September 30th, 2009 by admin

It was another busy weekend in the Himalaya with successful summits, changes in the weather, and the sad news of a death on Cho Oyu.

I’ll start there today, as the news broke over the weekend that Clifton Maloney, the husband of U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, died on Cho Oyu after achieving a successful summit. At the age of 71, he claimed the title as the oldest to summit that mountain, but died in his sleep back at C3 after telling one of his teammates “I am the happiest man in the world. I just climbed a beautiful mountain”. Maloney was an avid climber, sailer, and runner, having competed in the New York City Marathon on no less than 20 occasions. This is the first death of the season in the Himalaya, and I send my condolences to the family.

In other news on Cho Oyu, the North Face Trilogy team that had been planning to scale the mountain and then run/mountain bike back to Kathmandu, are in the process of altering those plans thanks to the Chinese closing the Tibetan borders once again. According to their latest blog posts, they’ll now consider a different peak in the region, since they won’t have access to Cho Oyu until after October 8th, and they won’t have the time to finish their project.

We also received an update on Ueli Steck over the weekend with the news that he reached the summit of Makalu late last week. He had been planning on making a solo, alpine style attempt on the West Pillar, but if you read his dispatches, you could tell how difficult that climb was going to be, so rather than go home empty handed, he topped out along the normal route while he was in the neighborhood.

IMG and Jagged Globe both put teams on the summit of Cho Oyu late last week and have posted photos and updates on the their teams as well, all of which are often the mountain and safe and are already en route back to Kathmandu for the journey hope. Congrats to everyone!

Summit bids are underway on Shisha Pangma, where Andrew Lock has updated his blog this morning with news that he is “Going For It”. He and his team have spent a night at C2 and the camps are well stocked up to that point, and he now believes that they’ll top out on Friday or Saturday of this week. They’ll be taking an alternate route to the summit that is long and challenging, but should avoid the treacherous cornices and snow that turned back another team yesterday.

Teams have been very busy on Manaslu the past few days as well, and the Altitude Junkies were successful in putting three climbers high on the mountain, but the did not reach the true summit itself, coming up about 15 vertical meters short. It seems that the ropes were not fixed all the way to the summit, and left them just short of the top. They elected to not attempt to go further for safety reasons. Meanwhile, according to Alpenglow Expeditions, climbing with Himex, the team should reach the top today and upon doing so, descend back to C2. Hopefully all has gone well for them this morning.

Finally, ExWeb has an update on the Basque team on Everest. The team was making a summit bid up the Hornbein Couloir, but are now back in ABC after a very scary night 7200 meters in which they survived no one, but two avalanches. The first hit them while they were in the tent, and buried it. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, they elected to head down the mountain, but were hit by a second avalanche that covered them in snow. They ended up spending the night under a rocky outcropping before making a long, slow treacherous descent the next day. No word as of yet if they’ll have another go at it.

September 26th, 2009 by admin

It looks like it is going to be a busy weekend in the Himalaya with good weather holding steading over the region, clearing the way for summit bids on a variety of peaks heading into next week.

The big news from yesterday is the successful summits on Cho Oyu, where IMG is reporting that they had 12 members of their team top out, including Sherpas, under excellent weather conditions that deteriorated some after their descent. Jagged Globe has also reported a successful day on the mountain, with 10 climbers, two guides, and their Sherpa team reaching the summit. All are now safely back down the mountain and celebrating in BC. Expect more climbers to make their bids over the weekend.

Meanwhile, over on Everest, the Basque Team has begun their assault on the North Side, making an alpine style ascent of the Hornbein Couloir with an eye on reaching the top of the tallest mountain on the planet by Sunday or Monday. Reportedly the face had been swept clean of snow by an avalanche last week, so hopefully conditions are good for their very tricky and demanding climb.

Additionally, ExWeb says we should expect summit bids on Manaslu and Shisha Pangma in the next few days as well, as everything is progressing on schedule on those mountains, and the routes are now fixed to the summit.

