Himalaya Fall 2011: A New Season Begins

With the summer season in the Karakoram now behind us, climbers are heading back to the High Himalaya in Nepal and Tibet for the fall season. While this is a much quieter time of year, when compared to the hustle and bustle of spring, there are still plenty of teams looking to bag summits in the weeks ahead.

Some of the climbers have already come and gone through Kathmandu and are now acclimatizing on their mountain of choice. For example, the Himex team is on Manaslu (8156 meters/26,759 ft) this fall, and have already gone as high as Camp 1, located at 5547 meters  (18,200 ft), where they spent three nights last week. While most expeditions to the Himalaya are special in their own right, this one is even more so. The team has nine soldiers from the U.K. who have suffered wounds while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, each of which are hoping to summit the mountain. Those soldiers are working with the charity Walking With The Wounded to raise funds and awareness of their cause.

Also on Manaslu are the Altitude Junkies, who welcomed all of their team members to camp yesterday. They held their Puja ceremony this morning, and will now begin shuttling gear up to Camp 1 as well, The Sherpas are expected to start that process tomorrow, with the climbers to follow on Wednesday. Team leader Phil Crampton reports that the weather has been terrible in Base Camp the past three days, with plenty of rain making it difficult to establish camp. Fortunately, their gear seems to be working well so far, keeping everyone warm and dry.

IMG has teams on both Cho Oyu (8201 m/26,906 ft) and Shisha Pangma (8013 m/26,289 ft) this fall, and those squads both reached their respective Camp 1 last week. Both teams have spent time acclimatizing at altitude and are now resting in ABC and are expected to climb up to C2 in the next few days. Meanwhile, Sherpa teams have finished establishing those Camp 2's and are now fixing ropes above those points.

Other climbers and squads are now en route to other mountains as well, including Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, and more. As of now, I haven't heard of anyone attempting Everest this fall. If you know of a team that is doing so, please forward their information on to me. Thanks!

Himalaya 2011: Spring Season By The Numbers

Earlier today, ExWeb posted an excellent re-cap of the 2011 Spring Himalaya climbing season, breaking down all the stats and records, while putting it all into perspective for us. They have the scoop on the highs (pun intended!) and lows of another very busy spring in the mountains.

Amongst the stats that may be of interest is the fact that there were, according to ExWeb's count, roughly 680 summits in the Himalaya this year. Of those, about 500 took place on Everest alone. Remember, this is in a year that was said to be quieter than normal. That is a much higher number than what I had been led to believe, but the folks over at Explorers Web are bit more tapped in on those kinds of numbers, so I'm inclined to believe them. The remaining 180 summits were spread out across a variety of peaks, but of the 8000 meter mountains, nine saw successful summits, including Everest, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Annapurna, and Shisha Pangma.

Most of the post is made up of a list of "firsts," which include the first summits on a variety of peaks by climbers from specific nationalities, as well as age records for the youngest and oldest to scale some of these mountains as well.

Finally, the post wraps things up on a solemn note with a run down of the climbers who lost their lives in the Himalaya this spring. That list is always too long, no matter the number on it, and is a sobering reminder of the dangers we all face when going to high altitude.

Himalaya 2011: News From All Over

The 2011 Himalayan climbing season is starting to wind down for another year, but there is still plenty of things happening on peaks throughout the region. With so many expeditions taking place at this time of the year, it is a real challenge to keep up with all the activity, so apologies in advance if I've neglected someone or failed to mention an expedition.

We'll start once again on Everest today, which is where the bulk of coverage has been on the South Side, but the teams approaching from the North are finally getting their chance. As reported yesterday, the 7 Summits Club  topped out not long after the ropes to the top were fixed and apparently the Asian-Trekking squad was also there at about the same time. It is unclear which team reached the summit first from the North Side, but in the greater scheme of things, it doesn't really matter. Both teams enjoyed summit success, and the North Side is open for business. Most other teams are looking for summit bids late this week, and there is no news on when Ueli Steck and Don Bowie will make their attem32pt. My guess is that they'll go for it before the crowds, but it depends on how they feel and what the weather dictates.

On the South Side there are still a few teams making their summit attempts as well, including the Jagged Globe team, who are on the move today. Edurne Pasaban and her team are hoping to head back up later this week as well. They turned back at Camp 4 over the weekend due to illness on the squad and windy conditions, which can be tough to endure when climbing without oxygen. The Spanish climber, the only woman officially recognized for climbing all fourteen 8000-meter peaks, also took part in a rescue on Lhotse of fellow countrymen who ran into trouble while descending that peak.

Speaking of summitting without oxygen, ExWeb is also reporting that a monk by the name of Bhakta Kumar Rai spent 32 hours on the summit of Everest, meditating for 27 of those hours. He was on oxygen for just 11 of those hours as well. Impressive feats all around, especially when you consider most people only spend a few minutes on top.

