Indonesian Digital News Archive

It looks like predictions of the end of the fall season in the Himalaya are proving to be true. This past weekend there were summit bids scheduled on several mountains across the area despite the fact that the jet stream had begun to settle in at the higher altitudes. But those summit attempts were stalled out, at least on Makalu, due to high winds.

One of the climbers who saw her climb brought to an abrupt end was Billi Bierling. She had been on Makalu for the past six week and expected to top out last week until her Sherpa team put Camp 4 in the wrong place. Billi and the rest of her squad had hoped to rest up and give it one more go this past weekend, setting out for the summit on Friday with the hopes of topping out today. Unfortunately they only made it as high as Camp 2 before returning to Base Camp due to the high winds on the upper slopes. The weather forecasts didn't look promising for the days ahead, so the expedition was cancelled and the climbers started for home. After 10+ hour trek to Yangle Kharka yesterday and a brief helicopter ride to this morning, Billi is already back in Kathmandu and promising more information on her experience soon.

Commercial guide service Alpenglow Expeditions posted a dispatch explaining the situation on Makalu as well. They note that they decided to pull the plug on their climb due to the dire forecasts which show no break in the winds for the next two weeks and beyond that it is impossible to tell. Sitting and waiting for two weeks without knowing what lies beyond simply wasn't an option, so they pulled up camp, collected their gear and hit the trail for home. The dispatch hints at more than a little frustration with the situation but such is the experience when climbing in the Himalaya, where the weather is always unpredictable and even more so at this time of the year.

There is also late season news from Manaslu, where EpicTV reports that amidst the tragedy of the avalanche, and the triumph of the summits that followed, one success story was over looked. Last week, German skier Benedikt Bohm became the first person to successfully climb and make a ski descent of the mountain without the use of supplemental oxygen. More impressively, he also made the climber from Base Camp to the summit and back in under 24 hours. Bohm is part of the Dynafit ski team, which also played an instrumental role in helping aid the survivors of the avalanche. Strong members of that team were amongst the first on site in Camp 3 when word of the accident reached the other teams. This is a tremendous achievement on the part of Benedikt and congratulations are certainly in order.

The other two mountains that were expecting summit attempts this past weekend were Everest and Lhotse. I haven't seen any updates on the progress of the teams on those two mountains yet, but it is likely that the jet stream may have prevented them from going up as well. We'll just have to wait for dispatches from Nepal to get word on their success.

The tragic avalanche accident that occurred on Manaslu last week has cast a large shadow over this fall's Himalayan climbing season. As operations on that mountain wrap up for the year, I'm sure we'll be hearing more about that awful experience. But today we have a video that was put together by Himalayan Ascent that shows some of the rescue efforts that were made in the wake of the accident. The footage gives us all an idea of what it was like on the mountain as search and rescue teams combed  Manaslu looking for survivors and assisting the injured.

As expected, a calm weather window gave climbers on Manaslu, the eight tallest mountain in the world at 8156 meters (26,759 ft), an opportunity to launch summit bids over the weekend. These attempts came just one week after the tragic avalanche accident that claimed more than a dozen lives, but the climbers who remained on the mountain in the wake of that tragedy had their patience and perseverance rewarded at last.

Amongst the teams that saw success on summit day was the Mountain Professionals squad. They report that their entire team successfully topped out earlier today and made it back to Camp 4 to enjoy some rest and hot tea before proceeding down to C2 for a proper sleep. If all goes according to plan, they should complete the descent tomorrow and return to Base Camp at that time.

Similarly, the Altitude Junkies checked in following their successful bid as well, reporting that 15 members of their team reached the summit. Two Sherpas and one member of the group did turn back on the way up, but everyone else, including Edita Nichols, managed to stand on top. They're all feeling strong and in good spirits, and have started their descent back to Camp 2 as well.

The Himalayan Experience team was also scheduled to make their summit bid starting yesterday, but as of now there has been no update on whether or not they were successful. Considering how well oiled the Himex machine is, I'd guess that they were able to put at least some of the climbers on the summit but they just haven't had the opportunity to report in just yet.

Congratulations to all the teams. Everyone enjoy the feeling of success and get back to BC safely.

After a long and difficult week, it seems the climbers on Manaslu have begun to put the tragedy behind them and are now focused on an impending weather window that should give them access to the summit. As a result, most of the teams that are still on the mountain are now on the move, with an eye on topping out early next week.

Earlier today the Mountain Professionals team checked in from Camp 2 on Manaslu where they report stable weather and snow conditions. They started their ascent yesterday and pushed past C1 and straight on to Camp 2. Their Sherpa support team plan on shuttling gear to Camp 4 tomorrow and the climbers are now planning on summiting on Monday, weather permitting.

