Himalaya Fall 2009: Summits!!

It appears as if the Fall Himalaya Season for 2009 is rapidly coming to an end, with teams reporting successful summits on a variety of mountains, while others prepare to go home empty handed.

Field Touring Alpine has an update on their blog stating that their team has reached the top of Island Peak yesterday, with six climbers topping out on the 6186 meter mountain. All of them have also successfully returned to base camp, where they got some much needed rest and celebrated their success. Today, they left the mountain, heading back to Dingboche. The team isn't done yet however, as they intend to head to Pumori next for a little more action.

The IMG blog has also been updated with news of their success, although they were climbing on Ama Dablam. Their summit also occurred yesterday, with the team setting out from C2 at 4 AM and proceeding up to the top by 10 AM. They then made the descent all the way back to BC, ending their day at 8:30 PM. Whew! What a long day. On a good note, the guides report that the route to the summit is in good shape and the stage is set for others to go up too.

The word is not so positive from Pumori, where the Peak Freaks are packing it in after an attempt on the summit that was halted when they came across a large ice shelf high on the mountain. After testing it for stability, they determined that it may or may not be safe, and the "may not" part was enough for them to call of their bid and head back to BC. The team is happy with what the accomplished this year, but weren't willing to go further and put themselves at risks, so as of today, they are preparing to pack up and go home.

They weren't the only team to call it a day, as the Climb With Us Team is also coming home. An audio update on their site says that despite great weather conditions over the past few weeks, the ice found on the upper peaks, formed from the melting of snow during the day, and the re-freezing at night, has caused them to also call off their expedition. They are also happy with what they accomplished, but a bit disappointed that they won't stand on top of the mountain. They'll be back in the Himalaya next spring however, with their eyes on Everest, and an even bigger prize.

Himalaya Fall 2009: Summit Bids Begin on Ama Dablam

I'm jumping back into my blogging duties, as I get back to my normal schedule at last, and I'll start things off by getting caught up on the ongoing events in the Himalaya, where teams are setting the stage for summit bids on Ama Dablam, Pumori, and more.

The IMG Team has updated their blog this morning with news that the climbers have reached Camp 2, and are now in a position to make the push to the summit tomorrow, skipping their stay in C3 altogether. They say the weather remains good, and the conditions on the mountain are excellent as well, but they are making one final alpine style push because of falling ice at Camp 3 in the past. Stay tuned for updates tomorrow, as it looks like they'll be topping out.

Field Touring Alpine has updated their blog as well, reporting that their team arrived on Ama Dablam Base Camp late last week, with the team heading over to Island Peak to make an acclimatization climb. Everyone is reportedly in good spirits, although they have suffered a few bouts of GI, as has been known to happen when traveling in a foreign country, especially at altitude. Look for more updates from FTA soon with news on their progress as well.

The Adventure Consultants are also on Island Peak, and today's dispatch says that they are continuing their trek through the Khumbu, which helps serve as an acclimatization exercise as well. A number of the members of the team are planning on heading up to Everest BC today, which makes for a scenic trek, but they'll find it deserted when they arrive, as it has been a quiet place this Fall.

Switching mountains, we'll jump over to Pumori next, where the Peak Freaks are reporting that lead climber Tim Rippel was hit by a large chunk of ice last night while sleeping in his tent. The ice managed to break several of Tim's ribs, and while the team has elected to carry on, he won't be joining them as they go up the mountain. He has instead been replaced by Norwegian climber Lars Haugen, who will lead the team up to C2 today. They are currently looking to reach the summit as early as tomorrow. Check out the Peak Freaks video below for more information on the mountain and the climb. Good stuff.

Finally, The Peak Freaks aren't the only team on Pumori of course, as the Climb With Us Team continues their efforts as well. The latest news from that bunch includes a blog post by Rock Climber Girl Sara Lingafelter, who gives a personal account of her own issues with dealing with altitude. Unfortunately for her, the altitude caused her to have to back down the mountain and recover from some AMS symptoms. She has since rejoined her team, which is currently in in ABC, and will be heading up to C1 tomorrow. From there, they'll wait to see what the weather conditions look like before beginning their own assault on the summit.

Himalaya Fall 2009: Koreans Call It Quits On Annapurna

More news from the HImalaya, where it appears that we will continue to wait for the first woman to join the ranks of men who have topped out on all of the 8000 meter peaks, as the Korean team on Annapurna, which includes Oh Eun-Sun, have called off their summit bid, and are now preparing to go home.

ExWeb is reporting that the team got as high as Camp 3 over the weekend, but high winds prevented them from going any higher. They have now returned to Base Camp, and are preparing to depart for the season. They will have another go at the mountain in the Spring of 2010, when Miss Oh will try once again to become the first woman to nab all 14 eight-thousanders. Due to it's high level of danger due to avalanches, Annapurna is not a mountain to attempt during the winter.

Now, the expeditions to the big peaks seem to be over for the season, and the action will heat up on some of the other challenging, but lesser mountains. The Field Touring Alpine Team reached Namche Bazaar over the weekend where they took the usual break and spent some time acclimatizing. They'll now continue on to Ama Dablam this week.

