb. I suspect that if there is a chance at reaching the summit, the Poles and the North Face team will work together on that final go. For now, we'll just have to wait to see what happens. Keep your fingers crossed that these men get back down safely, summit or no.

Family Dedicates Website To Climber Lost On Nanga Parbat

Much like this winter climbing season, last year at this time I was posting frequent updates on the teams who were attempting to summit 8000 meter peaks in the coldest, harshest months of the year. One of the climbers that I followed closely was a Joël Wischnewski, a French climber and snowboarder who was attempting a solo summit on Nanga Parbat. Reading his posts from the mountain were both a joy and a challenge. It was clear that he loved being in the mountains, but it was evident that he was struggling physically and emotionally. Eventually those updates from Nanga stopped, and we all feared the worst. For days the mountaineering community held out hope that Joël would appear safe and sound, having lost power to his satellite phone or some other issue. But as time went by, we all acknowledged that the mountain had claimed the life of another climber.

This past fall, Joël's body was discovered on Nanga Parbat by a group of climbers. Eventually, it was brought down the mountain and laid to rest in the Herrligkoffer climber's cemetery, closing the last chapter on his life and hopefully providing some closure for his family too. I'm sure not knowing his ultimate fate was a challenge.

Now, his family has posted a note on Joël's website, dedicating it in his honor. They have also shared a link to the photos that he had taken while climbing on Nanga Parbat. Those images were found on Joël's camera when his body was discovered. The photos are beautiful and serve as a lasting legacy of a young man who loved to climb and was taken from his loved ones at too early an age.

Joël's family asked me to share these links with readers, many of whom no doubt followed his expedition last year. I am happy to do so now, so that we can choose to remember him as the talented and ambitious climber that he was. He perished doing what he loved most, and I continue to offer condolences to his family.

Winter Climbs 2014: Acclimatizing And Waiting On Nanga Parbat

It has been about a week since I posted my last update on the winter expeditions to Nanga Parbat. During that time, very little has changed as the climbers watch the sky and hope for a weather window to open. The days are spend reading forecasts and hoping for a glimpse of the summit, but at the moment it is shrouded in clouds and more elusive than ever.

On the Rupal face, the teams went as high as 7000 meters before powerful winds and unpredictable weather forced them back to Base Camp. That's where they are now, waiting for their opportunity to come. Last week there was some thought that the weather might clear early in the week, giving the teams a shot at going for the summit. The Polish Justice For All team even talked about moving up to be in position to make a possible summit bid. At the moment, it doesn't seem that that weather has relented at all, so they remain in BC. It looks like it could be the weekend before there is any chance of things breaking up, so once again patience is proving to be their strongest quality.

Also in BC, is the North Face squad led by Simone Moro. Their latest updates indicate they've been resting and trying hard not to obsess over weather report, while visiting with their friendly neighbors. The two groups swap stories, share experiences, and offer insights to this formidable mountain that they have all come to conquer. Whether or not they'll actually get a chance to stand on the summit remains to be seen.

Over on the Diamir route, Italian climber Daniele Nardi hasn't been resting on his laurels in Base Camp. He arrived there just last week and immediately went to work on his acclimatization process. He's been climbing and skiing on nearby Ganalo Peak, and he seems happy with his progress thus far. Once he finishes the process of getting his body ready for the higher altitudes, he will launch his attempt at a solo summit in alpine style. That is probably still a week or two away from starting, but he seems to be making good progress, despite surprisingly steep glaciers and more crevasses on the mountain this year.

That's about all there is to report at the moment. The teams are mostly waiting for the weather to improve, and in the meantime they are resting, eating and preparing to go back up the mountain. Hopefully things will clear soon and they resume the climb.

Winter Climbs 2014: Daniele Nardi In Nanga Base Camp

As expected, the weather has taken a turn for the worse on Nanga Parbat, at least on the Rupal Face. And while teams on that side of the mountain seek shelter back in Base Camp, Italian Daniele Nardi has begun the all important acclimatization process as he starts his solo, alpine style ascent along the Diamir Route.