There is sad news to report this morning from Cho Oyu, where a number of sources are saying that Dutch climber Ronald Naar has died. Apparently he had given up on his summit bid due to bad weather, and on the descent he was feeling ill. He later collapsed in Camp 3. Naar had previously conquered the Seven Summits, as well as K2, and also enjoyed polar exploration too. This was to have been his last expedition.

There was also alarming news from Kangchenjunga as well, where Alex Gavan reported a dicey situation involving a Serbian climber named Dragan. Apparently, he was suffering from both HACE and HAPE, and had to be evacuated from the mountain via helicopter. No news on his condition as of yet, but it sounds like a very serious situation. Keep your fingers crossed!

Finally, on Lhotse, the previously mentioned Spanish team that was in trouble over the weekend included Manolo "Lolo" Gonzalez, who had to be evacuated from the mountain following a harrowing descent in bad weather. Lolo, and the rest of his squad, reached the summit, but conditions made for a slow descent, which left them exposed at altitude for far too long. Gonzalez ended up spending the night alone on the mountain until he was discovered by another group of climbers the following day.

Ryan Waters and his teammates also topped out on the mountain, as did Zsolt Eross, who claimed his ninth 8000-meter peak. What made this one special however, is that Eross suffered a climbing accident in 2010, which required that a leg be amputated. He earned this summit with an artificial limb. Congrats to Zsolt and the rest of the Lhotse summitteers. 


More news to come in the next few days I'm sure. There is still a lot happening, despite the end of the season looming. Lets hope there aren't any more causalities or serious accidents. 

Himalaya 2011: Ueli Steck Shares Details Of Cho Oyu

Last Friday we got the news that Ueli Steck and Don Bowie had summitted Cho Oyu, notching Ueli's second 8000 meter peak in 18 days. Over the weekend, both men shared their thoughts on the climb, filing in some of the details of the ascent and their time on the mountain.

Ueli posted this detailed report, which gives us a timeline of the climb and conveys a sense of urgency that they felt due to weather window that had opened for the 4th and 5th of the month. After that, things looked dicey, and if they hoped to reach the summit before moving on to their next challenge, they would need to take advantage of what ever window nature offered. That's exactly what they did, and according to Ueli, it was a fairly easy, as far as 8000 meter peaks go, climb.

He did note that he wasn't nearly as fresh on Cho Oyu as he was on Shisha Pangma a few weeks back. Judging from his report, he is looking forward to finishing the expedition, and heading home, as he has been away for some time now, and the toll of climbing and trekking in the Himalaya has begun to wear on him.

Of course, he and Don have one more peak yet to go, and that would be Everest. The pair hope to return to Lhasa tomorrow and spend a day or two resting there before driving to Everest Base Camp, provided the Chinese grant them permission to do so. It seems that they will most likely be in BC by the weekend, and should be ready to have a crack at the mountain sometime next week, provided they feel healthy and read, and the weather holds out.

For a second report on their climb, you can read Don's account by clicking here. He treads similar ground as Ueli, but shares some other details as well, such as a nasty bout of sickness that hit both men prior to their Cho Oyu ascent.

And for those asking, yes there is a summit photo this time. Ueli and Don were part of a small group of climbers who went up the mountain, as opposed to Steck's solo efforts on Shisha.

Himalaya 2011: Ueli and Don Summit Cho Oyu!

Ueli Steck and Don Bowie have topped out on Cho Oyu, reaching the summit yesterday and nabbing the second 8000 meter peak in just 18 days for Steck. Details remain a bit light at the moment, and the home teams for both men say that they are still returning to Base Camp, where we are likely to get more information, and possibly summit photos this time out.

Back on April 18th, Ueli made a speed climb of Shisha Pangma (8013 m/26,289 ft), going tent-to-tent in under 20 hours. That was just the warm-up for the Swiss climber however, as he immediately left that mountain for Cho Oyu, where he and Don have apparently made another light and fast alpine style ascent. Standing 8201 meters (26,906 ft) in height, Cho Oyu is the sixth highest mountain in the world.

Up next, the duo will head over to Everest to try their luck on the tallest of the 8000 meter peaks. They'll likely arrive just in time as well. With the route to the summit in place, most teams are waiting for a weather window to begin their climb. I'm guessing Don and Ueli will wait out the crowds and rest up in Base Camp, before making another ascent. They'll probably want everyone out of their way once they get moving.

Congrats to Ueli and Don on a job well done. Two 8000 meter peaks in the span of less than three weeks is pretty impressive stuff.

Himalaya 2011: Ueli Checks In From Cho Oyu, Ready For Summit Bid

Ueli Steck and climbing partner Don Bowie have sent an update from Cho Oyu, the next stop in their Himalayan Triple Header this spring. You may recall that Ueli topped out solo on Shisha Pangma a few weeks back, and now the duo are prepping to go for the summit on the 8201 meter (26,906 ft) Cho Oyu.

