Video: Trekking The Great Himalaya Trail in Nepal

Looking for your next big hiking adventure? Than consider the Great Himalaya Trail in Nepal, which runs for more than 1700km (1056 miles) through the High Himalaya. The video below was created by someone who hiked the trail and gives a great indication of what to expect while on it. It looks like an amazing hike.

Thanks to Julian Monroe Fisher for sharing this on his Facebook page.

Apa Sherpa To Hike Great Himalayan Trail

Two famous Sherpa mountain guides are preparing to embark on another epic adventure in mid-January, when they set off to hike the entire length of the 1700km (1056 mile) Great Himalayan Trail. Starting on January 15th, Apa Sherpa and Dawa Steven Sherpa will begin the trek, which is expected to take roughly 120 days to complete.

Touted as the highest altitude long distance trail in the world, the GHT isn't likely to pose much of a problem for these two men. Apa has reached the summit of Everest an astounding 21 times, while Dawa has been to the top of the world's highest peak on two occasions himself. They've chosen to undertake this latest challenge in an effort to raise the profile of the trail and bring economic investment to its development. They'll begin their journey in eastern Nepal in the village of Ghunsa and will march west until they reach the town of Darchula. Along the way, they'll pass through 20 different districts, surrounded by the unmatched mountain landscapes of the Himalaya.

Along the way, Apa and Dawa will also be looking to raise awareness of the impact of global climate change on the region as well. That has been a particularly important topic with the Sherpas over the past few years, as mountain glaciers retreat, taking their fresh water supply with them. This is an important issue for Nepal, particularly in remote rural areas, where villagers often have to walk for hours each day just to collect fresh water.

Hopefully the two men will post updates along the way and will share their journey online. In the past Apa has often posted about his Everest climbs online, and if he does something similar with this trek, I'll post regular updates on their progress here.

The GHT sounds like an amazing experience and I hope that it garners more attention amongst trekkers and backpackers.

Five Years On, David Sharp Still Haunts Everest

In May of 2006, British mountaineer David Sharp died while climbing alone on Mt. Everest. He was approximately 450 meters below the summit and the exact details of what went wrong are unknown to this day. But what is known is that while he lay there in the snow, just off the main path on Everest's North Side, roughly 40 climbers passed him on their way to the top. No one stopped to render aid or tried to conduct a rescue, and the 34-year old perished while others went up to celebrate their successful summits.

The incident resulted in quite a backlash within the mountaineering community which still resonates to this day. Some were critical of the fact that no team even attempted to bring Sharp, who was suffering from exposure and altitude sickness, down the mountain, and a number of high profile figures on Everest were lambasted for leaving David to die. Those involved more directly in the controversy claim that there was confusion over the Sharp's health and status, and communications over what to do for him were unclear as well.

It didn't help that much of the media at the time portrayed the climbers as being very callous, not carrying what happened to another human being, while remaining singularly focused on getting to the top of Everest. Few understood the logistics of pulling off a high altitude rescue, but the fact that no one even tried has been at the center of this story since it first broke.

One of the climbers who was there that day, and walked past Sharp on his way to the summit, was New Zealander Mark Inglis, a double-amputee who made history by becoming the first man to climb the world's tallest mountain without either of his legs. Inglis went on to write a book about that experience and included his recollection of what happened regarding Sharp. Inglis maintains that he and his teammates thought that David was already dead, so they continued on their way, but not before checking in with team leader Russell Brice back in Base Camp, who allegedly told the team to forget about Sharp and keep moving. Brice for his part says that he didn't speak with Inglis about the matter, which has led to even more confusion over the whole situation.

This has all been brought to the forefront once again thanks to an interview that Inglis conducted with the BBC. In that interview, the Kiwi climber says that he regrets not going back when his team came across Sharp on the mountain, but he continues to say that a rescue wasn't possible, particularly in the extreme cold and altitude on Everest. Unfortunately, the BBC won't let me embed the video here, but you can watch a segment of it by clicking here.