Nardi arrived in BC on Tuesday and  immediately went to work constructing his campsite, which he is sharing with a few porters and support staff. He indicates that the weather on his side of the mountain is good, although there is lots of snow on the ground. All of that powder made it a challenge just to get to Base Camp, but it seems conditions are good at that point.

Yesterday he donned a pair of skis and began traveling up the mountain. It was just an up-and-back to test his legs and lungs while scouting the route ahead. There is heavy snow on the upper slopes as well, but Nardi is prepared for those conditions. It is winter after all. With his first acclimatization hike out of the way, he will likely go back up today. The weather forecast indicates that high winds and more snow is in the forecast for the next few days, so he'll likely be back in BC and getting comfortable there through the weekend.


Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, the North Face team of Simone Moro, David Göttler and Emilio Previtali are all back in Base Camp following an acclimatization rotation that took Simone and David up to Camp 3, located at 6800 meters (22,309 ft). They fixed ropes nearly to the Mazeno Ridge, and now that milestone location is within easy reach over the next few days, provided the weather cooperates.

Simone indicates that the route is very ice this year, making for a more difficult and technical climb than they have seen in the past. There are sections of the mountain that are vary treacherous, particularly when the winds increase, as they are expected to do this weekend.

For there part, the Polish Justice For All team is pressing ahead with their plan of attack too, which could include an attempt on the summit early next week. They have built an intermediate camp between C2 and C3, where they can rest while working their way through the more technical sections of the climb.

The Poles intend to push up to 7000 meters (22,965 ft) and dig a snow cave to help shelter than from the high winds that are expected to hit on Sunday. The forecast says those winds could exceed 100 km/h (62 mph) but once the storm passes, there is a period of relative calm in the days ahead. The Polish team would like to be in position to make a summit push right after the winds subside, so if possible, they intend to bivouac in the snow cave, then make an immediate summit push right after. Whether or not they'll be able to pull that off remains to be seen.

The stage is now set on Nanga Parbat. All of the climbers are now on the mountain and there are possible summit attempts to come next week. But this mountain won't be tamed easily, and the weather remains a wild card as always. We'll just have to wait and watch to see if the first winter ascent will come this season.

Winter Climbs 2014: Patience and Perseverence On Nanga Parbat

As is always the case with a big winter climb, the teams on Nanga Parbat have had to use patience and perseverance so far. The weather dictates when they can move and when they must take shelter, and while conditions were good early on, they have fluctuated wildly since then. At the moment, the weather is good by winter standards, but things are expected to change over the next few days, forcing the climbers to return to Base Camp and wait for another window.

The Polish Justice for All team has reported in for the first time in awhile. They indicate that things are good there, but overcast skies have made it difficult to use their solar panels for recharging the batteries on their various devices, including their laptops. While they've been under a media blackout, they have continued to work the route however, and have now cached their gear at 5800 meters (19,028 ft). As part of the acclimatization rotations, several of the team members have even been has high as 6400 meters (20,997 ft) as they get use to the altitude. The Poles also indicate that they have been doing most of the rope fixing so far, with just a little help from the smaller, but very experienced, North Face team, who put in 200 meters of line along a very crucial section leading up to the 6400 meter mark.

The team now has Camp 2 established and is shuttling more gear to that point. They hope to have C3 built soon as well, and were hoping to climb up to 7000 meters (22,965 ft), but weather conditions have turned them back for now.  Steady snowfall in recent days, with more in the forecast, means that they'll have to be more careful as they go up.


Meanwhile, the North Face team hasn't posted a status update in more than a week, which followed Simone Moro and David Göttler acclimatization rotation to C2. ExWeb is reporting that they went back up the mountain on Sunday and are back in C2 today. Tomorrow, they will attempt to reach Camp 3, weather permitting. If that happens, they'll try to cache gear and supplies there and may even spend the night, provided the weather window remains open long enough.