The Altitude Junkies have started their summit push as well, leaving for Camp 1 yesterday afternoon. They'll spend successive nights in each of the high camps before making their bid on Monday too. AJ leader Phil Crampton reports that he is still feeling a bit sore after getting caught in the avalanche at Camp 2 last weekend, so he'll take an extra day or two in Base Camp before proceeding up to join the rest of the team. The climbers are said to be in good spirits and ready to go. Hopefully their patience will pay off in a few days time.

Edita Nichols is one of the climbers who has started the ascent. She left BC yesterday and is eyeing a summit attempt on either Monday or Tuesday of next week. She says that the weather is looking good and the mountain is more stable, giving the remaining climbers there an incentive to reach the top to honor those that lost their live in the tragic accident this past weekend. Edita herself lost her SPOT Tracker in the avalanche, so she'll be out of contact for the next few days and we won't even be able to see her progress. We'll just have to wait for word of her success, but either way she plans on summiting and then heading for home by the end of next week.



On a different note, the IMG team that was on Manaslu left the mountain yesterday and are now all back in Kathmandu safe and sound. I'm sure it was a difficult decision to pull the plug on the expedition, but considering everything that has occurred there this week, it was probably the right choice for this squad. Also abandoning his summit bid is Greg Hill, who had hoped to make a no-oxygen ski descent of the mountain. He'll remain behind to support some other climbers, but he has reportedly elected to give up his own Manaslu aspirations.

Elsewhere in the region, other teams are preparing for their summit bids as well. ExWeb is reporting that teams on Makalu are now in position to top out on that mountain as early as today. That could mean that climber/journalist Billi Bierling is amongst them. We haven't had any updates from Billi since last week, but presumably she'll be on her way up soon too.

Stay tuned for summit updates over the next few days. Good luck to all the climbers. Be safe!

The news in the adventure community has been dominated with stories from Manaslu this week, where a massive avalanche took the lives of numerous climbers in Camp 3. One of the climbers who was there and was fortunate enough to survive the accident is Glen Plake, a world class skier who had intended on making a ski descent of the mountain. Yesterday, our friends over at EpicTV were able to connect with Glen in Kathmandu via Skype, while also being joined by his wife Kimberly in studio. In that interview, which you'll find in the video below, Glen shares his very personal story of survival while he still deals with the loss of his two friends and climbing/skiing partners Greg Costa and Rémy Lécluse.

EpicTV Weekly 22: Manaslu Avalanche: Glen Plake's Story from EpicTVAdventure on Vimeo.

It has been a long and difficult week in the Himalaya where climbers are still dealing with the devastating news from Manaslu this past weekend. But there is a sense of normalcy returning to the mountain and with it comes a renewed focus on climbing the mountain. Tomorrow some of the climbers will begin their summit bid, while others have decided to call it quits and head home.

The Altitude Junkies had three team members depart Base Camp yesterday and today they report that two more will now join them. They'll all descend to the village of Sama Goan where they'll catch a lift by helicopter back to Kathmandu. While sad to see their friends leave, the rest of the team has plenty of work to do. They'll start their summit bid tomorrow by climbing up to Camp 1 with an eye on topping out on Sunday or Monday of next week.

Also heading up is Edita Nichols, who reports that Sherpa teams have already visited Camp 1 and 2 to evaluate stability on the mountain. Her team won't move forward until the Sherpas say it is safe to do, but they anticipate starting the climb in the next day or two as well.

One of the squads that has decided to leave Base Camp and return home is the IMG team. Following a meeting with the entire crew, the experienced leaders of the expedition elected to pull the plug in no small part due to the continued instability on the slopes. They sent their Sherpas up the mountain this morning to collect their gear in Camp 1 and 2 with a plan to depart BC this afternoon. They should be resting comfortably in Sama Goan now and will fly back to Kathmandu tomorrow.



Skier Greg Hill has posted his account of the tragic events from earlier in the week, which you can read here. He was one of the climbers who was in Camp 3 when the avalanche hit, preparing to move up to Camp 4 before proceeding on to the summit. He was hoping to make a no-oxygen ski descent of Manaslu and now feels that it is simply pure luck that he is alive. Greg doesn't indicate if he'll continue his attempt or if he will now head home. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Elsewhere in the Himalaya, far away from the tragedy on Manaslu, other teams are continuing with their expedition. There hasn't been any word from Billi Bierling in a week, although reports are that teams have moved up to Camp 3 on Makalu and may be preparing for their first summit bids. Similarly, ExWeb reported yesterday that 73-year old Carlos Soria was making progress on Dhaulagiri, having established Camp 2 and working on building C3 as well. We should hopefully have good news from those mountains soon as well.