Finally, the Field Touring Alpine Team may have reached the top of Satopanth several days back, but the story of their climb is still emerging, with details still falling into place. It seems on their descent from the summit an earthquake hit the mountain, with the entire summit ridge trembling. Seracs were shaken loose and went tumbling down the mountain, and it was a scary scene for climbers who thought they had put the worst of the mountain behind them. Turns out, it was a 6.1 magnitude quake with the epicenter just 25 miles away. Everyone is safe of course, and they are now making their way back to Delhi for the return home, but that had to be one scary moment.

September 24th, 2009 by admin

The Fall Himalaya season seems to be rapidly heating up as summit bids are now underway on a variety of mountains across the region. The acclimatization process is finished, the lines are fixed, and the high camps are stocked. Looks like it’s go time!

On Everest, the Basque team of Alberto Iñurrategi, Mikel Zabalza and Juan Vallejo will begin their assault on the Hornbein Couloir tomorrow, with an eye on reaching the summit on Sunday morning, according to the latest update from ExWeb. The current plan is to survey the route tomorrow and if everything goes as planned, begin their alpine style ascent, which as ExWeb points out, has only been accomplished once before.

Jumping over to Makalu, we finally get an update from Ueli Steck, who is taking on the West Pillar solo and in alpine style. Ueli has had some set backs in that climb, and he is currently in BC, hoping for better conditions on the mountain, and knowing that he has just three weeks to make a go at it. If you read his very personal account of his attempt to go up the mountain, you’ll get a sense of the frustration he is currently feeling at not being able to climb as quickly and safely as he’d like. He’s even considered giving up and going home, which is so unlike the indomitable spirit we usually see out of him. It’s a bit sobering considering how strong a climber Ueli is, but it also says a lot about the conditions and challenges of this route on this mountain. Definitely a good read.

Meanwhile, the Chilean Ski Expedition is hoping to begin their summit bid on Manaslu tomorrow. They hope to top out on Sunday as well, and will then make the descent back down the mountain on their skis. On that same mountain, the Altitude Junkies should be in the middle of their summit bid right now, and should be hopefully reaching the summit this weekend as well. The Himex Team is apparently progressing with their acclimatization, and have already spent two nights at at 6300 meters, and are eyeing their bid, weather permitting, in the next week and a half.

Andrew Lock checks in once again from Shisha Pangma where he reports great conditions. He has now climbed up to Camp 1, but described the route as slow and treacherous at this point. It took him and his climbing partner, Kinga Baranowska, seven hours to make the trip up to 6250 meters. That climb was made several days ago, and today he and Kinga are back up to C1 to spend the night, before moving on to Camp 2 tomorrow. For Andrew, this is his 14th 8000 meter peak, so obviously he’s keen on using the great weather to his advantage and finishing off the last of the big mountains.

The North Face Cho Oyu Triology Team continues to make their way to that mountain, and are posting regular updates to their blog. Yesterday we were treated to some great photos from the area on the team’s blog and the video posted below was put up today. It shows climber Simone Moro in Chhukung village discussing his previous experiences in the Himalaya, of which he has had many.

Also on Cho Oyu, the IMG blog is reporting that their team is now in the middle of their final push to the summit, and updates later today should clue us in on their success. It looks like they should be standing on top very soon.

FInally, the Field Touring Alpine Team has updated their blog to let us know that the entire team is now back in BC on Satopanth after successfully putting several climbers on the summit of that peak located in the Hindu Kush of India. Well done team, and glad you’re all safe!

September 22nd, 2009 by admin

It was another busy weekend in the Himalaya, as the teams continue to work towards their goals, while slowly acclimatizing to the altitude and building their high camps. But while most are still making their way up their mountain of choice, one team has already topped out.