The David Sharp controversy has been an on going one over the past few years, and considering some teams have since successfully conducted high altitude rescues on Everest and other mountains, it isn't likely to go away anytime soon. While it is a sad story to say the least, I do think it has had a positive impact on the mountaineering community, who seem less likely to simply give up on a fellow climber in the wake of the events that went down on Everest back in 2006.

Thanks to Adventure Journal for sharing the link to the video.

Ski The Himalayas S3E12: Climb Up, Ski Down!

The final full episode of Season 3 of Ski the Himalayas finally gives the team, and the audience, what we've been waiting for – namely climbing and skiing on Thorung Peak, a 6157 meter (20,200 ft) mountain in Nepal. After enjoying some fresh powder at about 19,000 feet, the team rests up over night, then goes all the way to the summit, where they enjoy the view just long enough to step into their planks and start skiing back down. As you can imagine, the scenery is once again spectacular in this episode.

Ski the Himalayas S3E11: Altitude Sickness

Episode 11 of Season 3 of Ski the Himalayas opens with the team still on the trail to Base Camp, and crossing through Thorung Pass, where the scenery is simply breathtaking. Watching this episode will both inspire you to visit the Himalaya and discourage you at the same time, as the effects of altitude sickness are hitting the climbers to some degree or another. It is also a great demonstration of how strong the Sherpas are, as they shuttle the very heavy loads up to BC.

British Ultrarunner Sets New EBC to Kathmandu Speed Record

British ultrarunner Lizzie Hawker has set a new speed record from Everest to Kathmandu, by running from Base Camp to the capitol of Nepal in just under three days. Hawker started the run last week and finished the 320km (199 mile) route on Friday.

Officially, Hawker's time was recorded as 2 days, 23 hours, 25 minutes, which shaved a bit of time off her previous record, which was set back in 2007, when she made the same run in 3 days, 2 hours, 39 minutes. Her latest time includes an unexpected stop over in the village of Bupsa, where Hawker spent 8 hours waiting out the rain. At that point she thought her chances of breaking the record were slim, but she managed to get back on the trail and make up the time.

Perhaps even more impressive, Lizzie, who is amongst the top ultrarunners in the world, completed the run without sleep and while suffering from what is described as a chest infection, which she contracted while on the Everest Sky Race. My guess is that she had a bad case of the Khumub Cough, which I can tell you from my own experience is quite nasty. I don't envy her on that run.

Considering the trek from EBC to Lukla takes about four days by itself, this is super-impressive. Most of us then board a plane and fly back to Kathmandu from Lukla, but Lizzie kept on running, finishing up the whole journey in under three days. Amazing.

Thanks to Outside Online for the tip on this one!

Ski The Himalayas S3E10: Trekking The Annapurna Circuit

Ben Clark and Jon Miller continue their Himalayan adventure in Episode 10 of Season 3 of Ski the Himalayas. In this video, the boys and their rest of their team, climb up above 16,000 feet and play in the Himalaya snow a bit. In this latest video of the series, we get a good look at the Annapurna Circuit, one of the more popular treks in Nepal and one of the best routes in the entire world. The scenery is simply gorgeous in this episode.

Two More Korean Climbers Die In The Himalaya

ExWeb is reporting the sad news today that two more Korean climbers have died while climbing in the Himalaya. Mountaineers Hyung-Il Kim and Ji-Myoung Jang fell to their deaths on the 6640 meter (21,785 ft) Cholatse, a peak located in the Khumbu region of Nepal.

The two men fell on November 11th while attempting to open a new route on the mountain. Their bodies were later discovered at 4700 meters (15,520 ft) and arrived home in Korea today. Services are scheduled to take place on Saturday.

It has been in incredibly rough few weeks for the mountaineering community in Korea. Back in October, climbers Park Young-Seok, Shin Dong-Min, and Kang Ki-Seok disappeared while climbing Annapurna, and the country has barely finished mourning that loss, when news of these latest deaths was revealed.

Condolences to the friends and family.