Good luck to all the climbers planning summit attempts across the region in the days ahead. Be safe out there.

Now that a couple of days have passed since the massive avalanche hit the upper slopes of Manaslu, teams are beginning to take stock, figure out their next move and plan where they go from here. Now that a relative calm has fallen over the area, we're also getting a clearer picture of just what happened at 6800 meters (22,309 ft) in Camp 3 when the avalanche struck.

It appears that the massive snow slide started when a serac collapsed above 7000 meters (22,965 ft), tumbling down the mountain and igniting an avalanche from the nearly two meters of fresh powder that had fallen last week. That snow hit the tents in C3, where most of the climbers were still sleeping or only just started preparing for the day ahead. The entirety of Camp 3 was pushed down the mountain and the avalanche was powerful enough to even bury tents in Camp 2, located at 6400 meters (20,997 ft).

Reports indicate that there are now nine confirmed dead with up to six climbers still missing. Obviously rescue operations are on going, although there is little hope of finding one of the missing climbers still alive at this time. Yesterday there were numerous helicopter flights to pick up the injured and the dead to return them to Kathmandu. As many as ten climbers survived the avalanche but were injured, in some cases severely, in the accident. Most are now being treated in hospitals for those injuries.

Most of the big commercial teams remain on the mountain and have begun to issue statements about the situation and their plans for the days ahead. The Mountain Professional report that they had just left Camp 1 when the avalanche hit, and as soon as they got word of the accident, they elected to turn around and head back down. All of the members of the team are safe and fully accounted for in BC, where they are assessing the situation. They remain confident that they can still make a summit bid in the days ahead, but for now they're standing by to assist where needed.



Similarly, the Altitude Junkies are all safely in BC as well, although some members of the squad were in Camp 2 when the avalanche hit that area. They suffered minor injuries from the incident, although they are mostly just bumps and bruises. The latest update that members of the team are experiencing nightmares and trauma following the accident, which is highly understandable considering the circumstances. Three of those climbers will depart Base Camp tomorrow and return to Kathmandu before heading home. The others will remain on the mountain and asses the situation before moving up. This morning's dispatch does indicate that some teams have already launched their summit bids however.

Finally, the Himex squad checked in with an update today as well. All of their climbers were safely in BC at the time of the accident and are also completely safe and sound. As you can imagine however, it was a busy day yesterday while everyone scrambled for information and did what they could to lend a hand. It seems Himex boss Russell Brice helped to coordinate rescue operations on Manaslu, despite the fact that none of his climbers were involved. In his most recent dispatch, Brice talks a bit about the challenges of coordinating just such an operation. He also lent some of his very strong Sherpa team to assist in helping injured climbers down and in search operations. The team will begin their summit push soon, and Russell says that they will continue to look for the missing climbers as they go up.

That's the latest news from the mountain. It seems a sense of muted normalcy has returned their. Some climbers are clearly still shaken from the affair, with a few deciding to go home. Others have to now get focused on the task at hand, namely safely climbing up and down the 8th tallest mountain in the world. Activity will resume in the next day or two and then it'll be a busy time on the peak.

The sad news from Manaslu yesterday has dredged up a slew of articles from the mainstream media who seem to only cover mountaineering when a tragic event like this occurs. Of course, when you have an accident like this one in which numerous people die, it is going to make the news across the globe. Those articles don't bother me much as we're all still trying to sort through what exactly happened. The stories that do cause me to shake my head however, are commentary pieces that remind us how dangerous climbing is and paint a distorted image of mountaineering amongst the general public who have little understanding of the sport, or the men and women who pursue it.

Take this story from CNN for example. It seems to have been written simply to beat the "Everest is too crowded" drum one more time. The article essentially begins by saying that overcrowding on Manaslu helped to exasperate the tragedy there, despite the fact that the vast majority of teams weren't in Camp 3 when the avalanche occurred. The writer than uses some quotes from Outside's Grayson Schaffer to back up her perspective, although she does follow up by saying that the former head of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, Ang Tscherting Sherpa, claims that the avalanche was not in any way related to the number of people on the mountain.  With those opening paragraphs out of the way, we launch into a report on the deadly spring season on Everest during which ten people died earlier this year. Never mind that those deaths have nothing in common with the events on Manaslu, other than the fact that they both took place on Himalayan peaks.

First, lets address overcrowding on Manaslu. Yes, it is a busy season on the mountain, which is the eight tallest in the world. That is due in part to the fact that the borders of Tibet remain closed, forcing teams that had planned on scaling Cho Oyu or Shisha Pangma to relocate elsewhere. Many chose Manaslu because it is similar in difficulty level and located completely within Nepal, making it logistically easier to pull-off. By most accounts, as many as 231 climbers were on the mountain this fall, which is more than usual but hardly makes it overcrowded.



