March 21st, 2010 by admin

The 2010 Himalaya season is probably still another week or two away from really getting started in ernest, but as I mentioned while back, there are already some teams on the ground in Nepal, with more than a few climbers making their way to Annapurna. ExWeb has an update from that region, with the news that Edurne Pasaban and her team are preparing to go to Camp 2 as early as tomorrow.

Edurne and company have been on the mountain since last week, and have already set up BC and Camp 1. Today they are planning to hike back up to C1 and spend the night, then proceed up to Camp 2 tomorrow, where they’ll cache their supplies for the climb ahead. The Spanish climber has just Annapurna and Shisha Pangma left on her list of 8000 meter peaks, and she’d love to knock them both off this season. To do that, she’ll need to acclimatize now, and get an early summit on Annapurna, before moving over to Shisha once Tibet re-opens to visitors.

Another woman chasing the glory of being the first female to nab all of the 8000 meter peaks is Korean climber Miss Oh Eun-Sun. She has just Annapurna left for herself, and is now in the process of preparing for that mountain. According to ExWeb she is currently acclimatizing on Tharpu Chuli, also known as Tent Peak, and will join her support team next week to begin the trek to base camp. Miss Oh has become such a celebrity back home that her climb will be broadcast on television there, and reportedly there is a crew of 15 following her from the network alone.

Meanwhile, Kinga Baranowska is back in the Himalaya and on her way to Pumori, which will serve as a warm-up for Annapurna. Currently, she and her “Pan-European” team are enjoying a trek through the Khumbu region, and reached Namche Bazaar a few days back. The all-star team of climbers from across Europe include Piotr Pustelnik and Kinga, both from Poland, Horia Colibasanu of Romania, Peter Hamor from Slovakia, Russians Sergey Bogomolov and Evgeny Vinogradskiy and Joao Garcia from Portugal. As you can imagine, all of those nationalities has led to some interesting language barrier issues amongst the team so far, although they do seem to be getting along well.

So, it seems that for now, Annapurna remains the center point of expeditions in the Himalaya. The 26,545 foot mountain may be the 10th highest in the world, but it is one of the most dangerous and difficult to climb. At this stage of the season, I’m sure there is still plenty of snow on the mountain. Hopefully it’ll remain safe in the days ahead.

March 21st, 2010 by admin

As he so often does, Alan Arnette has managed to once again put things into perspective when it comes to Mt. Everest. In his latest update, entitled Tweeting From Everest, Alan talks about how far we’ve come in terms of being able to communicate to and from the mountain, and how it has changed the way the mountaineers approach their expeditions, and how we follow along back home.

Alan notest that when he first went to Everest, he was able to send brief messages back to the world at $1 per character. His “Hi, I’m back safely” note set him back $19 just to be able to tell friends and family that he was down and in one piece. He also says that without his satellite phone, he’d be lost on his major expeditions, and that underscores how vital a connection back to the “real world” is to today’s climbers. In the old days, it was practically a media blackout while climbing for two months. Now, with the Internet virtually everywhere, it is another good way to pass the time while in BC.

Social media, such as Facebook and Twitter have certainly changed the way we can stay in touch while we travel or follow along with teams as they climb. Alan also points out that nearly every climber and/or team has a blog that posts regular updates from Everest to keep those back at home informed and in touch. A far cry from years passed when climbers literally disappeared off the grid for two months.

The article is really an interesting one, discussing how communications and the Internet have had an impact on everything revolves around everest, including how First Ascent used the whole expedition to promote their new gear. Alan goes on to talk about the top places on the web for information on the expeditions (Thanks for the shout out Alan!) and how that has effected our perceptions of what is happening at any given time on the mountain.

Another nice article, and further sets the stage for the season ahead. It’s going to be an exciting one.

March 13th, 2010 by admin

Adventure World Magazine has posted a great interview with mountaineer Lei Wang, who was also recently the subject of an interview by Alan Arnette. Lei is the Chinese born climber who is preparing to leave for the Himalaya, where she’ll be making an attempt on Everest, the last obstacle in the way of her completion of the Seven Summits.

