Himalaya 2011: Alan's Ready To Climb, Death On Manaslu

As I mentioned yesterday, work continues to progress at a steady pace on the South Side of Everest, and with the lines now fixed to the South Col, a steady stream of Sherpas are now shuttling gear up to Camp 4. If the weather holds, it is starting to look like the route will be set all the way to the summit by this weekend, and we could have guides on top of the mountain by Friday or Saturday. That will clear the way for the climbers to finish up their acclimatization rounds and start the waiting game for a weather window sometime around the middle of the month.

Our friend Alan Arnette posted a nice update from the mountain yesterday that helps to fill in some of the gaps as to what is happening at the moment. At the time that he wrote the post, Alan was back in BC, but is preparing to go back up the mountain to Camp 3 today. On his last acclimatization round, he went up and "touched" C3, but spent nights in Camps 1 and 2 along the way. This time he'll actually stay at C3.

Alan also notes that the last rotation on the mountain didn't go well for his health. He's been battling an upper respiratory lung infection and it made it very challenging to climb up to 7200 meters (23,621 ft). Once he returned to lower elevations, he was feeling much better however, and is now feeling strong and ready to back up. He also noted that he has changed his strategy for climbing the  mountain this time out, and is spending extra nights at Camp 1 in effort to conserve energy on the push at higher altitudes.

The weather continues to be odd, with snow at strange times of the day and colder than normal temperatures. Upper portions of the route are said to be more exposed than normal, despite plenty of snow, which can be a concern for the climbers who have to scramble up bare rock while wearing crampons. Those spikes are designed for ice and snow and don't exactly provide good footing on hard surfaces.

The plan is to now spend a few days going back up to Camp 3 before descending to EBC once again. After that, it is all about the weather window, and considering this is Alan's fourth time on Everest, he knows all to well what that waiting game is all about.

Considering the great work that Alan is doing to raise funds for the Cure Alzheimer's Fund, I'd personally like to see nothing more than him standing on top of Everest at last.

Other news of note, ExWeb is reporting that the Iranian team that summitted Manaslu last Friday lost a team member on the descent. Isa Mir-Shekari succumbed to altitude sickness at Camp 4 (7460m/24,475 ft) on that mountain on April 29th.

Also, David Liano, who was climbing Everest from the North Side has now returned to Kathmandu where he is battling what is described as a mild case of HACE. He now hopes to recover fully and return to the mountain, although he is shifting to the South Side for the attempt. Hopefully he'll be well enough to give it a go.

That's it for now, but stay tuned. Things are about to get very busy in the Himalaya. The next few weeks will be crazy with lots of news from the big peaks.

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 Fall 2010: Solo Summit Bid On Lhotse

There was a lot of news from the adventure community while I was mostly out of contact last week. I'm regrouping and getting back to my schedule now, so expect the usual updates to resume. Bear with me while I work to get everything sorted out and report what's happening!

Of course the big story last week, which I did find time to post updates on, was Eric Larsen's successful completion of the Save the Poles Expedition. Eric reached the summit of Everest, which brought to an end his amazing journey that began last November when he set out for the South Pole. He would reach that point in early January of this year and then later went on to the North Pole in April. That left just Everest, which is sometimes called the "Third Pole" on his to do list for 2010. Last week he checked the mountain off his list as well, as he and his Sherpa guides became the only team to reach the top during the fall season. By doing so, Eric became the first person to visit all three poles in a single calendar year. Pretty impressive to say the least.

Eric has been posting updates on his blog, including the story of his successful summit bid. As of yesterday, he was making his way back down the Khumbu Valley and had reached the town of Pheriche. That means he's likely to be into Namche Bazaar today, and back in Kathmandu by Thursday or Friday, depending on weather and flights. I'm sure he's enjoying the walk back down, but it has to be a bit bittersweet as well. Again, congratulations to Eric on accomplishing his mission.

While Everest may have fallen silent until the spring, its neighbor, Lhotse, still has a few climbers attempting the summit, including Marty Schmidt who set off on a solo summit push on Sunday with the hopes of topping out tomorrow, weather permitting. If successful, this will be Marty's fourth 8000 meter peak this year having already knocked off Makalu and both the Gasherbrums earlier.

ExWeb posted an update yesterday with news on a host of summits across the Himalaya, including news from Shisha Pangma, Manaslu, Ama Dablam and more. It seems that the season is rapidly coming to a close, and it has been a bit of a mixed bag. Weather hounded teams on all of the big peaks, but that didn't stop some of the more adventurous climbers from reaching their goals. Now, we'll start to look toward the spring, when the region will get very busy once again.

