Indonesian Digital News Archive

Last week I mentioned that we were on the verge of the start of the 2012 fall climbing season in the Himalaya and linked to a couple of expeditions that were ready to get underway. Since then more climbers have been arriving in Kathmandu and have set out for their respective Base Camps. It seems it is shaping up to be a relatively busy season, by fall standards, in the mountains.

One peak that won't be busy this autumn is Cho Oyu. The Adventure Consultants had planned to lead a team to the 8201 meter (26,906 ft) mountain but China has extended their closure of the border, forcing climbers to go elsewhere. As a result, the AC squad is now headed to Manaslu (8156m/26,759 ft). That expedition got started on Sunday with the group assembling in Kathmandu and they'll first take a helicopter to the village of Sama Gaon where they'll make some acclimatization hikes before proceeding to Base Camp.

Also on her way to Manaslu is Billi Bierling who is making the trek on foot. That journey started last week but a dispatch over the weekend says that they expect to reach BC tomorrow. The weather reportedly remains very hot at this point and Billi says that there are few trekkers on the trail, making for a quiet hike to the mountain. The temperatures should begin to drop in the days ahead, but for now it seems the team will be very working in hot conditions.

Manaslu will be a busy place this fall as the Mountain Professionals team, IMG squad and others are also en route to Base Camp this week.

Other climbers that are currently planning fall Himalaya expeditions include Sophie Denis who, according to ExWeb, has set her sights on the 8013 meter (26,289 ft) Shisha Pangma. Mexican climbers Yuri Contreras and Laura González are taking aim at Makalu (8481m/27,825 ft) and 73 year old Carlos Soria will be taking on Kangchenjunga (8586m/28,169 ft).

More updates as we have them. For now, most of the teams are still in transition, but the actual climbs should start as early as the weekend.

A new week brings new promise to the Himalaya, where the teams on Everest continue to wait while elsewhere climbers are topping out on various peaks. The week ahead should be a busy one, as it looks like the projected weather window will open on schedule, which should pave the way for another round of summit bids.

Yesterday was summit day on Manaslu, and according to the latest dispatch from the Adventure Consultants, several climbers topped out, including two of their own. The mountain has been battered with snow this spring, which has made it difficult on everyone, but the forecast called for a weather window and it opened up as expected. Winds were a bit high but manageable and everything came together at just the right time for those who were fortunate enough to make it to the top. The true summit of Manaslu is a very small sliver of rock, and most who reach it have it to themselves for a brief moment. That was the case here, as the climbers didn't linger long before heading down. They are now safely back in BC and are preparing to depart today.

No word yet on whether or not Allie Pepper was amongst the successful summiteers. She was hoping to climb Manaslu before setting out for Lhotse, but she hasn't posted an update in some time. The dispatch from the AC doesn't mention her either, so it is possible that she has left for her second mountain considering weather conditions haven't been good and time is starting to run short.

Elsewhere, ExWeb is reporting that the teams on Annapurna are folding up shop and heading home after another long and tough season on that peak. Amongst them is Don Bowie, who won't be joining Ueli Steck on Everest now. ExWeb is also saying that a Spanish team is in the middle of a summit push on Shisha Pangma right now, but there is little movement on Cho Oyu or Dhaulagiri, although teams on that mountain are preparing for summit bids this week.

Speaking of Ueli Steck, he reports in that his acclimatization on Everest is officially over after spending a the night at 8000 meters (26,246 ft). Ueli says that he and his Sherpa guide stashed their gear at that point and that there were few people on Everest that had been up that high as of yet. A tent city will form there in a few days and everyone who has been patiently waiting will finally get their crack at the summit. Ueli is one of them, although it remains to be seen if he'll make a speed attempt.

On both sides of Everest everyone continues to wait. In the North, the Sherpas have built Camp 3 and the teams are waiting for the ropes to be fixed, while on the South Camp 4 is being stocked in anticipation of the winds dying down at last and access being granted to the summit. Everyone seems optimistic that that will happen late this week, but for now we all wait.