In the interview, Lei tells us about what led her to begin climbing and pursuing a life of adventure. She mentions seeing Touching the Void and Women of K2, both of which served as inspirations to her. She also talks about the adventurer she most admires (Shackleton!) and the most dangerous moments on her expeditions thus far, which includes complete whiteout conditions on Elbrus and being sick on summit day on Vinson. But that’s just the beginning. Lei also shares what her typical day is like as she prepares for her expeditions, gives us some insights into her training, and offers advice to other would-be adventurers.

Lei will leave for Kathmandu on the 20th of the Month, and begin the trek to Everest Base Camp soon there after. She’ll be climbing on the South Side of the mountain, and expresses concerns with negotiating the dangerous Khumbu Icefall. She tells Adventure World that she hopes to be on the summit approximately two months after her arrival in Nepal, on May 20th, but of course, that date is very fluid at this point.

Good luck to Lei on her Everest adventure. We’ll be following along.

March 13th, 2010 by admin

Awhile back I posted a story about a promising looking climbing film called The North Face, and that it was about to get a release in the U.S. It turns out it was a fairly limited release, and while I waited and watched for it to come to my local theater, it never arrived. Now, I live in Austin, TX, which has quite a reputation as a “movie town”. Heck, SXSW is starting this week, and literally dozens of films will be debuting there, so you can imagine my disappointment when the movie wasn’t scheduled to play here.

Enter, REI. Yes, the gear store. Thankfully, they picked up the film and have been showing it off in some of their stores. When I saw it show up on my event calendar for March, I immediately made reservations, and planned to catch it. Last night, that finally happened, and I can tell you it was worth the wait.

The movie tells the tale of two German climbers, Toni Kurz and Andi Hinterstoisser (Played by Benno Furmann and Florian Lukas), who set out to challenge the Eiger back in 1936. At that time, climbing was quite the obsession in Europe, with newspaper stories written about mountaineers and their daring deeds. It was also a matter of national pride for climbers from a specific country to make a first ascent, something that would spur Kurz and Hinterstoisser on, as they made their attempt on the “Europe’s last great problem” in the name of the Fuhrer.

The film is beautifully shot, with both the landscapes and the action coming across very realistically. This is a movie that captures the essence of climbing, and the men who love it so. It is also historically accurate, and there were a number of times that I was struck by how primitive Kurz and Hinterstoisser’s gear was while I watched them climb. Everything form the clothes they wore, the packs they used, and even the pitons they pounded into the rock were painstakingly recreated, and it gives the film a level of realism that isn’t always found in these kinds of movies.

Those who know the tales of the Eiger know doubt know this tale too. I won’t spoil it for those that don’t, but it plays out on the screen very well, It is gripping to watch, and even while sitting in an REI store, I was riveted to the screen, watching the events play out. The characters are extremely well developed, the acting is superb, and, everything comes together on multiple levels. This isn’t Cliffhanger. This is a different kind of climbing film, and fans of the sport will enjoy it greatly. Historians of the sport will likely fall in love with it.

In case you couldn’t tell, I loved the film, and recommend it very highly. If you get the chance, you must see it. I’m not sure when it comes out on DVD, but I’ll definitely be looking to add it to my collection. And I can’t give a film a higher rating than that. Really great stuff.

March 11th, 2010 by admin

I’ve been mentioning it for weeks, and now it is upon us. The 2010 Himalaya season has begun, with the first teams already arriving in Kathmandu and setting out for the various peaks that they will challenge this spring. Meanwhile, as has become all to common in recent years, it seems that Tibet is once again closed to outside visitors.

ExWeb cited reports from climbers yesterday that the borders into Tibet are once again closed, with no set date for when they’ll reopen again. Rumors are suggesting that the travel restrictions will be lifted on April 10, although climbers may be allowed in sooner than that. As has been the case the past few years, the closure seems to be in conjunction with the anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising, which took place 51 years ago tomorrow. Reportedly, more than 400 people have already been arrested in Lhasa alone as part of a nationwide crackdown by the Chinese, who continue to insist they have nothing to hide in the country.

With Tibet once again sealed off to the outside world, mountaineers are headed to Nepali peaks to get the climbing season underway. Edurne Pasaban, for instance, is on her way to Annapurna. Her and the rest of the team, flew to Pokara today, where they’ll begin the trek to Annapurna Base Camp. They are already prepared to face challenging conditions however, as the snow is said to still be quite deep above 4500 meters.