But even if there were twice as many people on Manaslu it would still have absolutely no connection to a freak avalanche destroying Camp 3 and killing numerous people there. You simply can't predict with any level of accuracy when an avalanche like this one will occur and every one of those climbers knew that before they ever started. You could make a case that the death toll could have been much higher had more people been in C3 at the time, and thankfully that wasn't the case either. From everything I can tell, there was not an unusually high number of people at 7000 meters when the accident occurred.

Which leads us to the author bringing up Everest again for whatever reason. Any mention of Everest can make an article link-bait, which is to say draw in readers simply by the subject matter, but as I mentioned above, the deaths on the world's tallest mountain this past spring are not related in any way to those that occurred on Manaslu yesterday. Furthermore, many people in the mainstream press simply latch on to that death tool number and run with it, decrying the dangerous nature of mountaineering without really understanding what they are talking about. Yes, ten people lost their lives on Everest this year and those deaths are always tragic. But nearly 500 people successfully reached the summit as well. That means that less than 2% of climbers on Everest died. That's a pretty high success rate actually.

Is overcrowding a problem on Everest? Yes, it is an issue. But more so from an environmental standpoint than anything else. The various camps used on the climb, particularly Base Camp, can become polluted and littered with waste due to the large number of climbers staying there each season. But fortunately there are now rules in place that require the teams to clean up after themselves and pack out everything they bring with them. That will hopefully alleviate those issues in the years to come, making the mountain a cleaner place in general.

We've all seen the photos of the massive traffic jams that take place on Everest when summit day approaches and those traffic jams certainly hinder the experience. The route up Everest can indeed become a packed highway running to the top, particularly along the South Col route on the Nepal side of the mountain. Those high numbers of people do potentially lend themselves to disaster, but so far there are few incidences in which the large number of people have directly resulted in deaths. Bad decisions by the climbers and guides, or climbers that just plain shouldn't be there in the first place, make for far more dangerous situations in my opinion.

Move away from Everest and overcrowding on Himalayan peaks is hardly an issue at all. It is mainly due to the fact that a lot of people want to add the world's tallest mountain to their resume which draws them there, even if they lack experience. They'll keep coming as long as the mountain is there or until someone imposes some restrictions on how many can climb in a given year. Considering the importance of the peak to the economies of Tibet and Nepal, that hardly seems likely to happen.

It also isn't all that likely that the mainstream press will ever stop sounding the alarm bells over climbing in the Himalaya, or just about anywhere else for that matter. It draws in readers and viewers and gets the public talking. They aren't likely to ever understand why climbers do the things they do, or why they are drawn to the high places of the Earth, despite knowing that there are risks to going there.

When these accidents occur they remind us that life is fragile and that it can be snuffed out in the blink of an eye. But they also remind us that those who have lost their lives were doing so in the pursuit of the things they love most and in the environments that they cherish. That says a lot about who they are and why they were there in the first place.

By now I'm sure most of you have heard the tragic news from Manaslu in Nepal, but for those who haven't, yesterday a massive avalanche hit Camp 3 on the mountain, killing at least 12 people, including one Sherpa and eight French climbers. Four others remain missing with two of the climbers from the Moguls to Manaslu expedition amongst them.

Over the past few weeks we've been following the attempt by Glen Plake, Rémy Lécluse and Greg Costa to make the first climb and ski descent of Manaslu without the use of supplemental oxygen. The team had been climbing very well and were in a position to make a summit bid a week and a half ago. But the weather turned bad, dumping as much as two meters of fresh snow on the mountain and like the rest of the teams, they were forced to wait for conditions to improve.

At the end of last week, the weather took a turn for the better and the teams started to move back up the mountain. The faster teams were in Camp 3 by Sunday and were preparing to make their summit bid when the avalanche hit at 7000 meters (22,965 ft). It completely destroyed C3 and even wiped out tents in Camp 2, much further down the slope. At the time, there were approximately 25 people in Camp 3, 18 of which are now either dead or missing, including Rémy Lécluse and Greg Costa.

The team over at EpicTV have heard from Greg Plake and he is alive and coming home. After a tragedy like this one that is to be expected. Greg was in a tent when the avalanche hit and you can read his account of the incident here. He was pulled from a crevasse by members of Greg Hill's team and reportedly Hill and his squad are all okay.



The other expeditions that we've been following are all okay and safely back in Base Camp at the moment. They will now decide over the next few days what their options are for proceeding. The weather reports indicate that high winds are moving into the area, which means they won't be able to make summit bids in the next few days. That will give them time to decide on whether or not they want to go up or go home. Amongst these teams is the Mountain Professionals and IMG, who were in Camp 1 and 2 respectively when the avalanche hit.