According to the dispatch, since arriving on Cho Oyu last week, Ueli and Don have been acclimatizing at altitude and building their camps. They've been up as high as 7000 meters (22,966 ft) and are back in ABC and watching the weather closely. The forecast said that a window could open as early as today, and if that holds true, they may have already started the ascent.

It should be noted that they are not making an attempt on any kind of speed record on this climb. They do home to go light and fast, but beyond that, they're saving their strength for their final challenge, Everest from the South Side, which will take place in a few weeks time.

As for questions that continue to surround Ueli's speed climb of Shisha, I'm not sure why we haven't seen any summit photos. Perhaps Ueli didn't take the camera with him since he wasn't expecting to go for the summit that day. That seems unlikely, but it is a possibility. We have seen video of him high on the mountain and moving upwards very rapidly, but so far there has been no definitive proof that he has stood on top.

Perhaps once the entire expedition is over, we'll get plenty of that evidence offered to us, but for now, we simply have the reports from Ueli, Don, and their companions.

Himalaya 2011: Route To South Col Fixed, Summits Soon?

It was a rather quiet weekend on Everest's South Side, where many teams were recovering from their acclimatization rotations higher on the mountain. The weather has reportedly turned to fog, and there is now rain at the lower elevations, which seems to indicate that a warming trend is in the air. That will make a number of people happy, as the current cold, snowy, and windy conditions have made things rough on the mountain so far.

The biggest news of the weekend is that the route up the South Col is now fixed all the way to Camp 4, thanks to the combined efforts of the Sherpas of several of the bigger commercial teams. That means that supplies can now start to be funneled up the slope for the inevitable summit push that could come sometime around the middle of the month.

Tim Rippel, reporting in for the Peak Freaks, says that their Sherpa team is set to return to C4 sometime around Thursday or Friday of this week, and possibly sooner depending on the weather. Similarly, the IMG squad reports that their Sherpas are heading up to the South Col tomorrow for their supply run, and they are predicting that the ropes to the summit could be fixed by the end of the week as well. That means we could see our first summits of the season on Everest by Friday of this week.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the region, Alex Gavan is reporting that his team is starting up for Camp 3 tomorrow on Kangchenjunga. C3 on that mountain is located at about 7300 meters (23,950 ft), and with their acclimatization complete, they are just waiting for a favorable weather window before making an assault on the summit. If all goes well, they could potentially be on top by the weekend as well.

Don Bowie has sent a dispatch back from Cho Oyu a few days back. He and Ueli Steck have arrived on that mountain and have already gone up to Camp 2 at 7000 meters (22,965 ft). They were expecting bad weather over the weekend however, and may still be in Base Camp, waiting an opportunity to go higher. Last week, Ueli said that his Shisha Pangma climb had caught up with him a bit, so he wasn't thinking about going for any kind of speed climb on Cho Oyu, but perhaps he'll feel differently if he has more time to rest. After they knock off this peak, it is on to Everest for Don and Ueli.

Finally, ExWeb is reporting that the Iranian team on Manaslu reached the summit over the weekend as well. That mountain, located in Nepal, is the 8th highest mountain in the world, standing 8156 meters (26,759 ft) in height. They expect more details on that climb soon. Congrats to the entire team!



Project Himalaya: Behind the Scenes in the Khumbu Valley from Mountain Hardwear on Vimeo.

Himalaya 2011: Snow and Cold Weather Continue On Everest

The 2011 climbing season on Everest is shaping up to be one of the coldest, and snowiest, in recent memory. The weather seems to be the primary focus of discussion even as teams continue their acclimatization process, with many dispatches noting that the weather pattern has remained the same all season thus far. Clear skies in the morning bring cold temperatures, with clouds moving in later in the day, usually dumping snow on the mountain.

The IMG squad posted an updated yesterday saying that a weather front off to the East of the mountain had brought yet more snow, dumping as much as 12 inches (30.5 cm) on the Western Cwm between Camps 1 and 2. Despite that weather however, some of the team members, including Alan Arnette, spent the night at C2, with others waiting in Base Camp to begin their acclimatization rotation.

The Peak Freaks had hoped to climb up to C3 today as part of their process as well, but lead guide Tim Rippel reports in his Twitter feed that that climb was aborted due to the snow. The team had not intended to stay the night at the camp, but simply go up and "touch" it before heading back down to BC for some rest. The snow was reportedly quite deep higher on the mountain, and although the lines are fixed, the team decided to not risk going any higher for now.