The Field Touring Alpine Team sent out word today that they have successfully reached the summit of Satopanth, a 7075 meter peak in India’s Hindu Kush. The report says that the weather was perfect and the climb from C3 to the summit took just five hours. The team will return to C2 today before making their way back to BC tomorrow, where they’ll celebrate their success. Congrats everyone!

Over on Manaslu the Altitude Junkies are reporting good weather too, despite a forecast that had looked grim. Because of that, they’re making better progress than expected, nearly every one of the team members is on schedule and has spent a night at Camp 2, so the acclimatization process continues as expected. They do report that the climb up to C2 is more technical than last year however, and the 2-4 hour climb turned into a 3-7 hour ascent. Extra snow on the mountain is not making it easy.

ExWeb is reporting that Basque team of Alberto Iñurrategi, Mikel Zabalza and Juan Vallejo on Everest have gone as high as 7500 meters now and are reporting poor conditions as well. It seems that the snows at that level are quite deep, with the climbers sinking to their knees and while at that altitude, they were pounded by a blizzard while they spent a sleepless night in the tent. With their acclimatization process now complete however, they’ll turn their eyes on the Hornbein Couloir, which was swept clean of snow after a major avalanche this weekend. Hopefully that’ll make a bit of an easier climb, as the couloir is challenging enough as is.

Andrew Lock reports in from Shisha Pangma, where he completed his Puja Ceremony on Saturday and was scheduled to go up to Camp 1 yesterday, spend the night, and move on to C2 with some supplies. He says that the team all have coughs and colds, which is natural in the region, but the weather is good, and they are itching to get underway.

The North Face Cho Oyu Trilogy Expedition is finally getting underway, with the latest news from their blog saying they have departed Kathmandu on their way to the mountain. Over the next 15 days they’ll be trekking in the valley as they work on their own acclimatization process, before making a bid on the fifth highest peak in the world. Once they reach the summit, one of the team members will attempt to snowboard back down, and if that wasn’t enough, once they’re all back in BC, they’ll return to Kathmandu under their own power. Two will trail run the entire way, and the other two will mountain bike. I’ll take the bike, thanks.

Speaking of Cho Oyu, it seems teams that are already on the mountain have begun their summit bids, with IMG chiming in with that news earlier today, and if everything holds to the schedule, they’ll top out on Thursday of this week. Likewise, the Jagged Globe Team has finished their preparations, and they should begin their final ascents in the next day or two as well. Good luck everyone!

September 18th, 2009 by admin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

September 16th, 2009 by admin

There wasn’t a whole lot of news out of the Himalaya over the weekend, as teams on a number of mountains were waiting for the weather to clear at the beginning of the week so they could get down to business at last. Part of that process is going through the traditional Puja ceremony performed by the Sherpas to ensure that the spirits of the mountain protect the climbers as they begin their ascents.

The Altitude Junkies had their Puja on Manaslu over the weekend, and from the sound of things, the team shared plenty of early morning beverages of the alcoholic variety. With the ceremony finished however, it was now time to go to work, and today the team began shuttling gear up to Camp 1. The latest dispatch reports great weather on the mountain, and successful hike up and back, along a more direct route than the guides had seen last year at this time. So far, things are looking good.

The Himex team is also on Manaslu, and took part in the Puja over the weekend as well. Reportedly, it went on for three hours, with the monk performing it taking great care to put his blessing on all the climbers. The Sherpas have now gone to work fixing the lines up the mountain, while the climbers take some glacier hikes for training exercises and begin their acclimatization process.

Meanwhile, the IMG Team checks in from Cho Oyu with the news that their Sherpas have been working in conjunction with the other teams, and have now fixed the route up to the Ice Shelf, and beyond to C2. The Sherpas will join the acclimatization rotation at Camp 2 this week, before starting work on the ropes further up the mountain.

Speaking of Cho Oyu, the North Face Trinity Team is now in BC and have begun updating the blog of their expedition as well. This is the team that plans on summitting the mountain, snowboarding back down, and then mountain biking and trail running back to Kathmandu. Should be fun to follow along with their exploits.