Korean climber Miss Oh Eun-Sun has arrived in Kathmandu, and will be heading to Annapurna soon as well. She’ll make the famous trek there to acclimatize first, then hopes to set up camp in BC by mid-April. From there, she’ll be concentrating on her final 8000 meter peak, the 26,545 foot main summit of the massif.

Similarly, Joao Garcia of Portugal is going for his final 8000 meter peak as well, on the same mountain. ExWeb says that he has climbed all the previous 13 eight-thousanders without supplementary oxygen, and of course will do the same here. He departs Lisbon for Kathmandu tomorrow, and will spend some time there before moving on to Annapurna too. Check out the video below to learn more about Joao.

Finally, the season is underway. Expect more news in the days to come, with climbers on their way to Everest by the end of the month. It’s about to get very busy in the Himalaya.

March 11th, 2010 by admin

For most armchair mountaineers, Everest is the ultimate peak. Located in the heart of the Himalaya, the tallest mountain on the planet may be well traveled these days, but its lure is undeniable, as evidenced by all the attention it gets each year during the spring climbing season.

Most Everest fans know that there are multiple routes to the summit, with the vast majority of climbers making the approach from the South or North sides. But those two routes are vastly different from one another, and the experience in climbing them is quite unique. Who better to explain those differences than Alan Arnette, a man who has been to the mountain on several occasions, and covers the climbing season exhaustively each year.

On his Everest 2010 blog, Alan has posted a great article that spells out the differences between the two most commonly climbed routes. He explains the positives of climbing from each side, and lays out the concerns as well, before breaking down the stages to reaching the summit in detail, and pointing out the important landmarks along the way.

For instance, on the South Col route, which is on the Nepali side of the mountain, Alan notes that it the trek to BC is beautiful and local villages are a great place to acclimatize before going up the mountain. But he points out that the Khumbu Icefall must be negotiated from that side of the mountain. In contrast, the Northeast Ridge route, on the Tibetan side, is less crowded and allows you to drive to base camp, but it is generally windier and colder as well, and requires a longer summit night to be successful.

Looking at the routes in detail, Alan tells us about each stage of the climb, and how long it should take to get there. For instance, on the South side, the climb from BC to Camp 1 requires roughly 4-6 hours, but is also the most dangerous part of the route, as the mountaineers have to cross the Icefalls. He also notes the locations of such famous landmarks as the Yellow Band, the Balcony, and the Hillary Step. The same detailed look is applied to the North side, where we garner information not only on the various camps on that side of the mountain, but also the First and Second Steps, the Summit Pyramid, and so on.

With the season set to get underway soon, this article serves as a nice primer for those who will be following the teams in the next few months. And for those of us for which this is kind of old hat, it’s a nice reminder of the challenges the mountaineers have to overcome to stand on the summit of Everest.

March 11th, 2010 by admin

I frequently mention the Seven Summits around here. It’s one of the top achievements in the adventure world, and a lofty goal for anyone. The concept is fairly simple. Reach the summit of the highest mountain on each of the seven continents, although there is some debate over Australia vs. Oceania, which usually leads to climbers going up eight mountains rather than seven.

I recently came across an organization called the Seven Ribbons Foundation, which is an International charity that has made it their goal to to place a pink ribbon, representing the fight against breast cancer, on each of the Seven Summits. The goals of the Seven Ribbons Foundation are simple. Inspire those with breast cancer to beat the disease, work to prevent the disease from spreading by promoting early detection and generate awareness of breast cancer through the Seven Summits climbs

Checking out the organization’s blog, it appears that they have only recently begun their campaign. In fact, I don’t believe they’ve even climbed their first peak yet, which means we can follow along as they go through the process of preparing and tackling each of the mountains. They are currently hoping to begin this June, when they travel to Africa to climb Kilimanjaro.

Another great series of climbs for another great cause. Good luck to the entire team as they get started on this amazing adventure.

March 9th, 2010 by admin

The National Geographic Adventure Blog continues to keep us up to date on all manner of stories from the outdoor world. Today, they have a story about a team of climbers that have recently climbed a remote peak in China, and made the first ski descent of the mountain.