The Himex team has laid out their plans for the coming days, and they have quite a busy schedule planned as well. After most of the crew completed a successful climb of Pumori, they are now prepared to have a go at the big hill, but they'll need to acclimatize more first. So, to that end, they plan is to climb up to Camp 2 tomorrow, and spend four nights at 6600 meter (21,653 ft). After that, they'll head up to Camp 3, spend a night there before dropping back down to C2 for one more night. After all that time at altitude, they'll return to BC, on or about May 4th, when they'll begin waiting for a weather window for their summit bid. An ambitious plan to say the least.

Elsewhere, the Field Touring Alpine team is on Cho Oyu, where they've also spend the night at Camp 1 and hope to go up to Camp 2 today. Whether or not they actually do that is dependent on the ropes being fixed to that point on the mountain. They report similar conditions on Cho Oyu as on Everest, cold, windy, and plenty of snow. Want to know what it's like on a Himalayan peak in the high winds? Check out the video below.

Finally, Anselm Murphy checks in today from Kangchenjunga where he reports that the Sherpas ran out of rope while fixing lines up to Camp 3. They hope to return to C2 tomorrow and then continue their work straight away on Friday, which is good news for everyone, as they all seem eager to get up to 7000 meters to finish their acclimatization. Much like everywhere else in the region however, the mountain is experiencing bad weather, with plenty of snow and high winds. It seems that all of the Himalaya are caught up in this same pattern at the moment.

Himalaya 2011: Lines Fixed To C3 On Everest South Side

Despite continued cold and snowy conditions in the Himalaya, work towards the various summits progresses on schedule. As the first of May quickly approaches, it seems that it is all about the acclimatization process, building high camps, and stashing gear for the eventual summit push.

Perhaps the biggest news of the day is that the Sherpa teams fixing ropes on Everest's South Side have reached the Yellow Band, located at 28,000 feet. According to an update from IMG, they'll now descend back to Base Camp for a few days of rest before returning to that point on the mountain. My guess is they'll finish the last sections, up to the 8848 meter (29,029 ft) summit on their next go, clearing the way for the commercial teams to follow in a few weeks time.

With the ropes fixed so high up the mountain,  some teams have begun to climb up to C3, including the Peak Freaks who will likely have climbers there as early as tomorrow. Part of their team is at Camp 1 now, and another part is in Camp 2. They'll all "touch" Camp 3 tomorrow or Wednesday, and immediately descend to C2 for the night. Other teams are sure to follow of course, with most spending at least a night at C3 as part of their acclimatization.

Things are progressing a bit more slowly on the North Side, where the weather has been even dicier. Teams on that side of the mountain have gone up to Camp 1, where they've spent a few nights and stashed some gear. Most are back in BC now, awaiting a chance to go higher. On that side of the mountain, a team of climbers from the Chinese-Tibetan Mountaineering Association handles the fixing of the ropes, thus all the teams are at their mercy while they wait for them to finish the job. Last year, they lagged a few days behind their counterparts on the South Side because it took a bit longer for the Sherpa team to complete their tasks. It is beginning to look like that will hold true this year as well.

Over on Makalu, David Morton and Melissa Arnot have completed their Puja ceremony and have started their work on the mountain. You can read their updates on the Born Out There blog. In his latest update David talks about the challenges of sleeping at high altitude, a subject that I found all too familiar while reading his dispatch. In short, it can be a not so pleasant experience.

Finally, Ueli Steck is en route to Cho Oyu, the next challenge in his Himalaya Triple Header. According to his website, he and the team are in Namche Bazaar at the moment, but will be back on the trail tomorrow. With any luck, they'll be in BC on Cho Oyu in a few days time, and we'll start the countdown on his attempt at his next big peak. Any one want to start a pool on how fast he'll go up this mountain?

To see what it is like behind the scenes on Ueli's adventure, check out the video below.


Project Himalaya: Behind the Scenes in Namche from Mountain Hardwear on Vimeo.

Himalaya 2011: More On Ueli's Speed Ascent Of Shisha Pangma

A few days back we received the stunning news of Ueli Steck making a solo speed climb of Shisha Pangma in just 10.5 hours. Over the past few days more details and information about that ascent have begun to trickle out, even as Ueli and his climbing partner, Don Bowie, make their way for their next big Himalayan peak.

An update was posted to Ueli's website, HimalayanSpeed.com, that contains some more insight into the climb. It seems that Steck attacked the South Face of the 8013 meter (26,289 ft) after getting a weather forecast that was favorable for his ascent. Bowie was forced to stay behind in ABC, as he has not fully acclimatized yet, but Ueli was able to go in his traditional style, light and fast, all the way to the top. His 10.5 hour climb marks the fastest ever ascent of the South Face and the second fastest 8000 meter climb of all time.

Don Bowie has also posted his thoughts on the climb on his website as well, with some personal insights into what happened as well. He says that Ueli had intended to climb with him, but Don encouraged him to take advantage of their present weather window and have a go at it. The forecasts weren't good for a few days later, and in mountaineering terms you have to go for it when you can. With that in mind, Ueli went for it, and the rest is history.