Earlier today the Altitude Junkies weighed in with some news. Part of the team was in Camp 2 when it was hit at about 4:30 AM local time yesterday. Everyone in their squad is fine as well, although they had to spend several hours locating all of their gear, including footwear, before proceeding back down the mountain. They mentioned that a Sherpa who was in C3 at the time of the accident stumbled into camp without boots while they were there. The man was suffering from a head wound, shock and hypothermia. For a time it was touch and go as to whether or not he was going to make it but he was evacuated to Kathmandu this morning and appears to be fine. The AJ team will now spend a few days in BC recovering but the plan is to make a summit bid later in the week.

Finally, I heard from Edita Nichols' home team yesterday that she is fine and back in BC, although rather shaken by the experience. Today an update was posted to her blog saying that before any of the teams head back up the mountain, they'll first hold a second Puja ceremony to honor the dead. That should happen tomorrow as Edita's team will begin their summit push on Wednesday. They plan is to stand on top next Sunday, September 30.

That's the latest news, although I suspect we'll be hearing more about this tragedy over the next few days. I want to express my deepest condolences to the friends, families and teammates of the fallen. This will be a dark day in the mountaineering community.

The weather has improved across the Himalaya and teams are now taking advantage of the shift in conditions to return to their normal acclimatization schedule. It looks like Manaslu in particular will be especially busy this weekend as the climbers who have been stuck in Base Camp for the past week finally get a chance to stretch their legs.

The Mountain Professionals didn't waste any time in starting their first rotation. With the storm over they moved up to Camp 1 yesterday and report that the entire team is feeling good and strong. They also indicated that the ropes aren't completely fixed to the summit yet, so there is still some work to be done before they can go to the top. This is the team's first rotation however, so they're remaining patient and keeping an eye on what is to come in the days ahead.

The IMG team went on a hike yesterday to "get the cobwebs worked out." They're planning on climbing up to Camp 1 today and then on to C2 tomorrow. If conditions are good, they'll then proceed on to Camp 3 on Sunday before returning to BC to rest and plot their next move. If all goes according to plan and they're feeling healthy, they'll start planning their summit bids sometime next week. Similarly, the Altitude Junkies were assessing the safety of the snow and hoped to follow a similar schedule. If they feel everything is secure, they'll move up to C1 today and on to C2 tomorrow as well.



Over on Makalu, Billi Bierling checks in with an update as well. She reports that the weather conditions are much better on that mountain and she and her team have just completed a rotation up to 7400 meters (24,278 ft). The Sherpas are still fixing the lines to the summit there as well, but in the meantime Billi and her companions are headed back to BC today, where they expect to find more teams arriving at last. They'll spend the next few days resting, watching the forecasts and deciding on their next move. No one is talking summit dates just yet, but it seems they're edging closer to the big day.

Now that things are settled across the region and it appears the monsoon has moved out for another year, we can expect plenty of movement on all the hills in the days ahead. There is still plenty of time before the really cold weather arrives and these teams are all on track to summit before that becomes and issue.

Update: After posting my original report, I also received news on the whereabouts of the Moguls to Manaslu team. The boys are in Camp 2 today and digging their tents out from under a meter of snow and they hope to continue up to Camp 3 tomorrow, where they're told there is over two meters of fresh powder. That means they have a lot of work ahead of them just getting their campsite back in order. They do hope to push for the summit within the next few days but considering the heavy snow and lack of fixed ropes, that may be tough going. For now, we'll just have to wait to see how their plans evolve.

For the past few days the news from the Himalaya has pretty much centered around a massive storm that was dumping large quantities of snow on Manaslu, one of the more active peaks this fall season. Since the end of last week the climbers have been staying in Base Camp while they first waited out the rain and then the snow. But today we get word that the storm has now passed and the teams can begin thinking about their next move at last.

As I suspected in yesterday's post, the Moguls to Manaslu ski team has been in Base Camp along with the rest of the climbers, despite reports to the contrary. They had planned on beginning their summit bid last Sunday, but the poor weather conditions stalled those efforts. Now that the storm is over however, the boys are revising their approach. They now believe they'll make a single push up to Camp 2 starting tomorrow with an eye on heading towards the summit as early as possibly Sunday. They're hoping to become the first climbers to summit and make a ski descent without the use of supplemental oxygen and thanks to heavy snow on the mountain, that should be an easier descent at least. The climb will likely be more difficult until that snow settles however.