The climbing team, which consisted of Kasha Rigby, Ingrid Backstrom, Guila Monega, and Jimmy Chin, made their way to Western China to challenge the 20,000 foot Reddomaine, a summit that falls in the Minya Konka massif. The mountain itself had been climbed a number of times before, but no one had ever skied its slopes, and while it wasn’t one of the best known peaks in the world, it offered plenty of challenge.

The climbers took a few chances on their way to the top. They pushed back their turn-around time on multiple occasions, and kept going up despite the hours trickling away. They had to over come some rather technical sections along the way as well, but late in the afternoon on Summit Day, they at last stood on top. It had taken them 12 hours to reach that point, and they would spend another three skiing back to base camp. But it sounds like it was all worth it in the end.

The article notes that this type of climb is becoming more and more popular. Mountaineers are seeking out new challenges on remote and unclimbed peaks, rather than going after the famous 8000 meter summits. They permits are cheaper and easier to obtain, and the technical challenges are more of a draw, so while the crowds continue to grow on Everest, the top climbers are going elsewhere to find what they are looking for. Seems like a really great trend if you ask me.

March 5th, 2010 by admin

The Gear Junkie has posted a story today about Troy Aupperle, an American climber who has successfully climbed each of the Seven Summits. He shares a few stories from his adventures, including hiding in the back of a 4×4 to get a crack at Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia, while taking the opportunity to plug his nutritional philosophy that he claims helped to get him to the top of all of those mountains.

When he began his quest to scale the highest mountains on each of the seven continents, Aupperle hoped to set a new record for shortest time to complete those climbs. That didn’t happen, but he still managed to knock off each of the mountains in just two years time, which is plenty fast and ambitious in my mind. In the process, he spent roughly $150,000 realizing his goal.

But for the 44-year old business man this was just another opportunity to promote his products, which in this case, are a series of enzyme nutritional supplements that he swears helped him increase his energy and conditioning. Aupperle thinks that other mountaineers and athletes can see performance gains from his example as well. He also credits a number of other supplements for helping him be successful in the mountains, such as antioxidant products, probiotic bacteria, and medicinal silver.

As someone who works out regularly and tries to stay fit, reading about the nutritional habits can be interesting and useful at times. But in this case, I would have preferred more of the story focus on the Seven Summits and Aupperle’s experiences there. The story of being smuggled into Carstensz Pyramid is the stuff of high adventure, and I would like to hear more about that, rather than the pills he was popping on summit day. Still, I thought some might find his story interesting and possibly helpful. Anyone else use enzymes and other supplements to improve their performance at altitude?

March 5th, 2010 by admin

Speaking of the Seven Summits, our friend Alan Arnette has another good interview posted this week. This time Alan speaks with Chinese climber Lei Wang, who is closing in on the Adventure Grand Slam, which consists of reaching the top of the Seven Summits and skiing to both the North and South Pole. In Lei’s case, she has just Everest left to conquer, which she hopes to do this spring.

Like many who have completed the Seven Summits, Lei’s love of mountaineering began when she reached the summit of Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa at 19,340 feet. That climb opened a sense of adventure in the young woman, and her desire to climb the remaining Summits was fueled further when she learned that no Chinese woman had accomplished the feat. Since then, she has stood atop Elbrus, Denali, Aconcagua, Carstensz Pyramid, and Vinson. Along the way, she also managed to go to the top and bottom of the world, on skis to both Poles.

In the interview, Lei talks briefly about her childhood in China, how things changed when she came to the U.S. to pursue an MBA, her first trip to the mountains, and a whole lot more. She touches on her training methods (puling those darn tires!), her mental preparation, and what it’s going to be like to tell her parents she’s going to Everest. As of the interview, she still hasn’t broken it to them. *gulp*

If she is successful in reaching the summit of Everest, Lei will become just the tenth person to complete the Adventure Grand Slam, putting her in very elite company with the likes of Max Chaya, Cecilie Skog, and Park Young Seok, who has also climbed each of the 8000 meter peaks as well. Pretty impressive accomplishment, and it should be fun to see if she is successful this spring.