Autumn 2013 | Summits on Manaslu and Cho Oyu, Tough Conditions on Shishapangma
Summits, unsuccessful attempts, changing weather and setting up higher camps - the fall climbing season is in full swing. Shishapangma’s main summit still remains to be climbed, this season. Conditions on Cho Oyu are quite stable and several teams summited in past few days. Summit bids are underway on Manaslu. Lhotse teams are still struggling to reach the foot of Lhotse Face, whereas there hasn’t been any update from Annapurna, lately.
Summits on Cho Oyu
Weather on Cho Oyu has been pretty consistent this season. Several teams reportedly reached the top, in past couple of days.
Guided by Mike Hamill and Peter Anderson, the IMG expedition made it to the top on September 30th. Yesterday more summits were reported from the mountain. American, Alex Barber, summited at 08:30AM and descended back to BC. Seven members of Kobler-Partner expedition also reached the top. Adventure Peaks’ expedition leader Martin Barnett informed about the Cho Oyu success of his team. This afternoon (October 2nd), Dominik Muller’s AMICAL alpin team also reached the summit.
The climbers will begin the return journey after resting and recovering for a couple of days in Base Camp.
Bad Weather on Shishapangma
Weather on Shishapangma was predicted to remain favorable, this week. Majority of climbers were properly acclimatized, well rested and all set for the summit push. They left the ABC earlier this week, but the conditions didn’t prove to be as good as expected. Further deterioration in weather today, forced the teams to change their plan.
Polish young gun, Andrzej Bargiel, made the summit push today but had to turn back from Central summit due to excess of fresh snow and poor visibility. He along with his team mates, Grzegorz Bargiel, Dariusz Załuski and Marcin Kin reached the Central Summit at around 1310hrs local time. They are back in Base Camp, now.
Spanish veteran climber, Carlos Soria, reached C3 yesterday but due to dangerous conditions and avalanche risk, didn’t go for the summit, today. He is currently down to C1, resting and evaluating the conditions for another summit attempt in coming days
British climber, Rich Emerson, made a second summit attempt but had to retreat from similar altitude (450m short of summit) due to excessive soft snow. He has reached the BC, today. International Shishapangma Expedition members are also down to Base Camp, due to difficult conditions. They turned back from C2.
Summits and Summit-bids on Manaslu
Second round of summit pushes is underway on Manaslu. Few climbers summited today, and many others are expected to reach the summit, tomorrow. Some climbers just reached the Base Camp, last week and are busy in acclimatization.
In an audio dispatch from C2, the Kiwi-Australian lady Chris Jensen Burke has confirmed that her team made it to the top, today. No further details are available, as of now. Chris was climbing with Lakpa Sherpa (her regular climbing partner), Teodor Johansen, Brett and three Sherpas. Manaslu is the fourth eight-thousander for Chris, this year (after Lhotse in spring, GII & GI in summer).
Austrian climber, Georg Leithner, also made summit bid today but had to abandon the push at 7800m. Four Romanian climbers left BC on Sunday, for the summit push. Due to multiple issues, three of them turned back before reaching C4. Vlad Capusan arrived at C4, today. He is expected to go for the summit, tonight.
Other climbers who are in C4 and are likely to be the part of tonight’s summit bid include, Italian team of Alice, Alberto and Nicola, Spanish climber Xavi Arias and Argentinean Navarrese. Italian Liguri Apuani Expedition, led by Fabrizio Molignoni, is also expected to have reached C4, by now.
Frequent updates appear in Tweet Box on right side of this blog, Twitter and Facebook Page.
Summits on Cho Oyu
Weather on Cho Oyu has been pretty consistent this season. Several teams reportedly reached the top, in past couple of days.
Guided by Mike Hamill and Peter Anderson, the IMG expedition made it to the top on September 30th. Yesterday more summits were reported from the mountain. American, Alex Barber, summited at 08:30AM and descended back to BC. Seven members of Kobler-Partner expedition also reached the top. Adventure Peaks’ expedition leader Martin Barnett informed about the Cho Oyu success of his team. This afternoon (October 2nd), Dominik Muller’s AMICAL alpin team also reached the summit.
The climbers will begin the return journey after resting and recovering for a couple of days in Base Camp.
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| Towards Cho Oyu Summit; Source |
Bad Weather on Shishapangma
Weather on Shishapangma was predicted to remain favorable, this week. Majority of climbers were properly acclimatized, well rested and all set for the summit push. They left the ABC earlier this week, but the conditions didn’t prove to be as good as expected. Further deterioration in weather today, forced the teams to change their plan.
Polish young gun, Andrzej Bargiel, made the summit push today but had to turn back from Central summit due to excess of fresh snow and poor visibility. He along with his team mates, Grzegorz Bargiel, Dariusz Załuski and Marcin Kin reached the Central Summit at around 1310hrs local time. They are back in Base Camp, now.
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| Walking down Shishapangma; Source |
Spanish veteran climber, Carlos Soria, reached C3 yesterday but due to dangerous conditions and avalanche risk, didn’t go for the summit, today. He is currently down to C1, resting and evaluating the conditions for another summit attempt in coming days
British climber, Rich Emerson, made a second summit attempt but had to retreat from similar altitude (450m short of summit) due to excessive soft snow. He has reached the BC, today. International Shishapangma Expedition members are also down to Base Camp, due to difficult conditions. They turned back from C2.
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| Carlos Soria - he climbs 8000m peaks at the age of 74; Source |
Summits and Summit-bids on Manaslu
Second round of summit pushes is underway on Manaslu. Few climbers summited today, and many others are expected to reach the summit, tomorrow. Some climbers just reached the Base Camp, last week and are busy in acclimatization.
In an audio dispatch from C2, the Kiwi-Australian lady Chris Jensen Burke has confirmed that her team made it to the top, today. No further details are available, as of now. Chris was climbing with Lakpa Sherpa (her regular climbing partner), Teodor Johansen, Brett and three Sherpas. Manaslu is the fourth eight-thousander for Chris, this year (after Lhotse in spring, GII & GI in summer).
Austrian climber, Georg Leithner, also made summit bid today but had to abandon the push at 7800m. Four Romanian climbers left BC on Sunday, for the summit push. Due to multiple issues, three of them turned back before reaching C4. Vlad Capusan arrived at C4, today. He is expected to go for the summit, tonight.
Other climbers who are in C4 and are likely to be the part of tonight’s summit bid include, Italian team of Alice, Alberto and Nicola, Spanish climber Xavi Arias and Argentinean Navarrese. Italian Liguri Apuani Expedition, led by Fabrizio Molignoni, is also expected to have reached C4, by now.
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| Manaslu close-up during golden hours; Source |
Frequent updates appear in Tweet Box on right side of this blog, Twitter and Facebook Page.
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