Meanwhile, the Altitude Junkies checked in this morning and report that while the snow stopped for a time, it has continued later in the day. They note that several teams went up the mountain as soon as the storm broke, but that conditions above Camp 2 are now unsettled and they've already witnessed some slides. That has given this team enough of a reason to wait, as the forecasts say the weather will continue to improve over the next few days and that will help settle the snow on the upper slopes.

The IMG squad is taking a similar wait-and-see approach. Their team is staying in BC as well while they let the snow settle some. They did send their Sherpa team up to Camp 1 to dig out the tents and other gear, and while they report that everything is good at that location, there is as much as a meter of fresh snow. That will make climbing higher a lot more challenging and as a result, they'll wait for conditions to improve too.

Finally, Edita Nichols has decided to take a break from the boredom of Base Camp while she waits for her opportunity to head up. Yesterday she went down to the village of Sama Goan just to get some exercise and leave BC for awhile. She notes that she has been awoken in the night by the thunderous sounds of avalanches on more than one occasion which is another good reason to wait for the fresh powder to consolidate on the slopes.

It seems that the weather is finally changing for the positive and the teams will have a window soon. Those that are already acclimatized will likely begin the first push on Manaslu this weekend, resulting in early summits by next week.

Yesterday I posted an update from the Himalaya that was mostly about how the teams on Manaslu are currently in a holding pattern while they wait for an opportunity to begin their climb. We had numerous reports from different sources who indicated that a storm had been raging on the mountain for three days and that forecasts seemed to indicate that it would continue for a few more before letting up. Until it does blow over, the climbers will be staying in Base Camp and waiting for conditions to improve.

But late yesterday I also received a conflicting report from the gang at EpicTV that you can read here. It indicates that they have heard from the Moguls to Manaslu team on Sunday, who told them that the storm had passed and that they were planning on heading back up the mountain. You may recall that this squad of climbers, made up of Greg Costa, Rémy Lécluse and Glen Plake, are attempting to climb Manaslu and then make a ski descent all without the use of supplemental oxygen. The trio apparently laid out their plans which would have them going from Camp 2 to Camp 3 today, spending tomorrow resting in C3 before proceeding up to Camp 4 on Thursday and making a final summit push on Friday.

Whether or not that schedule will hold remains to be seen. If the storm has indeed dissipated, it would clear the way for them to begin climbing again although there could be quite a bit of fresh snow along the route, making it difficult to move up. Also, the route from Camp 1 to Camp 2 is prone to avalanches, which means it could be tricky until the snow has settled as well. The team promised to check in with EpicTV again once they were in Camp 2, so for now we'll just have to wait to see if they made it.

The IMG team updated their blog late yesterday as well, indicating that they are still in BC and waiting out the weather. More importantly, their update filled in their plans and what we can expect on Manaslu in the next few days. Once they start up the mountain on their next acclimatization rotation, the plan is to first spend a night in C1 before spending two nights at Camp 2. If everything goes well and the climbers are feeling up to it, they'll then proceed to C3 for a night as well, followed by some rest ahead of a summit push of their own. The dispatch says that at the moment there are no ropes fixed above Camp 3 but that there is a plan in place to finish fixing the lines all the way to the top over the course of the next week. That would seem to indicate that we shouldn't expect the bulk of the climbers to have a go at the summit until sometime early next week.

For now, all we can do is wait and watch the weather too.

Patience is the word of the day in the Himalaya, where teams on Manaslu have had their progress halted due to poor weather hitting the region. At the end of last week the forecasts looked like they were about to take a turn for the worse, and now there are liberal amounts of snow falling on mountain.

One of the teams that was eager to get started following their Puja ceremony last week was the Mountain Professionals squad. They did manage to make one trek up to Camp 1 at 5600 meters (18,372 ft) before the snow started to fall, but for the past three days they've been stuck in Base Camp with the rest of the teams, waiting for an opportunity to head back up. In the meantime, they're wiling away the hours with a mean game of Yatzy, while the storm continues outside their tents.

Similarly the IMG team is in BC as well and the fresh snow is putting a crimp in their plans too. The climbers returned from Camp 2 last Friday and had hoped to start their next acclimatization round yesterday, but judging from the reports of ongoing snow, it seems likely that they are holding out for a break in the weather while resting in Base Camp as well. Their next trip up the  mountain should take them as high as C3, with over nights in both Camps 1 and 2. After that, they'll be looking for a summit a window.

For their part, the Altitude Junkies are not concerned much with the current weather conditions on Manaslu. They make this climb every year and report that it is not unusual to have up to ten days worth of rain and snow following their arrival in Base Camp. This is a transition period in the weather as the monsoon exits the region for another year and their forecasts indicate that the current conditions will likely persist for a few more days. So like the rest of the teams they sit and wait for their opportunity to continue to the higher camps.



