Himalaya Fall 2011: Summits To End The Season

The Fall 2011 Himalaya climbing season is quickly coming to an end as climbers finish their expeditions. Some are already heading home, while others are still coming down the mountain, but the last few days have seen a flurry of summits on several peaks.

On Manaslu, Himex has pust 46(!) people on top in the past two days, which is an astounding number. Their dispatch claims that is about 10% of the total number of people who have actually climbed the mountain since it was first summited back in 1956. Similarly, the Altitude Junkies had a dispatch yesterday saying that their team was in position to go up to the summit today, so it seems patience is finally paying off for those who stayed for a few extra days.

IMG is also reporting that their Shisha Pangma team reached the summit yesterday as well. It was a tough climb, with lots of trail breaking through deep snow, but in the end they were able to get up and down safely and are due back in ABC today.

There have been more summits on Cho Oyu as well, with the SummitClimb team topping out on Monday and more teams hoping to go up yesterday amidst good weather. Unfortunately, ExWeb is reporting that there is also an ongoing rescue attempt on that mountain as well, with a stranded Spanish climber in Camp 2. Apparently, the climber turned back from his summit attempt due to exhaustion, and now is unable to make his way unassisted down the mountain. Other climbers are going up to help him, but snow conditions are making things challenging, and there are few teams left in ABC to lend a hand. Lets hope for the best.

The exhausted climbers on Makalu,  Artur Hajzer, Kacper Tekieli, Adam Ciucka and Maciej Stanczak, along with four Sherpas, are continuing their very slow descent. They reportedly reached Camp 1 yesterday and should be back in ABC today, although Stanczak has had to be carried off the mountain due to his extreme exhaustion. They appear to be otherwise in good health and should be fine after a bit of rest.

Congrats to everyone who has topped out over the past few days. It has been a hectic end to the season, and while there may yet be a few more late summits, most of the season is now over, and the Himalaya will grow quiet until the spring.

Himalaya Fall 2011: Summits On Makalu and Cho Oyu!

This past weekend saw continued good weather in the Himalaya, which allowed some teams to summit while others were stymied by deep snow. Now, as the new week begins, some climbers are in place to make a last ditch summit bid, while others are packing up and heading home.

On Friday, ExWeb reported that the Polish team of Artur Hajzer, Tomasz Wolfart and Maciej Stanczak successfully topped out on Makalu after a long, and tough ascent. The three experienced climbers struggled on the way down however, and were actually stranded for a time in Camp 3, where they were too exhausted to move. It was bad enough at one point that a call for rescuers was put out, but that "SOS" was later cancelled and the team has now descended to Camp 2. While they are very tired, they are also in good health and feeling fine. They should be back in Base Camp tomorrow.

Over on Cho Oyu, the Jagged Globe team managed to successfully put three climbers on top, although it wasn't easy. They set off for the summit on Friday but found the snow to be too deep to move, so the climbers descended back to Camp 3, while the Sherpas continued fixing the ropes and clearing the route. On Saturday, the team gave it another go, and discovered that the snow had settled nicely, allowing them to ascend safely and in perfect conditions. Since then, the team has already descended back to BC, and the Sherpas have cleared the camps. They are expected to return to Chinese Base Camp today and back to Kathmandu by Wednesday. Congrats to Matt, Cian, and Jerome on a job well done.

Other teams on Cho Oyu were not so lucky. The Adventure Lovers squad turned back from their summit bid, and left BC on Saturday, with plans to arrive back in Kathmandu today. Likewise, the IMG team went up to the Yellow Band, but found the snow too deep to continue, so they abandoned their attempt and returned to ABC as well. They set out for home on Saturday.

The IMG team on Shisha Pangma hadn't given up yet and as of Friday, they were in Camp 1 on that mountain. There hasn't been any updates since that time however, so it seems likely that they descended and have decided to return to Kathmandu as well.

Finally, climbers are still holding out for a summit attempt on Manaslu, where the Altitude Junkies and Himex teams are reportedly in Camp 3 and are preparing for a summit bid tomorrow. It seems that conditions remain good on that mountain and things are proceeding on schedule and according to plan.

Judging from these reports it seems that the Fall Season will be over by mid-week, and it is likely that the jet stream will settle in over the Himalaya in the next few days as well. All in all, a fairly successful season, despite the trying weather. Lets hope the last of these teams gets up and down safely.

Himalaya Fall 2011: New Summit Bids Underway!

Extremely bad weather shutdown all summit bids last weekend, but the new week brought clear skies and generally good conditions. That has also brought on a new round of summit bids, with most teams now starting to move up their respective mountains, with an eye on topping out this weekend. They're also in a race against time, as the jet stream begins to move over the region.

Yesterday we received word from Manaslu that the Altitude Junkies and Himex Sherpa teams were joining forces to dig out the fixed lines, which were buried under snow earlier in the week. They hoped to get everything ready for another summit attempt, although the teams were a bit reluctant to say when that bid might happen. Today we learn that they are now eyeing next Tuesday or Wednesday for their final push, and although the weather pattern looks better, they are now expecting much colder temperatures. If they do plan to summit on the 4th or 5th, they'll start the ascent as early as tomorrow. 