The Jagged Globe Team has also checked in from Cho Oyu with the news that their entire team has now slept at Camp 1, which means that their acclimatization process is moving along on schedule. They also report that the mountain is starting to get busy, but that the Ice Shelf looks to be more approachable than it has in recent years, which bodes well for the climb ahead. They’ll now return to BC for a few days rest before making the climb up to C2 to continue their acclimatization.

That’s all for now. Seems like we should hear more from the entire region later in the week as the weather improves, and teams can finally go to work. The season’s just getting started and there are some big climbs and milestones in the works.

September 12th, 2009 by admin

The reports coming in from the Himalaya all report the same thing, snow! And plenty of it. Teams are sitting in base camps throughout the region, while plenty of snow is already building up, especially at altitude. We’ll just have to wait to see if that has a major impact further into the season when summit bids begin.

These are exactly the same thoughts that Ueli Steck is having in his latest dispatch, where he is reporting that he and the other climbers on Makalu are stuck in BC, where he reports that it is never comfortable, with temperatures that are either too hot or too cold. His weather forecasts give him reason for hope however, as the conditions should improve through the weekend, with clear, sunny skies reported for next week. Perhaps then he can get started on his solo, alpine style ascent of the West Pillar.

Meanwhile, Andre Lock has updated us on his plans, as he makes his way to base camp on Shisha Pangma. He was in Kathmandu a few days back, but already planning his journey into Tibet, and hopes to reach the mountain by Sept. 16. Andrew has been dreaming of this climb for some time, and it was delayed last year thanks to China closing off the Tibetan borders, but he’s back on track now, and hoping to have a successful climb. If he does, this will be his 14th, and final, 8000 meter peak. Good luck Andrew!!

The Altitude Junkies are en route to Manaslu, and are currently acclimatizing in Sama Goan, the last village before they reach BC. They report wet, and very muddy, conditions on the trek in, but the team is said to be doing well, and enjoying their last break before they begin their climb. The mountain has remained a mystery thus far however, as due to the cloud cover, they haven’t even seen it yet.

Over on Cho Oyu things are progressing nicely, as the IMG Team reports weather conditions have improved there, and they are progressing up to Camp 1 today. A similar report comes in from the Jagged Globe crew, who have gone up as high as 6000 meters already, as they plan their acclimatization process out. Likewise, Emily, reporting for Alpenglow Expeditions from Manaslu, says that the sun is finally shining there as well.

Finally, the Field Touring Alpine team checks in from India, where they are still making their way to base camp, amidst snowy conditions. The audio dispatches from the team have begun, and they note that they hope to be on Satopanth tomorrow.

September 10th, 2009 by admin

The weekend brought more news from the Himalaya, although most of it had more to do with the arrival of teams in base camps on various mountains throughout the range, as the climbers scramble to get into place, and begin the process of actually climbing those peaks.

On Everest, the ExWeb is reporting that the Basque team moved into BC on the North Side in just three short days. Normally, the drive (yes, drive!) to base camp on the Tibetan side of the mountain takes some time, giving the climbers a chance to acclimatize to a degree, before they ever get there. But the three men, Alberto Iñurrategi, Mikel Zabalza and Juan Vallejo, have been preparing for their ascent by using hyperbaric chambers, which seems to have them well ahead of schedule in the acclimatization process.

Over on Makalu, Ueli has updated his blog, as he prepares for his solo attempt on the West Pillar in alpine style. He reports bad weather at the moment, with plenty of snow and fog, but he did have the opportunity to scout his intended route and acclimatize some himself over the weekend. For now though, he, and everyone on Makalu, wait for the weather to change.