One of the climbers who is blogging about her experience in the Himalaya this fall is Edita Nichols. She reports on her blog last Friday was the hardest day of the expedition too date was when her team made their first hike up to Camp 1 to drop off loads of gear. She reports that there are numerous crevasses on the mountain, which can make progress slow and a bit unnerving, but otherwise the first acclimatization rotation was a successful one. Just like everyone else, she was expecting the turn in the weather and should now be in BC waiting and watching for the shift in the season.

Finally, we news from Makalu today where Billi Bierling reports in from Base Camp on that mountain. Billi says that she and her teammates have tagged Camp 2 already and that everything is proceeding as planned. They're resting after their first rotation and since weather conditions are good there, they'll be making their next trip up in a few days. That will include a night at Camp 1 and two nights at Camp 2, while they establish C3 for the work ahead.

Curiously, Billi also says that her team established its Base Camp about two hours below the normal Makalu BC. She says that it is cleaner and quieter there, but it adds a lot of extra time and effort to reach C1 on their initial go up the mountain. She also notes that so far her squad is the only one in BC as none of the other teams have shown up yet. Hopefully they'll be arriving soon as it sounds like conditions are good this season.

Thats all for now. We'll get more news later in the week, provided the weather on Manaslu improves.

Conditions can change very rapidly in the Himalaya and that seems to be happening right now on Manaslu, one of the more popular climbing peaks this fall. Yesterday I posted about the Moguls to Manaslu team, which is attempting to become the first to climb the 8156 meter (26,759 ft) mountain and make a ski descent without the use of supplemental oxygen. When we checked in with the boys yesterday they were planning on staying hunkered down in Camp 3 before making their first summit bid, but today we learned that they have returned to Base Camp instead.

According to the team's latest update, the storm that was predicted to drop 10cm (4 inches) of snow on Manaslu has now grown in size and intensity. Weather forecasts say that it'll bring closer to 30cm (12 inches) of powder, and last three days instead. While all of fresh snow will prove useful when it comes time to ski down the mountain, the thought of spending three days in C3 was a bit much. So, Glan Plake, Greg Costa and Rémy Lécluse will now sit in BC, wait out the storm, and assess the situation afterwards. Considering the chances of an avalanche will be higher after the snow stops, it could now be into next week before they are able to make a true bid for their summit and ski descent.

Meanwhile, IMG is reporting that their team "tagged" C2 yesterday as part of their latest acclimatization  rotation. That means they climbed up to that point on the mountain then descend back to BC as well. They're keeping an eye on the weather too and are expecting to be grounded to Base Camp over the next few days.

Finally, the Mountain Professionals squad arrived in BC two days ago and had their Puja ceremony today. As I've mentioned before, the all-important Puja is performed to ask for safe passage into the mountains and by tradition no one begins their climb without first going through the Puja, which is performed by one of the local Buddhist monks. With the ceremony out of the way, the team is now free to climb to the higher camps, although it is likely that they'll now wait out the storm too.

Early today I posted an update on the Moguls to Manaslu expedition which features Glan Plake, Greg Costa and Rémy Lécluse in an attempt to summit and ski the eight tallest mountain on the planet. If you've ever wondered what kind of gear it takes to undertake just such an expedition, then you'll want to check out the video below. Shot before the team left for Kathmandu, it gives you an idea of what equipment they are using on this climb.

EpicTV: Moguls to Manaslu from EpicTVAdventure on Vimeo.

I've been posting regular updates on the fall climbing season in the Himalaya over the past few weeks as the teams have arrived in Nepal and slowly filtered out to their mountains. The bulk of the activity has been centered around Makalu and Manaslu thus far and I've tried to keep readers aware of the progress being made on those two peaks, plus a few other random expeditions in the region. But one team that I've been following, but haven't posted about, is the three-man Moguls to Manaslu crew who are attempting to summit that mountain and then ski back down.

The team consists of Glan Plake, Greg Costa and Rémy Lécluse who not only hope to make a ski descent, they hope to complete the entire expedition without the use of supplemental oxygen. The trio have been on the 8156 meter (26,759 ft) for a couple of weeks now and have been steadily acclimatizing on schedule. According to their most recent update this morning, the team has moved up to Camp 2 with plans to proceed up to C3 today and wait out a strong, but short, storm that is expected to dump about 10cm (4 inches) of fresh powder on the mountain. After that storm blows through, the weather forecast says things should be good through the 20th/21st of the month, which could afford them the opportunity to go for the summit, and consequently the ski descent, as early as this weekend. That is well ahead of the schedule that the other guided teams are on for making their ascent of the mountain. Most of those teams are only just arriving or are currently completing their first acclimatization rotations.