Don and Ueli are no en route to Cho Oyu, an 8201 meter (26,906 ft) peak on the border of Tibet and Nepal. They spent just five days on Shisha, much to the surprise of their support crew, who are use to settling in for weeks at a time. Even the yak herder who brought their gear was surprised to get a call back to BC, as he had barely returned home when it was time to pick up the gear once again.

This is just the latest demonstration of Ueli's versatile climbing skills. I guess there will probably come a time when I stop being surprised at the things this guy pulls off on the mountains, but I'm not sure when that will happen. He is simply an amazing climber, dedicated to his craft, and he'll probably have another great climb on Cho Oyu before heading over to the Big Hill – Everest – in a few weeks.

And for the commenter who has already been posting anonymously questioning Ueli's time and wondering about summit photos, you may want to stop trying to drum up controversy where there is none. Ueli's reputation is beyond reproach, and his skills are WELL documented. I'm sure that you'll get all the proof you need at some point. As for me, I have all I need in Ueli's word alone.

Can't wait to see what he and Don can do on the other two 8000 meter peaks on their itinerary.

Himalaya 2011: Expeditions Make Way To Makalu, Shisha, and More

Over the past couple of weeks I've been following a number of climbers and teams as they've made their way to Everest, mainly on the South Side. As is usual for this time of year, there will be a lot of traffic on that side of the mountain, and a good deal of coverage for everything that is happening there. But as you well know, that isn't the only mountain of interest in the Himalaya, and teams are now making their way to some of those equally, if not more, challenging mountains, that are a bit lesser known.

For instance, Melissa Arnot and Dave Morton are on their way to Makalu, the 8481 meter (27,825 ft) peak located on the border between Nepal and Tibet. It i the 5th highest mountain in the world and one that Melissa has dreamed of climbing for some time. She and Dave will be sharing their experience on the First Ascent Born Out There Blog, with their first entry being filed yesterday. The two climbers  arrived in Lower Base Camp, located at 4800 meters (15,748 ft) yesterday, and were expecting to shuttle all of their gear up to BC at 5600 meters (18,372 ft) today.

The Field Touring Alpine squad is en route to Cho Oyu as well, and according to this blog post they should be arriving in Advanced Base Camp tomorrow or Wednesday. The team drove from Tingiri to Chinese BC on Saturday, where they arranged yaks for the trek, and should have arrived at Intermediate Base Camp today. Cho Oyu is the 6th highest peak on the planet at 8201 meters (26,906 ft) and obviously the FTA team is climbing from the Tibet (Chinese) side of the mountain.

Alex Gavan is in Base Camp on Kangchenjunga as well, and filed this dispatch today with reports on climbs as high as C1 on that mountain already. Alex and one of his teammates have spent the night in Camp 1, located at 6173 meters (20,252 ft) and are now back in BC with the rest of the Kangchenjunga climbers. Acclimatization is going well, and Base Camp is crowded this year, with five teams on the mountain. That's a lot of activity for this peak.

Finally, Ueli Steck and Don Bowie are on their way to Shishapangma, which will be the first of their Himalayan triple header. The talented climbing duo hope to not only climb that mountain, but also Cho Oyu and Everest this season. Word is that Ueli has already been acclimatizing for some time, and is prepared to make fast and light, alpine style attacks on all three of these mountains. Ueli is already a legend in climbing, and if he pulls this off, he'll only add to that resume. See the video below for more.

We're just getting warmed up in the Himalaya folks. While over all traffic in the region may be down a bit this year, there are still plenty of fantastic teams going after some impressive mountains. The next month to month and a half are going to be very busy there.



Ueli Steck's Project Himalaya from Mountain Hardwear on Vimeo.

Himalaya Fall 2010: Eric Larsen Begins Summit Push On Everest

As predicted yesterday, the summit push has begun on Everest today. Eric Larsen updated his blog with a report that he has reached Camp 2, but it wasn't an easy climb. It took him about six hours to move up to C2 amidst high winds, which eventually calmed some as they went higher.

Eric also reports that the Icefall has changed dramatically since the last time he moved through, demonstrating once again how difficult that section of the climb can be. He saw several ladders that had collapsed from the shifting of the ice, and he noted several new ice formations in the area as well. His words are a good reminder why that portion of the mountain is such a scary proposition for all the climbers.

The plan now is to proceed up to Camp 3 tomorrow and then on to C4 on Thursday, where the team will rest for a few hours before setting out for the summit at about 8 or 9 PM that night. The hope is to reach the top in the early hours of Friday, provided the weather holds and everything goes as expected.

