Spring 2013 | Summit Pushes on All Himalayan Eight-Thousanders

Monsoon is approaching Himalayas and in a matter of few weeks, whole region will be closed for altitude climbing activities. Climbers had been working on respective mountains since April and are now making final attempts to reach the top. Summit pushes are in progress all around.

Everest
Dozens of climbers have reached the top of Everest in past few days. The weather is still good and more than a hundred pushing for summit right now. Amongst them are two Pakistanis - Samina Baig is first Pakistani female to enter death zone (altitude above 8000m), and Mirza Ali who wants to scale Everest without bottled oxygen. If successful, Samina would be first Pakistani female to summit an 8000er while Mirza would become the first Pakistani to scale Everest without oxygen. (Histroy of Pakistani expeditions to Everest)

Having developed a good friendship with Indian twin sisters, Tashi and Nugshi, the two nationals want to hoist Pakistani and Indian flags at the summit to spread the message of peace.

For full details on Everest happenings, follow Alan Arnette's Everest 2013 Coverage.

Mirza Ali, Samina Baig and Indian sisters Tashi & Nugshi; Image

Kangchenjunga
Iranian lady, Parvaneh Kazemi, reached an altitude of 8200m a week ago. But due to abrupt change in weather, she made the tough but rational decision to turn back. She says, “Perhaps we could reach the summit and maybe we could even return to Camp4 but the risk was very high.” She reached BC on 13th May under heavy snow. Parvaneh is going up again for yet another summit attempt.

But unlike Parvaneh’s first attempt when she was alone, all Kangchenjunga climbers are unified now. The group climbed directly from BC to C2, yesterday and ascended to C3 today. They are hoping to reach C4 tomorrow (19th) and summit on 20th.

Yesterday expedition leader Annalisa messaged, “C2: snow fall in these days is really a lot ... it was a great grind, even the serac has changed ... and it is very steep ... Anyway everything ok!”.

Strong winds thwarted the first summit push of Parvaneh at 8200m; Image


Manaslu
A week ago Raul Corominas and PeterHerms’ summit push plan was thwarted, when an unexpected snow storm caught them at 7000m. Now, they are speeding up the mountain again to available the narrow summit window predicted around 19th-21st May. Today they reached C1 and are aiming to climb directly to C3, tomorrow. Summit push is expected on 20th May, depending upon weather conditions.

Cho Oyu
It has been a difficult season on Cho Oyu. Four teams were attempting the peak this spring but three of them have already pulled out, while the fourth team, SummitClimb, is also left with half of its member. They have left BC today with the aim of reaching summit on 21st. High winds and lack of snow haven’t allowed anyone to climb above C3 this season, yet.

Photo: "de moment el temps no companya, neva cada tarda hi ha molta neu acumulada. Anem pujant material al C1 pero encara no hem tingut oportunitat de comencar a equipar el cami cap a C2. Dema provarem d-anar a dormir a C1 i intentarem arribar a C2. Es una prova mes mental que fisica, pero estem be, ilusionats i amb molta energia. Gracies pels vostres anims!"
Conditions have been tough on Manaslu & Cho Oyu, this season; Image


Makalu
Weather has been extremely irritating on Makalu, as well. But the group of international climbers, facilitated by Asian Trekking, is now attacking the mountain with the hopes of reaching summit on 22nd May.

Dhaulagiri
First summit push of Pawel Michalski and Simone la Terra was unsuccessful as bad weather forced them to retreat from 7000m. They are back in C2, again. Their original plan of summiting on 19th or 20th has been jeopardized and they are forced to spend 2 to 3 nights in C2 6500m as summit window has moved to 21st/22nd May.
Catalonians Juanjo Garra, Manuel 'Lolo' González and Enrique Osiel are also moving up the mountain for summit attempt.

On the way to 7000m, Dhaualgiri; Source


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