Finally, ExWeb is also saying that Italian solo climber Daniele Nardi is still en route to Nanga, but should arrive in BC on the Diamir face tomorrow. He is being escorted to that point by armed guards i an effort to ensure safety for foreign visitors following the massacre that took place in Base Camp last summer. Once he has established his camp, and acclimatized some, he'll make an alpine style ascent of he mountain.

Remember, each of these teams is attempting to make history. Nanga Parbat is one of two 8000 meter peaks that has yet to be climbed in the winter, the other being K2. Conditions on the mountain have been good so far, but with a little less than two months to go in winter, the worst weather is probably yet to come. Still, if things remain consistent, one or all of these teams has a shot at reaching the summit.

Stay tuned for more updates soon.

Winter Climbs 2014: Poor Weather Descends On Nanga Parbat

The winter climbing seasons is progressing quickly,  and the teams in Pakistan attempting the first ascent of Nanga Parbat have already spent more than a month on the mountain. As is usual with a winter climb, weather dictates when progress can be made, and until recently that weather had been fairly cooperative. But things have taken a turn for the worse at the moment, putting the climbers back in Base Camp, where they wait patiently for an opportunity to resume their expeditions.

The North Face team of Simone Moro, David Göttler and Emilio Previtali have been making solid progress on the mountain thus far. Simone and David have shuttled gear up to Camp 2 last week when the weather was good, and spent a few nights at altitude acclimatizing to the thin air. They had hoped to go as high as 7000 meters (22,965 ft), although it seems that they weren't quite able to reach that point. Still, they seem pleased with the work they have put in so far, and with just under two months to go in the winter, they aren't watching the clock too much just yet.

David granted an interview to German adventure sport journalist Stefan Nestler, during which he shared some thoughts on the climb so far. He indicated that he and Simone had gone as high as 6400 meters (20,997 ft) in their last acclimatization rotation, but they were forced to return to BC with the onset of poor weather. David also noted that his team is getting along great with the Polish squad they are sharing Base Camp with. Both units have been sharing intel and the duties of installing the fixed ropes up the slope.

Speaking of the Poles, their Justice For All team hasn't made an update in awhile, but ExWeb says that most of the team has gone up to 6100 meters (20,013 ft), with one member even spending some time in C2. Much like the TNF squad, they are acclimatizing as best they can while carrying gear up the slopes, and always keeping an eye on the weather. The forecast indicates that it will remain bad through  the weekend, with a potential window opening at the start of next week.

Meanwhile, Italian climber Daniele Nardi has arrived in Pakistan and is making his way towards Nanga Parbat. He'll attempt a solo, alpine style ascent along the Diamir Face, which means he won't be sharing BC with the other teams. That side of the mountain is reportedly quite unstable this year, but Daniele will give it a go none the less. Hopefully he'll be safe during his stay on the mountain.

That's all for now. We'll be keeping an eye on developments on Nanga Parbat in the days and weeks ahead. This could be the year that someone finally climbs the "Killer Mountain" during the winter.

Winter Climbs 2014: Big Update From Polish Team

The winter climbing season on Nanga Parbat is proceeding at a good pace at the moment. The weather has finally improved and heading into the weekend, it appears that the teams should have an opportunity to acclimatize higher on the mountain. With just over two months to go in the winter season, the expeditions to the mountain have gone about as well as could be expected so far. Patience is the key to a winter climb on an 8000 meter peak, as the weather will truly determine if and when the climbers can proceed.

On Tuesday, the Polish Justice For All squad posted their first update in more than two weeks. It began with a nice message about the reality of travel in Pakistan, where many westerners have been led to believe that the people are hostile and unfriendly. That couldn't be further from the truth and the Poles have had nothing but warm encounters with the Pakistani people. After 50 days in country, they report that they feel safe, welcome and lots of friendly feelings from everyone that they have met along the way. Far from what they had expected based on how the media portrays the country.