The Moguls to Manaslu team has a bit of incentive to go a bit faster now as they've learned that they aren't the only skiers who hope to become the first to take on the Himalayan peak sans oxygen. Greg Hill has also set his sights on that goal and brings an impressive resume with him. If his name sounds familiar, you may recall that Greg was the man who spent all of 2010 attempting to ski 2 million vertical feet, something that he was eventually able to accomplish. In order to do that, you need to be a consistently strong climber and skier.

Greg has been in the Himalaya for a few weeks now as well and has cut his teeth by climbing and skiing Mera Peak, 6470 meter (21,227 ft) mountain this perfect for acclimatizing ahead of Manaslu. His blog hasn't been updated since Sept. 3 but presumably he is either on his way to the main objective or already in Base Camp on Manaslu itself. Either way, it looks like we'll have two impressive ski descents of the mountain this year.

Stay tuned for more and thanks to the gang at EpicTV for keeping us informed on these expeditions.

Last week when I posted about the emerging 2012 fall season in the Himalaya it was to report that most of the teams were arriving in Kathmandu and making their way out their respective Base Camps across the region. Now, a week later, several of those teams have not only established their BC but have started the process of acclimatization and building their high camps as well.

The Mountain Professional squad has spent the past few days acclimatizing in Sama Gaon, a small village in the shadow of Manaslu. They plan on heading up to BC today where they'll spend the next few days getting settled before going higher. Modern base camps are much more comfortable than in the in past, with many climbers bringing a number of tech toys with them to keep them connected and in communication back home. As a result, one of the first things that they'll do is set up the solar panels to help power all of their electronic gear as well as establish their lights and communications equipment too.

Meanwhile, the IMG team has been on the mountain since last week and even had their Puja ceremony on Thursday. That traditional blessing allows them to begin their climb up the mountain, which they did yesterday by making the first trek up to Camp 1, located at 5700 meters (19,695 ft). After spending last night at that altitude, they'll now continue up to Camp 2 today (6400m/20,992 ft) before returning to BC for a rest. The logistics team reports that the Sherpas have stocked both camps with gear and that more than 600 meters of rope have been fixed leading up to Camp 1 and an additional 600 meters to Camp 2. They also report that the route is in good condition early on in the season.

Over on Makalu, Billi Bierling reports that her squad has arrived in Advanced Base Camp at 5400 meters (17,716 ft) yesterday. On the entire trek to the mountain Billi has noted that there is a distinct lack of trekkers and climbers in the region this so far this year and ABC is no exception. As of yesterday they were the only squad on the mountain.

Finally, 73-year old Carlos Soria doesn't appear to be slowing down one bit. He had intended to climb Kangchenjunga this fall, which is the third highest mountain on the planet at 8586 meters (28,168 ft). Due to the continued closure of the Tibetan border however, he has instead turned his attention on Dhaulagiri (8167m/26,795 ft). Carlos is expected to arrive in Base Camp today and will begin climbing the mountain later this week. The Spaniard hopes to become the oldest person to summit all 14 of the 8000 meter peaks. Good luck Carlos!

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.

We've barely just put the Pakistan summer climbing season behind us, and had a chance to catch our breath, but now it's time to start ramping up for the fall season in the Himalaya. While much smaller than the spring season, and not so centered on Everest, autumn can be a great time to be in the Himalaya. The lack of crowds and the changing weather patterns make it a great alternative to the spring and many climbers use the next few months as a warm-up for Everest or other peaks next year.

One of the teams that is now starting to gather in Kathmandu is the Mountain Professionals Manaslu expedition. According to the team's blog the climbers will all be in Nepal by Friday, August 31 and they'll spend the first few days sight seeing, getting to know one another and holding meetings before they depart for Base Camp. They'll start their trek to BC sometime next week and they should be on the mountain around the 10th of September, give or take a few days.

The team's objective will be the 8156 meter (26,759 ft) Manaslu, the eighth tallest mountain on the planet. Located in the central Himalaya, it was first climbed back in 1956, just a few years after Everest. It is considered a good peak for climbers to hone their skills on and prepare for other, more challenging mountains. I'm sure that some of the Mountain Professional squad have Everest as a future objective.

Mountaineer/Journalist Bili Bierling is preparing for her next climb as well. She'll be heading out to Makalu starting tomorrow and begin an 8 day trek to Base Camp on that 8481 meter (27,825 ft) mountain. She is part of an international team, led by Kobler & Partner,  that has set its sights on the fifth highest mountain in the world.

This should just be the start of team reports and expect to have a few other mountains and climbers added to these updates soon. It seems most of the groups are still just arriving or getting organized in Kathmandu and over the next week or so we should have a clearer picture of how many teams will be in the Himalaya this fall and what their objectives will be.