[Photo Credit: Eric Larsen]

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: 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.

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.

Conquering Manaslu on Skis!

Mountain Hardwear has an excellent story on their Hardwear Sessions blog about Guy Willett, a high altitude climbing and skiing guide, who made what could be the first descent of Manaslu on skis back in September.

The 8156 meter (26,758 feet) Manaslu is located in Nepal, roughly 40 miles east of Annapurna. It is the eighth highest peak in the world, and was first climbed back in 1956. It was later skied, at least to some degree, back in 1981, although a complete descent has never been verified, hence the reason Guy's recent drop may be the first.

The story from Mountain Hardwear is written by Guy himself, who offers details on both the climb and the descent. There is good information on the various stages of the climb, and approach to the top, followed by some personal insights on the harrowing descent, which included him avoiding a crevasse in white out conditions. That sounds scary on a rope, and even more so on skis!

It should be noted that Guy was joined by Emma Jack for all but 350 vertical meters of the descent. The team reached the summit of the mountain at 9 AM on Sept. 28th, and were back in BC by 4 PM. If there is one thing to be said for these ski descents, its that they do indeed get you back to base camp in a hurry.

Himalaya Fall 2009: More Summits, Death on Cho Oyu

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.

Himalaya Fall 2009: Summits on Cho Oyu, More To Come Soon!

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.

Himalaya Fall 2009: It's Go Time!

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!

Himalaya Fall 2009: Summits on Satopanth, Bids on Cho Oyu

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!

Himalaya Fall 2009: Climbers Making Progress

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!

Himalaya Fall 2009: Puja Done, Time to Move Up!

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.

Himalaya Fall 2009: Let it Snow!

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.

Himalaya Fall 2009: Base Camp Arrivals

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.

Himalaya Fall 2009: Ueli's in Base Camp

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.

Himalaya Fall 2009: And So It Begins...

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.

Himalaya Spring 2009 Update: More Summits and the Mountains Claim A Life

Lots more action today away from Everest once again with news on more summits, and the sad tale of another death in the Himalaya.

Lets start with the bad news first. Hungarian climber Levente Szabo lost his life on Manaslu after falling to his death on that mountain. Levente reached as high as 7800m before turning back for Camp 4, but along the way he slipped and fell. His body was found at 6800m where he was buried. My condolences to his friends, family, and climbing team. Two of his Hungarian countrymen did summit Manaslu however, with Zsolt Eross and Daniel Barna reaching the top of the 8156m peak. For Eross, this is his 8th 8000m peak.

On Everest's neighbor Lhotse, there are more summits to report today, with the news that a slew of climbers have gone up the past few days, including Xavi Arias, Domhnall Dochartaigh, Roger Danks and Josette Valloton. Xavi reports that it was extremely cold at the summit, which took it's toll on the climbers.

The Polish Team on Nanda Devi are reporting in today that that two of the climbers, Jarek Woćko and Daniel Cieszyński, have set off for the summit, following a short rest in BC. If the weather holds, it looks like they could top out in the next few days. Meanwhile, their teammates are all over the mountain fixing lines and making sure the camps are ready for their arrival. Great teamwork guys, and good luck on the summit push!

Over on Kangchenjunga, ExWeb is reporting that Edurne Pasaban and Alex Chicon have been successfully evacuated from base camp, and are now back in Kathmandu. They'll return to Spain tomorrow, where they'll be treated for severe frostbite in the Zaragoza hospital, which specializes in mountain medicine. After a similar experience on K2 a few years back, Edurne spent some time in the same hospital, recovering. Get well soon you two!

Finally, yesterday I reported that the Ski The Himalayas Team was packing up and heading home after an aborted summit attempt in the past few days. Two of the team members became ill, and conditions conspired against them to prevent the boys from reaching the summit of the 23,390 foot Baruntse. Ben Clark checks in with CNN to report on the lessons learned from this expedition and you can listen and watch on the video below. I love listening to Ben, both in these dispatches, and on The Rest of Everest, as he is so candid, straight forward, and always positive about his climbs, even when he doesn't achieve the summits. Keep in mind, he, and his companions, Josh Butson and Jon Miller, did complete the first ski descent of the mountain, so they have a lot to be happy about. Nice work guys, and great job knowing when it was time to go back down and head home.