Elsewhere in the Himalaya, ExWeb is reporting that Santiago Quintero was turned back on Cho Oyo once again, reportedly less than 50 meters from the summit. Reportedly he climbed the entire way alone, once again breaking trail for a couple of other climbers, one of which, a Swedish mountaineer, did top out. This will likely close the season on Cho Oyo as well, and with Manaslu now empty, there are few climbers still in the region.

ExWeb does note that Jordi Corominas and Jordi Tosas are working together to summit Lhotse. They've already been has high as 7000 meters and are about to make their summit push as well, although they report that there is a lot of snow on the mountain this season. 


Stay tuned. There should be updates from the region over the next few days. Eric is now in the final stages of his Save The Poles Expedition. Lets hope he gets his chance to finish. 

Himalaya Fall 2010: Summit Push Begins Tomorrow On Everest!

It looks like things are really starting to get interesting on Everest, as a new forecast has a weather window opening later this week that should allow the first good access to the summit of the mountain. It seem that the climbers will be looking to take advantage of it as well, with plans to begin the ascent tomorrow.

In his latest dispatch, Eric Larsen lays out his summit plans that begin with a climb to Camp 2 tomorrow, before moving on to Camp 3 on Wednesday. If the weather holds, and everyone is feeling healthy, they'll then proceed up to Camp 4 on the 14th with a possible top out date in the very early morning hours of Friday. This is, of course, a very typical schedule, but it seems a bit accelerated since Eric hasn't spent any significant amount of time high on the mountain. His acclimatization stay at C3 was aborted when his back started giving him problems. Hopefully he'll be ready when the push begins.

The climb from the South Side for Eric and the rest of the team may be the only one to reach the summit this fall, as it appears that the Italians on the North Side have called it quits for the season. They cite a distinct change in the weather as their reason for going home, and that seems to be a common theme throughout the Himalaya this fall.

Meanwhile, over on Cho Oyu we're still awaiting word on a potential summit today. ExWeb reports that Ecuadorian climber Santiago Quintero is making a bold solo climb from C2 today. Santiago was turned back by high winds last week after breaking trail alone for hours. The forecast says that high winds are still buffeting the mountain, but he's giving it one more go none the less.

It seems the season is coming to an end very quickly, and it appears that there are only a few opportunities left for teams to reach the summit of their respective mountains. For Eric, this may be his only chance of successfully completing his Save The Poles Expedition, in which he hopes to become the first person to visit the "Three Poles" in a single calendar year. He's already made it to both the North and South Pole, and now just has Everest, sometimes referred to as the "Third Pole," left.  Good luck Eric!

Himalaya Fall 2010: Summits On Cho Oyu, Skiing Manaslu

Yesterday I posted a story about how climbers were turned back on Manaslu, while teams were still struggling up Cho Oyu. Today we get word of a successful summit on that mountain as well as some insights into skiing an 8000 meter peak.

We'll start on Cho Oyu, where ExWeb is reporting that Danish climber Jakob Urth topped out on the 26,906-foot tall mountain yesterday at approximately 3PM local time. Urth was climbing as part of the Asian Trekking team, who sent out a press release to trumpet his accomplishment. Ecuadorian mountaineer Santiago Quintero wasn't quite so lucky however, as he spent much of the day breaking trail by himself, only to retreat at the summit plateau. Quintero says that he climbed as high as 26,387 feet before turning back due to high winds and dropping temperatures. He returned to C2 for the night and is reportedly giving it another go today, as the window of opportunity on Cho Oyu is quickly closing for the season. Santiago says that it is now, or never, on the mountain. The Field Touring Alpine Team feels the same way, and with conditions not improving at the summit, they have elected to call it quits for the season.

It appears that the season has been over on Manaslu for a week, although not all the climbers got the message. A few diehards tried to hold out but haven't had success later in the week. Last week, British climber Kenton Cool reached the summit however, and then made a ski descent of the mountain. He gave a few details of that climb and descent on the Mountain Hardwear Blog. You can read what he has to say here. In the blog post, Kenton talks about what a struggle it was to climb to the summit, in -40º temperatures, with skis strapped to their backs. Eventually they did summit however, marking the first of the season on Manaslu. From there, they dropped into their skis and found good snow near the top, but as the mountain widened, it became more icy and more challenging. They ended up spending the night in Camp 4 before descending the rest of the way the following day.

Finally today, Eric Larsen posted another update from Everest saying that his back is improving and he'll soon be on the move once again. He also reports that the rope fixing is going well and that the route should be set up to the South Col today. That means they still have some ways to go before they are set to the summit, but the Sherpas continue to make progress while the climbers take their time acclimatizing. It seems that the way will soon be cleared for summit bids to begin on Everest as well.

Himalaya Fall 2010: More Summit Attempts On Manaslu and Cho Oyu

It has been another tough week in the Himalaya with teams once again making bids on both Manaslu and Cho Oyu, but weather conditions have not been favorable, and those attempts have been turned back.