Video: Trailer For Mountaineering Film Next Time Inshallah

Ever wonder what conditions are really like on one of these big mountaineering expeditions? Then take a look at the trailer for a new film coming soon entitled Next Time Inshallah. The film was shot earlier this year when a team of climbers attempted to summit Gasherbrum I along a new route in the winter. That same team, led by Gerfried Göschl and Alex Txikon, will give it a go again this winter, but after watching this video, you'll wonder why they'd want to go back.

By the way, the title of the film refers to them successfully reaching the top the next time they climb, God willing.

Ski The Himalayas S3E9: Modest Mountain Accommodations

Acclimatization is the word of the day in the latest episode of Ski the Himalayas. With the team on their way to Base Camp at last, acclimatization becomes an important consideration as they plan their climb and eventual ski descent, on Thorung Peak. In this edition of the show, the team actually stops in a small Nepali teahouse on their route, and give us a guided tour at the same time. If you haven't ever seen one this is your chance to scope out the accommodations while trekking through the Himalaya. They are very modest to say the least.

Ski The Himalayas S3E8: Base Camp Bound

Episode 8 of the third season of Ski the Himalayas takes us back to Nepali village of Muktinath, where the team finally gets on their way to Base Camp on Thorung Peak, a 6157 meter (20,200 ft) mountain that they intend to climb and ski down. This episode also offers some great views of the Himalaya as the boys hit the trail for BC, with plenty of snow clinging to sides of the mountains. It is taking awhile for them to get to their destination, but the hope is that it will all pay off in the end.

Ski The Himalayas S3E7: Longest Puja Ever!

Ben Clark and Jon Miller return for yet another episode of Ski the Himalayas to kick off the week, and they are slowly but surely making their way to their ultimate destination of Thorung Peak, a 6157 meter (20,200 ft) mountain that they eventually hope to climb up and ski down.

In this episode, the team arrives in the Nepali village of Muktinath, which is a popular destination for both Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims. The town is the home of a number of important religious sites, and while they are there, the climbers decided to take part in a Puja ceremony, during which they receive blessing and permission to climb in the sacred mountains. This is a common experience on Everest and other big peaks, but in this case, it turned into a three hour marathon. These kinds of ceremonies are a true part of the culture in the Himalaya, and well worth experiencing for yourself. In the end though, the guys need a little relief from all of that Puja.

Bad Weather Strands Trekkers In Lukla Again

Efforts to evacuate trekkers from Lukla, Nepal are underway today after bad weather has left many stranded for the past six days. The small mountain town has one of the few airports in the High Himalaya,  and is the starting point for most climbers and hikers who are making the trek to Mt. Everest. Rain and fog have made it impossible for planes to land at the airport, which is already amongst the most dangerous in the world, preventing anyone from returning to Kathmandu.

All told, about 2000 travelers have been stranded in the village since last week, although CNN reports that some left yesterday on foot for the town of Jiri. It is a four day hike to that location, but once there, the trekkers will be able to board buses back to Kathmandu. Meanwhile, helicopters have begun shuttling people back to Nepal's capitol, with most expected to be evacuated today and another 500 or so taken out tomorrow.

You may recall that hundreds of trekkers were stuck in Lukla last November as well, as poor weather can be a real issue this time of year in the Himalaya. Compounding the issue, Lukla isn't exactly set-up to house large amounts of people for days at a time, as there are limited rooms available in the tea houses and food needs to be delivered on the incoming planes.

On my visit to the village last year, we stayed over night in Lukla on our return trip from Everest Base Camp. It was one of the more well stocked and comfortable locations along the trek, but that still isn't saying much. Most people come and go very quickly from the town and I suspect with 2000 people stranded there, they had to resort to setting up tents where ever possible and rationing food and drinks to a degree. Fortunately, it seems that the issues are finally being resolved.

The other side of this story is of course the people that are stranded in Kathmandu who were hoping to go on their trek right now. They haven't been able to fly out to Lukla for the past week either, so I'm sure they are more than eager to hit the trail. No word on when that will start happening, and while the weather is improving, it hasn't gotten dramatically better just yet.