The rest of the report has given us a break down of what the team has been up to over the past couple of weeks, which essentially has been acclimatizing and shuttling gear up the mountain when the weather has permitted it. So far, they've been stashing equipment in Camp 1, and have gone a little higher, which has put them at approximately 5400 meters (17,716 ft).


The update also discusses the departure of Marek Klonowski, who is traveling home to be with his partner Ida as they prepare for the arrival of their baby in a few weeks. The team will obviously miss Marek, as he is described as being one of the main engines driving the expedition forward. His leadership means a lot to the group, who will never the less continue on without him. Marek has had four previous attempts on Nanga Parbat in the winter, and that kind of experience is hard to replace.

Also leaving Base Camp soon is Michal Dzikowski, who was on the expedition in a support role, helping the team carry gear. His allotted holiday time is just about up and he needs to return home to his job and normal life. His departure will drop the team down to four members, which will make it challenging moving forward, even though they knew he wouldn't be there for the entire climb.

Fortunately, the Poles have a great relationship with the team they are sharing BC with. The North Face squad of Simone Moro, David Göttler and Emilio Previtali. The two groups have been sharing information about the weather and the route, and while they haven't been coordinating their climbs directly just yet, I don't think it would be a surprise if they joined forces for an eventual summit push.

Simone and David moved up the mountain last week, shuttling gear to C1 at 5600 meters (18,723 ft) and spending some time at altitude to acclimatize. They were warned by their meteorologist to be back in BC by Tuesday of this week, so they descended early to avoid bad weather. When they arrived back in Base Camp, the skies were clear and the weather was great, so they thought they may have made a mistake by descending. Later that evening, the skies clouded over and the snow began to fall, so they were glad for such accurate weather predictions.

Since then, the conditions have been dicey, but the forecast says things should begin to improve tomorrow. If that proves true, they're prepared to head up the mountain and probably begin taking supplies to C2. They could possibly spend a few nights at that location this weekend, working in any chance to acclimatize that they can.

Finally, Daniele Nardi is expected to arrive on the mountain next week. He'll be climbing the Diamir Route solo and in alpine style. Hopefully, we'll get some updates on his progress once he gets settled in and starts his expedition.

Stay tuned for updates as we get them.

Winter Climbs 2014: Base Camp Departure On Nanga Parbat

The teams attempting the first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat have been in "hurry up, and wait" mode for most of their stay on the mountain so far. That isn't unexpected on a climb in Pakistan in the middle of the coldest, most dangerous season of all. The weather has offered few opportunities for climbing too high on the mountain so far, but the climbers knew it would be like that before they ever arrived. So, they have been taking advantage of those opportunities as they come and have been patiently waiting for things to improve while they acclimatize as best they can. Over the weekend, conditions on the mountain improved slightly, giving them a chance to move higher and scout the route more properly.

The big news coming out of Pakistan is that the Polish Justice For All team has lost a man. According to ExWeb, Marek Klonowski has left the squad and returned home after his partner gave birth to their child. Being on Nanga wasn't as important as being with his expanding family, so he took leave of his friends and returned to Poland. That leaves Tomek Mackiewicz, Jacek Teler and Paweł Dunaj as the climbing team, with Michał Dzikowski and Michał Obrycki as their support crew.

Meanwhile, the North Face team of Simone Moro, David Göttler and Emilio Pevitali report that weather has indeed improved, but they remain in Base Camp at the moment to let the winds clear the snow from the higher portions of the mountain. This will reduce avalanche risk significantly and make it much safer for them as the move up to Camp 1, and possibly Camp 2, over the next few days. They'll work hard to shuttle gear up the route and establish their high camps, while also acclimatizing to the altitude at the same time.