According to ExWeb, only a handful of climbers are still on either mountain, and those that do remain were hoping to go up yesterday. While there is no word yet from Cho Oyu however, Xavi Arias reported in today that his team was turned back from the summit on Manaslu thanks to a constant stream of high winds that did not die down as forecasts had predicted. The team has now returned to Base Camp, and it seems likely that their season is over.

Meanwhile, over on Cho Oyu, a number of teams have abandoned BC and headed home following poor weather forecasts and reports that the unstable snow above Camp 3 were making the approach to the summit extremely dangerous. But a few climbers remained behind, including the Field Touring Alpine team, and now they seem to be getting rewarded for their patience. Climbers began their final summit push on Tuesday of this week and are reportedly hoping to be in position to top out tomorrow or Saturday, depending on the wind conditions.

On Everest, Eric Larsen had been planning on heading up to Camp 2 and then 3 as part of his acclimatization process a few days back, but unfortunately his back is causing him problems, so he's spending some time in BC to rest up. It doesn't seem as if it is too serious, and he's still on track to make his summit bid soon. He's been on Everest for more than three weeks now, and things seem to be progressing on schedule. No word on when he, or anyone else, will begin the long trek to the summit however.

Finally, two climbers were lost in the Himalaya recently, with Walter Nones falling on Cho Oyu earlier this week and Japanese climber Osamu Tanabe perishing on Dhaulagiri last week. Osamu was one of the top climbers in his home country and was lost in an avalanche with three teammates and a Sherpa guide. They both will be missed.

Summits On Manaslu and Cho Oyu

Earlier in the week I mentioned that weather windows were opening up in the Himalaya late this week, and it seems that climbers are taking advantage of the situation. ExWeb is reporting that there have been successful summits on both Manaslu and Cho Oyu, just as predicted.

On Manaslu, a number of teams have topped out, including climbers on the Dream Guides and HiMex squads. The reports are that the weather was excellent, with winds dying down to allow for a safe climb up to the summit. Spanish climbers Carlos Pauner and Carlos Soria were amongst the summitteers today, with Pauner claiming his tenth 8000-meter peak. The latest updates indicate that everyone is back at Camp 2, and will continue back down the mountain to Base Camp tomorrow.

Over on Cho Oyu, the Field Touring Alpine team is reporting that a German climber reached the summit today, although the details are quite sketchy. The climbers name hasn't been released, nor do we know if this was a solo bid, although conditions high on the mountain are described as dangerous. Meanwhile, other climbers have moved up to Camp 3 and are hoping to make their own summit bids over the weekend.

You might recall that earlier in the week an avalanche above C3 hit several Sherpas who were fixing the lines, and the reports indicated that there were large snow shelfs high up that would make for treacherous climbs. Some of the teams elected to go home, but it appears that others have decided to stay and give it a go. Lets hope they use good judgement and that everything goes well on those attempts.

Himalaya Fall 2010: Avalanche May End Season On Cho Oyu

Just yesterday I posted a story about the projected schedule for climbing Cho Oyu, which included a predicted Summit Day of this Thursday. But what a difference a day can make, as according to ExWeb, an avalanche high on the mountain has halted work on the route, and will likely spell the end of the Fall Season on that mountain.

According to this story, a team of Sherpas was working the route on Cho Oyu earlier today, hoping to finish fixing the lines to the summit so that the climbers could complete their attempt on the mountain in a few days time. That work was interrupted however when they men were struck by an avalanche while installing ropes above the second rock band. While no one was hurt in that avalanche, one of the Sherpas was reportedly very shaken up, and the entire team has elected to come down the mountain due to the unsafe conditions at altitude.

Apparently those conditions don't look to improve any time soon, and the reports are that there is still way too much snow high on the mountain for it to be safe to go up. As a result, the IMG team has pulled the plug on their Cho Oyu expedition for the fall, and it seems like the other big teams will likely now follow suit. According to ExWeb, the Adventure Consultants have recalled their team from C2 to ABC, and are currently weighing their options, while the Field Touring Alpine squad is hoping to gain more information on the stability of the snow near the summit before they make their decision.

The poor conditions are a bit of a bitter pill to swallow for the climbers hoping to summit Cho Oyu this fall. They waited for weather conditions to improve, and it seems that it finally has, only to present another difficult challenge. It seems that things are likely over on the mountain for the fall, lets hope that climbers on other mountains in the region have a bit more luck.

Himalaya Fall 2010: Summit Push Begins On Cho Oyu and Manaslu

The Fall Season is well underway in the Himalaya, with teams preparing to make summit bids this week on both Choy Oyu and Manaslu. Meanwhile, over on Everest, one team calls it quits, while another moves up the mountain.

