ExWeb has posted an update this morning from the Karakorum with news that Simone Moro and Shaheen Baig have begun their summit push on Broad Peak despite -41 degree temperatures and fierce winds.
For Moro, who is spending his second Winter on the mountain, it's come down to it's now or never. The weather has remained consistently bad since he arrived on the mountain, and although the skies are expected to remain clear over the next few days, that also means extremely cold temps and a continuation of those jet-like winds. Forecasts predict 110km/hour (68mph/hour) winds on Wednesday, when the team would be making their final summit bid.
At this point, the team has been on the mountain for nearly two months. Supplies are starting to run low and it's likely they won't get another chance at the summit. I'd imagine they're also getting close to physical and mental exhaustion after setting the fixed lines up to C3 last week and waiting for the weather to turn their way. Simone ends his latest dispatch with "Please cross your fingers for us, it might help..." If they succeed, it'll not only be the first Winter ascent on Broad Peak, but the first on any 8000m peak in the Karakorum.
Good luck guys! Climb safe! I've got my fingers crossed for you!
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