Meanwhile, Daniele Nardi will soon set off for Pakistan as well as he attempts a solo summit of Nanga Parbat. He is due in country next week and should make his way to the mountain quite quickly. We've already seen Ralf Dujmovits abandon a similar attempt this winter due to unsafe conditions. It'll be interesting to see if Daniele will have better luck on his own expedition.

That's it for today. Hopefully we'll have more word on team movement in the next few days.

Winter Climbs 2014: Settling Into Base Camp And Close Call On Nanga Parbat

The focus of the winter climbing season in the Himalaya remains squarely on Nanga Parbat this year, with several teams attempting to complete the first winter ascent of that mountain. While conditions were less than favorable around the start of the New Year, things have improved somewhat now and acclimatization rotations have begun. The mountaineers have a considerable amount of work ahead of them in the weeks ahead, although one team narrowly averted disaster already and have had their decision to leave the mountain reaffirmed.

Last week I reported that German climber Ralf Dujmovits had decided to abandon his attempt at a solo summit on Nanga. While surveying the route, he noticed that there were two ice towers hanging over his intended path and he realized he would spend more than a day and a half climbing in their shadow. The two towers looked very precarious, as if they could collapse at any time, so Ralf decided he risk just wasn't worth the effort and decided to pack up his things and go home. Just a day after making that decision, Dujmovits and Polish climber Darek Zaluski narroly avoided an avalanche on the Diamir Face. Ralf wrote to Stefan Nestler about the incident saying that the duo were "very lucky" to have escaped unharmed. The two men descended to BC safely and are now presumably on their way back home.

Over on the Rupal Face, the team of Simone Moro, Emilio Previtali and David Gottler have been in BC for a bit over a week now. Simone and David have both spent a night at Camp 1 as they begin their acclimatization process, while also shuttling gear up the slope. In a recent update to their blog, they reported on the journey to BC, where they indicated that security on the road leading to the mountain is quite high. Following a high profile attack by terrorists in the Nanga Parbat Base Camp this past summer – during which 3 Pakistani soldiers and 10 foreign climbers were killed – officials in Pakistan are keen to make sure everyone is safe moving forward. To that end, the climbers received a military escort to the mountain, and a guard station with ten soldiers now sits along the road that leads to the peak. That level of security will hopefully allow the teams to climb without fear of another attack and simply concentrate on the mountain itself.


There have been few updates from the Polish "Justice For All" team in the past week. In the last report, they were preparing to fix ropes up to 6000 meters (19,685 ft), with several team members already acclimatizing above 5000 meters (16,404 ft). Whether or not those rope fixing efforts have been successful has yet to be determined, but it seems likely that they would have completed the task by now, provided the weather has been cooperative.

Finally, Italian climber Daniele Nardi is preparing to arrive on Nanga Parbat soon. He'll attempt a solo summit along the Diamir Face starting in late January. After properly acclimatizing, he intends to climb in alpine style, while avoiding any sense of competition with any of the other teams.

It interesting to see so much attention focused on a single mountain this winter. With all of the other 8000 meter peaks now climbed in winter – save K2 – it seems Nanga is the prize that most are interested in. Considering the number of fatalities during the winter season in recent years, it would appear that unless there is a potential first ascent to be had, most climbers have decided the risks just aren't worth the rewards. If Nanga Parbat is finally climbed in the winter, the same level of attention could then be focused on K2, a mountain that is far more treacherous to climb at any time of the year.

Stay tuned for more updates as warranted.

Winter Climbs 2014: Dujmovits Abandons Solo Nanga Parbat Expedition

Yesterday I posted an update on the winter climbing scene in Pakistan where several teams are hoping to make the first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat this year. So far those attempts have been stymied by bad weather conditions that have included high winds, cold temperatures and lots of snow. But with the forecast improving over the next few days, it seemed as if the climbers were preparing to truly get their acclimatization process under way at last. For one climber however, the risks on Nanga are just too great, so he has elected to pull the plug and go home.