Himex is leading a team on Manaslu, and climber Julian Haszard is posting dispatches on the climb. They’re also in base camp and beginning to acclimatize as well. Julian, who summetted Everest back in 2004, says that he’ll also use the time to get back to expedition style of living. He also notes that he has very different motivations for climbing Manaslu than he did when approaching Everest. This time, it’s more about the adventure and less about reaching the highest place on the planet.

ExWeb is reporting that the Chilean team on Manaslu has made their first gear drop in BC and are now back in the village of Samagaon. They report wet conditions on the trek and the mountain itself, as it seems that the monsoon hasn’t quite given up its hold on the region just yet.

Finally, the Field Touring Alpine team is in India, and should be arriving in base camp on Satopanth soon if they haven’t done so already. On Saturday they began the three day trek into the 7075 meter mountain, where they will soon begin audio dispatches of their expedition.

September 4th, 2009 by admin

There is more evidence today that things are starting to heat up in the Himalaya, as more teams are reportedly hitting Kathmandu, while others are in now en route to their mountain of choice, as the Fall Season gets well underway.

First up, the Hardwear Sessions blog has a report from Ueli Steck, who has now arrived in the Makalu Base Camp, which is located at 5250 meters (17,224 feet) on the mountain. The monsoon is said to still be in full effect, and dumping plenty of moisture on the region, which has made the ten day trek to BC all the more difficult. But Ueli seems in good spirits, as are his companions Robert Bösch and Andy Wälchli, who will be climbing along the typical route to the summit, while Ueli will be making a solo, alpine style ascent on the West Pillar. Once the rains stop, the work can begin.

The Altitude Junkies are on their way to Manaslu, and their latest dispatch says that they have made it to Arughat today, after battling bad road conditions. Tomorrow they’ll begin their trek to the mountain. Reportedly their conditions so far have been light rain with plenty of heat.

The Field Touring Alpine Team is set for a Himalayan climb as well, but they’re currently in India and setting their sites on Satopanth, a 7075 meter (23,211 feet) mountain that will serve as a warm-up for an Ama Dablam climb later in the year. The climbers have gathered in hot and humid Delhi, where they now have their permit, and will soon be setting out for the mountain, located in the northern part of India.

I suspect we’ll be getting more reports such as these as we get through the weekend. More teams will be getting into place on their respective mountains, and waiting out the weather for their opportunity to begin to climb. Looks like it is going to be an active Fall in the Himalaya.

September 2nd, 2009 by admin

I just wrote about the 2009 Fall Himalaya Expedition List yesterday, and now we get word today that things are already starting to happen in Nepal. ExWeb is reporting that teams have begun to arrive in Kathmandu, including the Basque team that will soon depart for Tibet, where they’ll be attempting the Hornbein couloir along the North Face. They’re joined by a Mexican team that has its sights set on Manaslu and two Chilean teams, one already on the trek to that mountain, and another preparing to set out for Dhaulagiri.

Swiss climber Ueli Steck continues his penchant for impressive climbs this fall by making an attempt on the West Pillar of Makalu. Ueli warmed up for this climb by making a solo summit on GII this past summer, and in keeping with that theme, he’ll be going solo on Makalu as well. He will be joined by photographer Robert Boesch and mountain guide Andy Waelchli, but neither of those two men will go above base camp. According to Ueli’s website, he expects to finish this project by the end of October. If there is a climber out there that can make a bold solo climb like this one, it’s probably Ueli.

The Altitude Junkies have an expedition planned for Manaslu, and according to their most recent dispatch, the team should now be in Nepal, and beginning their trek to the mountain today. Expect the usual excellent updates from AJ as the climb progresses.

Finally, here’s an interesting climb that is being sponsored by The North Face. It’s called the Cho Oyu Trinity project and it will see a team of climbers make an attempt on the 8021 meter Cho Oyu. Following a successful summit, the team hopes to snowboard back down the mountain, before running and mountain biking their way back to Kathmandu, a distance of approximately 275 miles. I guess they were looking for more of a challenge after climbing the sixth highest mountain on Earth.