Meanwhile, the Climb With Us team is now in Pumori Base Camp, and according to their latest updates, they will begin shuttling gear up to ABC tomorrow, where they'll begin carving their tent platforms and start the early stages of acclimatization. The team had its Puja Ceremony earlier today and now have the blessings of Lama Tashi Stundu to begin their climb.

Watch for more updates later this week as more teams arrive on Pumori and Ama Dablam and begin their climbs as well.

Himalaya Fall 2009: Death on Shisha

It has been a tumultuous fall season in the Himalaya with some great climbs and disappointing results, mostly due to the wildly unpredictable weather that is common in the region this time of year. That weather has forced many teams to go home, but a few intrepid expeditions are still there, and trekking to some of the lesser known peaks as we speak.

There was tragic news a few days back from Shisha Pangma, where Italian climber Roby Piantoni fell while on a particularly tricky section of the climb. His team descended to find his body, and then buried on the mountain, but his family has requested that it be sent home, so today, a ceremony was held for him on the mountain, and operations are underway to recover his remains. Several climbers, include Edurne Pasaban, and her Sherpas, are helping in the recovery, which will entail taking his body back to Nepal via Yak due to a ban on helicopter use in the area. With this sad news, I send my condolences to Roby's friends and family in their time of grief.

Australian Andrew Lock finished up his climb on Shisha awhiel back, and in the process, claimed his final 8000 meter peak. That story has been picked up by the mainstream audience back in his homeland, with the media reporting on the expedition and the challenges to his climb. Andrew has already shared his thoughts on his accomplishment, but if you want to read a different account, check out this story over at the Australian Broadcasting Company's website.

Turning away from that sad news, it appears that the Korean team on Annapurna is getting ready to have a second go at the mountain. Reports seem to indicate that they are on the move and will be heading up over the weekend with an eye on reaching the summit on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. If successful, Oh Eun-Sun will become the first woman to summit all 14 of the 8000 meter peaks, so stay tuned for updates on that.

The Climb With Us Team, led by Jaime Clarke continues their trek to Pumori. I've been reminded that you can get updates on the expedition not on from the Climb With Us website but also the Live Out There page too. The expedition is an opportunity for the team to field test some new outdoor gear courtesy of Hanesbrands, before they head to Everest in the spring. It'll be a few more days before they reach BC yet, and then things will get really interesting.

Expect further updates from teams in the region in the days ahead, as Field Touring Alpine, Adventure Consultants, Peak Freaks, IMG, and others all have climbers en route to Pumori, Ama Dablam, and more.

Himalaya Fall 2009: Over For Edurne, Miss Oh Ready To Go!

More updates from the Himalaya today with some news on the two ladies who have been vying for their place in history on the 8000 meter peaks.

We'll start on Shisha Pangma, where Edurne Pasaban has announced that her expedition is over and that the team is heading home. She reports that weather forecasts are not good, and that they don't look to improve any time soon, so rather than extend the climbing permit, she'll leave the mountain without a summit for the fourth time. Edurne is one of the top female mountaineers who has been working very hard the past few years to become the first woman to summit all 14 8000 meter peaks. She currently stands at 12, with Shisha frustrating her once again.

Meanwhile, over on Annapurna, Korean climber Oh Eun-Sun is about to take another crack at that mountain. Miss Oh has 13 of the eight-thousanders down, and is hoping to claim the title as first woman to summit them all. The only thing that stands in her way is Annapurna and all of it's very substantial challenges. She hopes to begin another push in the next few days, as a weather window seems imminent.

Pumori continues to be a busy mountain, with teams arriving late in the season to give the 23,494 foot mountain a go. The Peak Freaks have announced that they arrived in BC safely yesterday, and are enjoying a rest today, while they organize camp and take a look at the challenges in front of them.

The Climb With Us team is en route to Pumori as well, and have arrived in Namche where they will spend a day acclimatizing. You can read about their progress and the expedition so far on the latest dispatch from team leader Jamie Clarke, which can be found here.

Other teams are closing in on Ama Dablam, with the IMG team having crossed through Namche a few days back and continuing their trek to BC, while the Field Touring Alpine squad has gathered in Kathmandu and are preparing to depart for the Khumbu region in the next few days.

More to come soon I'm sure. Keep an eye on Annapurna for word on the Korean team and Miss Oh's chance to make history.

Himalaya Fall 2009: Gearing Up On Pumori and Ama Dablam

There was lots of activity in the Himalaya again this weekend, as weather forecasts are predicting better weather ahead. A number of teams have seized the opportunity to rest up and to move into position to make summit bids in the next few days. Meanwhile, back in Kathmandu, some climbers prepare to go home, while others are just now arriving.

First up, we have news from Apa Sherpa, who I wrote about a few weeks back when it was announced that he would be climbing an unnamed, previously unclimbed peak in Nepal. Fall is an unusual time for Apa to be in the Himalaya, as he makes his home in Salt Lake City these days, but the 19-time Everest summitteer has joined Swiss climber Stephane Schaffter, as well as Pakistani mountaineer Adbul Karim, on this expedition none the less. The latest update from the team says that they have experienced heavy snow fall, like everyone else in the region lately, but they are expecting to launch their summit bid sometime in the next ten days. Stay tuned for more updates soon.