Korea Remembers Fallen Climbers

A memorial service was held yesterday for Korean climbers Park Young-Seok, Shin Dong-Min, and Kang Ki-Seok, who went missing on Annapurna last month. The three men were attempting to scale the mountain along a new route, but turned back before reaching the summit when they encountered treacherous conditions. They radioed back to Base Camp that they were descending, but were never heard from again.

Hundreds of mourners attended the memorial, including mountaineer Kim Jae-Bong, who was rescued by Park while climbing on Shisha Pangma some years back. Park was already a legendary figure in the Korean adventure community as he had become the first person to complete the "Adventure Grand Slam," which consists of not only climbing all 14 8000-meter peaks, but also reaching both the North and South Pole. Park was such a strong climber, that he once climbed six of those peaks in a single year, a feat of endurance that is very impressive indeed.

While the search for the missing climbers was brought to an end due to bad weather and deteriorating conditions, several members of the Korean Alpine Federation have vowed to return to Annapurna in the spring and continue looking for the missing men.

ExWeb also posted a report on the memorial, including a fitting quote from Park, who once said:

"Mountaineers must go to mountains, explorers must go to explore. Cities are no place for climbers. I have the destiny of the explorer, (my fate is) to explore till I die."

 Some may see this as a rather fatalistic or prophetic view of how he thought he would die, but I choose to see it more as a very insightful view of how he chose to live.

Ski The Himalayas S3E6: Acclimatizing in the Mountains

When we last left off with the third season of Ski The Himalayas the team was finally en route to their destination after spending several episodes scrambling to change their plans and organize a new adventure. Now, in Episode 6, their putting the final touches on their plans before arriving at Base Camp. The boys spends some time in the village of Mukinath, located at about 3840 meters (12,600 ft), where they acclimatize for a bit before heading to their ultimate destination – Thorung Peak a 6157 meter (20,200 ft) mountain that they'll attempt to climb and then ski down.

Video: Paraglider vs. Vulture

Here's a scary video to start the day. It features a paraglider floating above the Indian Himalaya, when he collides with a vulture, who becomes entangled in the glider's netting. Fortunately, the man is able to deploy his emergency parachute, allowing him to land semi-safely, at which time he still has to deal with the bird.

The paraglider is Russian but the video includes subtitles. Some of which will leave you laughing. I'm just glad that everyone was able to walk away in one piece.

Thanks to Gadling for sharing this video.

Search For Missing Annapurna Climbers Called Off

Explorers Web is reporting that search parties on Annapurna called off their efforts to find three missing Korean climbers on Friday after finding no trace of the men. Park Young Seok, Dong-Min Shin and Gi-Seok Gang all went missing a few weeks back after they made an attempt to summit the 8091 meter (26,545 ft) peak late in the Fall season. The last anyone heard from them was on October 18th, when they radioed their Base Camp to let their support team know that they were turning back after encountering treacherous conditions on the mountain. No trace of them has been found since.

Annapurna has a reputation for being very dangerous. The peak has the highest fatality rate of any of the 8000 meter peaks and it is particularly prone to avalanches on its upper slopes. It is believed that the three Koreans were swept off the mountain by one of those avalanches or that they fell into a crevasse while descending. Search teams spent days looking for any trace of them, going so far as to even descend into several crevasses, but they still found nothing.

My condolences to the friends and families of these three men, who perished while attempting a new route on Annapurna's South Face. They were strong climbers who died doing something they loved.

Book Review: Into The Silence

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Mt. Everest has always captivated the public's attention and spurred our sense of adventure. The mountain isn't just the tallest peak on the planet, it is also a physical manifestation of our need to explore and add a little danger and excitement to our lives. 

Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory and the Conquest of Everest by Wade Davis, helps to hammer home this point by tracing the early history of the mountain, how it came to rise to prominence in the minds of explorers, mountaineers, and the public in general. The book features a cast of thousands, with larger than life figures from a bygone era each playing a role in putting Everest on the map – both literally and figuratively. 

As you can probably guess from the title, the book focuses on George Mallory and his early attempts to climb Everest. Of course, Davis gives us a detailed and rich account of those expeditions, beginning with their very origins and leading up to that fateful day in 1924 when Mallory, and his climbing partner Sandy Irvine, disappeared just a few hundred feet below the summit. But before he gets there, he spins quite a tale that will enthrall and amaze you. 