As noted in my previous update, German climber Ralf Dujmovits was hoping to make a solo climb of the mountain and had recently arrived in Base Camp where he had been weighing his options for the best approach. What he found was that his intended route was far more difficult to find that he had anticipated and that it was was more dangerous as well. Ralf discovered that there were two massive ice towers precariously balanced just above where he would be climbing. He also estimated that it would take him approximately a day and a half to move past those towers, which would have been an awfully long time to be stuck under their shadow. So, weighing all of this information out and considering how fearsome Nanga Parbat is in the winter under the best of circumstances, he decided it was best to pull the plug on the expedition rather than tempt fate.

With the decision made, Ralf will now leave Pakistan and head for home. He knew that climbing the mountain solo in winter was going to be a major challenge no matter what, but the conditions even more dangerous than he had anticipated. I think the term "discretion is the better part of valor" is an apt one here.

This won't be the only solo attempt on Nanga this season however. Daniele Nardi will be arriving in Pakistan later in the month and he will attempt a solo summit along the Diamir face too.

Winter Climbs 2014: News From Nanga Pabat

The winter climbing season is now in full swing with most of the attention this year being focused on Nanga Parbat. As previously noted, there will be three teams attempting to make the first winter ascent of that 8126 meters (26,660 ft) peak, with all of them now on the mountain and taking a long look at the challenges that await them.

The Polish Justice For All Team, which has been in Pakistan the longest, is reporting that they have gone as high as 5500 meters (18,044 ft), where they have stored gear in anticipation of eventually shuttling it up to Camp 1. But poor weather, including high winds and heavy snows, have kept them in Base Camp for now. The forecast indicates that things should be improving over the next few days, which will allow them to push ahead with their acclimatization and scout their intended route up the mountain.

The North Face Team consisting of Simone Moro, David Gottler and Emilio Previtali are also in BC where they are awaiting improved weather as well. They arrived after Christmas but have quickly set up camp but have been stymied by hurricane force winds thus far. With the weather set to take a turn for the better, they'll hopefully be able to start their acclimatization as well.


Ralf Dujmovits hopes to make one of the most epic climbs in mountaineering history by going solo on Nanga above 5500 meters. After acclimatizing on Aconcagua in mid-December, he barely stopped home in Germany before heading to Pakistan. He is now on the mountain and reports that conditions are not great all around. His intended route passes below two precarious ice columns, which appear as if they could collapse at any time. Worse yet, conditions there are making for slow going, and his route would leave him in the shadow of those columns for a good day and a half of climbing, a risk he's not sure he wants to take at this point. The heavy snows have covered the intended route as well, which is making it difficult to spot. All of these challenges are in play, before he has even begun the ascent of Nanga, which is considered one of the most dangerous and difficult mountains in the world.

ExWeb is also reporting that Daniele Nardi will be heading to Nanga at the end of January and will be attempting a winter ascent as well. That is a bit of a late start to a winter climb, but should still provide plenty of time if conditions are right.

Finally, on a different note, Lonnie Dupre had been planning on having another go at a solo-summit of Denali in Winter, but has delayed that attempt until December of 2014. After three consecutive years on the mountain, he'll now take this January off and look ahead to next. As someone who has followed each of those previous expeditions, I'll miss following Lonnie's adventure this year.

More updates soon, as there will likely be more winter expeditions added shortly.

Video: Nanga Parbat In Winter

With the winter climbing season about to begin, it seems this year most of the focus will be on Nanga Parbat, the 8126 meter (26,660 ft) mountain located in Pakistan. Nanga remains one of just two 8000-meter peaks yet to be climbed in the winter, with the other being K2. With three teams heading to the mountain, I thought it was appropriate to share a video of what they can expect. The 4-minute clip below gives you an idea of what the Polish team endured last year on the mountain. Conditions will be similar this time out. Cold and snowy about sums it up.