The big news today, according to ExWeb is that the Adventure Consultants, IMG, Jagged Globe, and Field Touring Alpine teams have all begun their summit push on Cho Oyu. If everything stays according to schedule, they all hope to top out on Thursday of this week. Sherpas from IMG are still fixing the ropes however, so the route is not quite complete, but they are already above C2 and should have everything secure in time for the mass push late this week. If the weather holds, there will be plenty of summits on Thursday or Friday.

Similar plans are in place on Manaslu, where teams have finished their last acclimatization cycle and are now watching the weather as well. A window is expected to open late this week on that mountain as well, allowing climbers to make their bids now with an eye on a Thursday summit too. The forecasts warn that there could be high winds on those days, which could hamper the efforts, but never the less, the Sherpas are working the mountain and finishing the fixing of lines there too.

On Everest, heavy snow has made things very challenging, at least on the North Side. Avalanches there have caused Alberto Zerain's squad to call it quits on the Hornbein Couloir, deeming the route unsafe for climbing. They've made the decision to abandon the mountain and head home for the season. Discretion is the better part of valor it seems on the Tibetan side of the mountain this fall.

Finally, Eric Larsen doesn't seem to be having too many issues on the South Side of Everest, where he has now moved up to Camp 2 and is acclimatizing at the moment. The weather was good on that side of the mountain this past weekend, but Eric has been dealing with the usual host of high altitude issues, including fatigue, upset stomach, and so on. He seems to be in good spirits however, and hopefully he'll catch up on some rest when he heads back down to BC tomorrow.

Everest summit bids are still a bit up in the air at this point, but they could possibly begin sometime next week. If he's successful, Eric will become the first person to reach the North and South Pole, plus the summit of Everest, all in the same calendar year. That's a pretty impressive few months.

Himalaya Fall 2010: Climbers Injured In Avalanche On Cho Oyu

The fall Himalaya season is in full swing, with teams working both sides of Everest, Manaslu, Cho Oyu, and others. Most of the climbers are in the early stages of the acclimatization process and are taking advantage of the slower fall season to really enjoy the uncrowded base camps. But last Friday was a scary day for some of those climbers, who almost had disaster strike.

According to ExWeb, six members of the Chinese-Tibetan Mountaineering Association were caught in an avalanche while fixing lines just below 8000 meters on Cho Oyu, and were buried beneath the snow. Rescuers were dispatched quickly, and helped to dig the men out, and later assisted them down the mountain to ABC in bad weather. On Saturday, the avalanche victims were taken the rest of the way back down the mountain to Base Camp, where they were loaded up in vehicles and driven away for medical attention.

The ExWeb story quotes Jagged Globe team member Robert Anderson, who reports that the injuries for the CTMA climbers ranged from a few bumps and bruises to mild concussions and snow blindness. He also said that they were assisted down in blizzard conditions, with several hours between the first and last men arriving in ABC. He says that they now hope to get some more CTMA climbers on the mountain to help finish the fixing of lines above C3 once the recently deposited snow settles some. If all goes according to plan, they hope to make a summit bid sometime this week.

There is no update on the condition of the climbers caught in the avalanche, but from the sounds of things they should all be in good condition, although a bit battered. Apparently the avalanche was big enough that it knocked the men from the mountain and drove them down for some distance, and while they all suffered injuries of varying degrees, they are also fortunate to be alive.

Everest Fall 2010: Rain On The Trail To Base Camp

The Fall Season on Everest is set to begin, and climbers are already in the Himalaya and making their way to Base Camp. Typically the Fall Season in the Himalaya is very quiet, with just a few teams working the more prominent peaks, and relatively deserted base camps when compared to the crazy traffic in the spring.  Nowhere is this more evident than on Everest, which will play host to just a handful of teams in the weeks ahead.

One of the climbers hoping to summit this fall is Eric Larsen who is on the final leg of his Save The Poles Expedition. Eric is in Nepal and on the trail to BC, but seems to be in no rush to get their. According to his dispatches, the team is now in Pheriche, which is located at about 14,350 feet, where Eric and his guides are continuing to acclimatize and wait out the weather, which has been very rainy thus far and not at all conducive to trekking. Once Eric does get to BC, he'll begin the final stage of his year-long expedition that has seen him pursuing the goal of reaching the North and South Pole, plus the summit of Everest, in a single calendar year. The Poles are done, he has just Everest to go now.

On the North Side of the mountain there are a few teams preparing to make their climb as well. For instance, Alberto Zerain and his partners have finished their acclimatization on Changtse, going as high as 7000 meters on that mountain, and have moved on to Everest, where they are setting up camp. They'll be joined by the Italian Hornbein team who arrived in Lhasa a few days ago, and are en route to Base Camp as well.

Elsewhere around the Himalaya, there are expeditions planned for Cho Oyu and Manaslu, although the load will be light. Instead of hundreds of summits across the range, there will be a handful and best.