Meanwhile, Andrew Lock has once again updated his blog with the news that he is back in Kathmandu and preparing to go home to Australia. Andrew, who successfully climbed Shisha Pangma, claiming his final 8000 meter peak, discusses the return to the "real world", and says that he is still quite exhausted, but happy to be getting regular warm meals again. He also touches on the end of his quest to climb the world's biggest peaks and thanks his sponsors for helping achieve his goals. What's next for Andrew? He says he has his next climb planned for the spring, but for now we'll have to wait for details.

Things are starting to heat up on Pumori, where the Peak Freaks Team has now had their first blessing from Lama Geshi, which clears the way for the Sherpas to go to work on the mountain. They'll have their Puja Ceremony in BC soon as well, and the climbers will also be allowed to begin their acclimatization process. Follow along with the team through their SPOT Messenger tracking system as they go all the way to the summit.

The Climb With Us Team is also making their way to Pumori and Sara Lingafelter, AKA Rock Climber Girl, is along for the journey and helping report back from the Himalaya. In her latest dispatch, she reports that the team has left Kathmandu and are presently trekking in the Khumbu region, which has definitely left an impression on her, thanks in no small part to the stunning beauty of the mountains.

Finally, the Field Touring Alpine Team began to gather in Kathmandu yesterday, and will be proceeding out to Ama Dablam soon. Several of the climbers are already in the Himalaya and are on one of the numerous trekking routes, already working on their acclimatization no doubt. The rest should depart Kathmandu in the next few days.

That's it for now. We should be hearing more about summit bids in the next few days, with the weather likely being the deciding factor for many teams. Some have been out on their respective mountains for weeks now, and will be forced to give up their climbs should the poor conditions continue.

Getting To Know Ama Dablam and Pumori, the "Other" Himalayan Peaks!

Alan Arnette has a good story today on what he calls the "other" Himalaya climbs, in which he turns the spotlight on both Ama Dablam and Pumori, two popular climbing destinations in the region.

Both mountains fall below the legendary 8000 meter peak line, which keeps them a bit below the radar, despite the fact that they are both demanding climbs in their own right. Ama Dablam stands 6848 meters (22467 feet) in height, while Pumori tops out at 7161 meters (23494 feet). The two mountains are located completely within Nepal, meaning they haven't been subjected to China's closing of Tibet in recent years. They are also popular fall climbs as well, with mountaineers looking to tackle Everest or one of the other big peaks in the spring.

Alan points out that there are a number of teams on both Pumori and Ama Dablam at the moment. For instance, the Peak Freaks have a team on Pumori and it also the target peak for the Climb With Us Team as well. Ama Dablam is hosting teams from IMG, Field Touring Alpine, and Adventure Consultants as well.

Sometimes it is very easy to get caught up in the what is happening on Everest and the other 8000 meter peaks, and you tend to forget that there are plenty of other amazing, challenging, and beautiful mountains in the Himalaya. Thanks to Alan for reminding us that there are "other" peaks out there that are deserving of respect and attention.

Himalaya Fall 2009: Climb With Us Team Leaves For Pumori

While many teams have already packed up and gone home for the season and others are just now finishing up their expeditions, the Climb With Us Team, which is sponsored by Hanesbrands, is just setting off for their climb on Pumori, the 7161 meter (23,494 foot) Himalayan peak located on the border between Nepal and Tibet. The mountain, which is known as "Everest's Daughter" sits just five miles to the west of the Big Hill itself, and is a popular destination for mountaineers looking for a Himalayan climb.

For the Climb With Us team, they'll be making a trial run with the new gear that was recently announced from Hanes, ahead of an Everest climb scheduled to take place next spring. You'll be able to follow along with the expedition, which is led by Jaime Clarke, on the Expeditions Update page, which already has a nice story about Pumori from Stephanie Pearson, who is a contributor to Outside Magazine. Good luck to the whole team!

Meanwhile, ExWeb is reporting in that storms have moved into the region, and that is preventing many teams from moving up their mountains at all. Most climbers are hunkered down in base camp, waiting out the weather and hoping for a window to open soon.

On Annapurna, the Korean team, which includes Oh Eun-Sun, is holding fast for now, despite the fact that the heavy snow has collapsed tents and made life very difficult. Their weather forecasters tell them this storm will hold in place until the Friday at the very least, and after that they'll have to decide if they can make another go at the summit or if they'll come home. Annapurna is notorious for its dangerous avalanches, and this new blanket of snow won't help their cause much. Miss Oh is hoping to become the first woman to nab all of the 8000 meter peaks, and has just this lone mountain to go.

Similar reports are coming in from Cho Oyu, Shisha Pangma, and Dhaulagiri as well. Teams on each mountain say that heavy snows have left them stranded in BC with near arctic conditions raging around them. Of course, if conditions are this bad in the base camps, how bad will they be further up the mountain, where the high camps have already been established? Some teams will no doubt face the task of having to re-establish those camps once the storm clears.