The story gives us an incredible amount of backstory that includes how the British explored the Himalaya, established relations with Tibet, and established a permanent presence in the region. During that time, several prominent soldiers and explorers began to become obsessed with Everest and getting the chance to climb it, even though there wasn't even a route established to the mountain itself, let alone up it. 

The earliest serious discussions of climbing the mountain took place in the early 1890's, between explorer Francis Younghusband and Charles Bruce, a soldier in the British Army. The two men would eventually play a vital role in getting those early expeditions organized and funded, but it would take decades for that to happen, and each of the principle characters would change dramatically over those years, and watch the world change around them. 

In those days, there were a lot of obstacles to climbing Everest, such as the fact that the region was still largely unexplored and there were a lot of politics to overcome before any expedition could even approach the mountain. But the biggest obstacle of all came in 1914, when World War I broke out, putting the world on pause for the next few years. 

The conflict changed the face of warfare and brought a new definition of horror to the men who fought in it. Davis paints a very vivid picture of what it was like on those battlefields and if you're not already familiar with how the first World War was fought, you're likely to experience a little of that horror yourself. It was the bloodiest and most brutal war in history, and it had lasting repercussions that lasted for decades to follow.

Following that war however, there was a renewed interest in Everest and the Royal Geographic Society was able to pitch the expedition as a matter of national pride. After all, the Brits had lost the race to both the North and South Pole, and Everest was viewed as the last great challenge. One that the Empire couldn't afford to lose. 

As we all know, it would be another 30 years before Everest would eventually be climbed, but that doesn't make this tale any less fascinating. The story of Mallory and Irvine and all of the back history that put them on that mountain in June of 1924 is an incredible read, and while at times you'll think you've picked up a history textbook, it all comes together brilliantly. It is hard to believe that there could be a more detailed account of those expeditions or a more accurate portrayal of the men who were involved in the whole affair. 

Mallory is almost as captivating as Everest itself, and the man and the mountain will always be linked to one another. This book puts that relationship in perfect perspective and gives you a better understanding of the climber and the challenge that would take his life. If you're a fan of history, mountaineering, or Everest, than you'll definitely want to own this book. (Price: $19.34 from Amazon) 

Ski The Himalayas S3E5: On The Road Again

Friday brings us another episode of Ski the Himalayas, where the climbing/skiing team finally gets their expedition underway. If you've watched the last few episodes of the show, you've seen the team stuck in Jomsom – a small village in Nepal – trying to figure out logistics and even objectives. With no porters to help them reach their intended mountain, they've now elected to go after a different 20,000-foot peak and then ski back down it. The video gives you glimpse of this new goal, which is, like most Himalayan mountains, spectacular.

With a new plan devised, and permits in hand, the boys hit the road at long last. The first leg of the trip is actually a precarious drive in jeeps along a very rocky road. Looks like a true adventure!

Himalaya Fall 2011: Annapurna Update

There isn't a whole lot of news from Annapurna yet regarding the Korean team that ran into problems on that mountain while making an ascent yesterday. ExWeb has posted an update to their story that does offer a few more clues however, and it isn't sounding good.

That last we heard from the team of Park Young Seok, Dong-Min Shin and Gi-Seok Gang they were heading up the mountain and hoping to make a summit bid today. It is believed that they ran into bad weather however and decided to descend instead, but what happened after that is still unclear.

ExWeb reports that several Search and Rescue teams have traveled to Annapurna, where they have discovered a rope believed to have been used by the trio of Koreans, but as of now, there is no sign of the climbers themselves. While they haven't given up looking for the men, the feeling is that they either fell into a crevasse or were swept off the mountain in an avalanche. You may recall that I noted in my original report on their climb that Annapurna is notorious for having frequent and powerful avalanches.

Either way, there is a good chance we'll never know what happened to the missing climbers. While the SAR team is still holding out some hope of finding them huddled in a tent somewhere, that seems increasingly unlikely.

Sad news indeed.