Meanwhile, the improved weather over the Himalaya has kicked things into high gear on Cho Oyu. The IMG, Adventure Lovers, and Jagged Globe teams have all started moving back up the mountain, and all are reportedly in Camp 2. Conditions are said to be good, although the deep snow is slowing progress considerably. Still, if they stay on pace, and the weather remains good, expect summits on Sunday.

IMG also has a team on Shisha Pangma, and they've also preparing for a new summit bid as well. The Sherpas climbed to Camp 1 today to dig out the tents and prepare for the arrival of the climbers, who are set to begin their ascent tomorrow. That would conceivably put them on schedule to summit on Tuesday of next week, provided everything goes according to plan. 

ExWeb chimed in with the news yesterday that a Polish team climbing on Makalu was already in Camp 3 on that mountain, with plans to head up to C4 today. If that milestone was reached, than it is likely that tomorrow will be summit day for the 7-man team.

Finally, in the same story, ExWeb reported that an unnamed Czech climber died on Cho Oyu a few days back. The cause of death isn't known, but the body was apparently found hanging in the ropes. The man was an independent climber, but aside from that no one even seems to know his name. As always, condolences to friends and family. 

Climbing Makalu Video

This past spring, First Ascent climbing guides Dave Morton and Melissa Arnot made an attempt on Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world at 8481 meters (27,825 ft). While their bid for the summit ultimately fell short, this video captures their experiences on the mountain quite nicely, and makes for a great end of the week post. Enjoy!


Makalu from David Morton on Vimeo.

Himalaya 2011: Spring Season By The Numbers

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

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

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

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

Himalaya 2011: Dave Hahn Notches 13th Summit Of Everest

Mountain giude Dave Hahn reached the summit of Everest over the weekend, marking the 13th time that he has stood on the top of that mountain. That number represents the most summits of any non-Sherpa ever, extending Hahn's own personal record.

The National Geographic Adventure blog has Dave's account of his summit climb, which you can read in its entirety right here. Climbing without clients – his two paying customers went home last week without attempting the summit, Dave and his Sherpa team made easy work out of the climb, arriving ahead of most other climbers and enjoying plenty of time on top of the mountain all to themselves.

The account of the climb is fairly straight forward, although Dave says that the higher portions of the route were easier than normal thanks to plenty of snow pack and well worn trails. But he and his team made it a challenge for themselves by making one long push from ABC up to the summit, and then back down again. By doing this, they limited their time above 26,000 feet and thereby lessening the effects of the thin air on their bodies. That should allow for a quicker recovery time after their ascent as well.

Congrats to Dave for adding a 13th Everest summit to his already impressive resume.

Meanwhile, a couple of Dave's teammates on the First Ascent climbing team were turned back on Makalu over the weekend. Dave Morton and Melissa Arnot were hoping to summit that mountain, but both turned back for their own reasons. Melissa was feeling the effects of the altitude, which she was enduring without supplemental oxygen, and she was climbing too slowly to have a legitimate shot at the summit, so she turned back to Camp 4 fairly early on. Dave, on the other hand, continued to go up on his own, but noted that he too was moving slowly, despite the fact that he was feeling good. He thought that he was carrying far too much weight, with camera equipment, as well as excess food and water, and late in the afternoon he determined that it was best that he turn back as well. He was just 150 meters from the summit at that time, but thought that might mean another 2-3 hours of climbing. You can ready both of their accounts of the climb by clicking here.

Now, the two mountaineers are catching a flight to Everest Base Camp, where they hope to make a late season run up that mountain. They are acclimatized and familiar with the route, so they're hoping to add one Himalayan summit to their resume while they're in the neighborhood. Stay tuned for more!

Himalaya 2011: Lines Fixed To C3 On Everest South Side

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

Himalaya 2011: Melissa Arnot Preps For Makalu

For the past couple of years, First Ascent sponsored climber Melissa Arnot has been a guide on Everest, and has stood atop that mountain on more than one occasion. This year she has turned her attention on a different peak, although she is back in the Himalaya once again.

This spring, Arnott is climbing the fifth highest peak in the world, Makalu. The mountain stands 8481 meters (27,825ft) in height, and offers some signifiant technical challenges over Everest. In the video below, Melissa talks about those challenges, which include fewer fixed ropes, steeper slopes, and more. She also gives us a glimpse of her training methods, which she conducts in Sun Valley, Idaho.

First Ascent has done a fantastic job over the past few spring seasons on keeping us up to date with their climbers in the Himalaya. Hopefully that will be the case once again this year, as they have turned out not only great blog posts and dispatches on the Born Out There Blog, but the videos from the mountain have been spectacular as well.

To read more about Melissa's Makalu ascent, check out her blog post here. This is a very personal climb for her, and it should be a good one to follow along with.