(Updated) Spring 2014 | SUMMITs’ weekend - Success on Kangchenjunga, Makalu, Dhaulagiri and Cho Oyu
Weather window over this weekend proved to be a fruitful one with multiple summits on Kangchenjunga, Makalu, Dhaulagiri and Cho Oyu. Meanwhile, Everest teams are also gearing up for the summit at the start of next week.
Kangchenjunga South Side
Carlos Soria added eleventh eight-thousander to his list on May 18th. Setting off from C3 at around 7PM previous night, Soria and his fellows reached the top at 09:05AM. It’s reported that he was accompanied by the Sherpa team of Muktu, Barbu, Pasang and Jombu. They are now on the way back to Base Camp.
At the age of 75, Carlos Soria is the oldest person to climb Kangchenjunga. He also holds the age record on K2 (at age 65), Broad Peak (68 years), Makalu (69 years), Gasherbrum I (70 years) and Manaslu (71 years). On his way to 14x8000ers, Soria now misses Shishapangma, Annapurna I and Dhaulagiri, only.
Finnish climber Samuli Mansikka also reached the top at 08:30AM, using fair means, i.e without supplemental oxygen and support. Kangchenjunga was Mansikka’s eighth eight-thousander.
From Italian ‘Aosta Valley Kangchenjunga Expedition’, Marco Camandona summited at 1130AM, while other members Marco Confortola, Favre Emrik and Cazzanelli François had to turn back due to various reasons.
As of now, it’s not confirmed whether Spanish climbers Jorge Egocheaga and Martín Ramos Garcia were successful or not. (Update: It has been confirmed that both climbers summited at 10:00AM local time, yesterday. It was reportedly 13th eight-thousander for Egocheaga, and 9th for Martin).
Update: Italian couple Nives Meroi and Romano Benet has also summited Kangchenjunga at 12:00PM on May 18th.
Kangchenjunga North Face
All five members of the team Denis Urubko, Alex Txikon, Adam Bielecki, Artjom Braun and Dmitri Sinev were in C4 (7650m) on May 17th. Considering the favorable weather, they were hoping to go for the summit, that night.
However, shortly after departure, Denis and Artjom returned to C4. “The slope is too dangerous. Artem and I came back in the tent at 7650,” messaged Denis Urubko. Adam, Alex and Dmitri continued the ascent.
On May 18th, at around 1630hrs local time, the trio was at 8350m; approximately 240m short of summit. Given the time required for ascent and descent on South side (as per plan), the three climbers decided to retreat and descended to C4. They will be going down to BC, now.
Makalu
Two teams launched summit bids on Makalu on the night of May 16th. The Indian team of Ashish Mane, Debashish, Anand Mali, and Arjun Vajpai were in C4 (7800m), whereas Swiss duo Fred Roux and Mike Horn were at 7500m.
Indian team had to turn back 150m short of summit due to exhaustion and no fixed ropes. It was Arjun Vajpai’s second unsuccessful attempt on Makalu. Last spring, he was forced to retreat at around 8200m.
Although, precise details of Swiss duo’s ascent are not available, it is confirmed that both Fred Roux and Mike Horn reached the top on 17th. Apparently, they were first men to reach Makalu summit, this season.
Meanwhile, rest of climbers who were at C3 (7450m) on May 16th, ascended to C4 on 17th. It has been reported that following members of the team summited on May 18th: French Philippe Gatta with Pasang Gombu, Canadians Al Hancock and Monique Richard, Serbian Dragan Celikovic and Norwegian Arvid Lennard Lahit.
Update: German Florian Hubschenberger summited along Mike Horn on May 17th.He is reportedly the only climber to scale Makalu without O2 so far, this season. Flo, Mike and Fred, all summited without bottled oxygen.
Cho Oyu
Several climbers headed to Cho Oyu top on May 17th and several of them made it to the summit. “By watching towards the summit, we can see a long queue of climbers ascending. It's a spectacular day, I hope it will be repeated,” wrote the SummitClimb team from ABC.
Later that day, Benegas Brothers Team confirmed that eleven members of its team reached the summit. “Willie Benegas, Matt Moniz, Mike Moniz, Jim Walkley, Charles Mace and Gray Watkins all summited Cho Oyu in Tibet today at 11.00pm Nepal time, and are safely back ALL the way down at ABC.” Five Sherpa who reached the summit are: Nima Kanchha Sherpa, Ang Furba Sherpa, Kami Tshering Sherpa, Pemba Tshering Sherpa and Phurita Sherpa.
Andrea Rigotti, Australian climber who was also on summit push, had to turn back because of cold and exhaustion.
Update: After returning from Shishapangma without success, the Kobler-Partner team reached the top of Cho Oyu on 17th. It's reported that Felix, Pasang Sherpa, Lundup Sherpa and Peter managed to reach the top.
Update: Russian MAI team also summited Cho Oyu on May 18th. Summiteers include Yuri Kruglov, Mikhail Volkov, Nick Sinjushin, Anna Frankevich, Anna Tsvetova and Pavel Tsvetov.
Dhaulagiri
10 summits have been reported from Dhaulagiri, this weekend. Following clients of Seven Summit Treks team reached the top on May 18th: Two Chinese climbers Luo Jing and Zhu Gang, Peruvian Rimac Trejo Victor and Nepalese clients Nirmal Purja and Krishna Thapa Magar.
Chhang Dawa Sherpa (14x8000er) accomplished second ascent of Dhaulagiri. Lakpa Sherpa, Chheji Nurbu Sherpa, Pemba Sherpa and Mingma Dorchi Sherpa also summited.
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Kangchenjunga South Side
Carlos Soria added eleventh eight-thousander to his list on May 18th. Setting off from C3 at around 7PM previous night, Soria and his fellows reached the top at 09:05AM. It’s reported that he was accompanied by the Sherpa team of Muktu, Barbu, Pasang and Jombu. They are now on the way back to Base Camp.
At the age of 75, Carlos Soria is the oldest person to climb Kangchenjunga. He also holds the age record on K2 (at age 65), Broad Peak (68 years), Makalu (69 years), Gasherbrum I (70 years) and Manaslu (71 years). On his way to 14x8000ers, Soria now misses Shishapangma, Annapurna I and Dhaulagiri, only.
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| Carlos Soria; Source |
Finnish climber Samuli Mansikka also reached the top at 08:30AM, using fair means, i.e without supplemental oxygen and support. Kangchenjunga was Mansikka’s eighth eight-thousander.
From Italian ‘Aosta Valley Kangchenjunga Expedition’, Marco Camandona summited at 1130AM, while other members Marco Confortola, Favre Emrik and Cazzanelli François had to turn back due to various reasons.
As of now, it’s not confirmed whether Spanish climbers Jorge Egocheaga and Martín Ramos Garcia were successful or not. (Update: It has been confirmed that both climbers summited at 10:00AM local time, yesterday. It was reportedly 13th eight-thousander for Egocheaga, and 9th for Martin).
Update: Italian couple Nives Meroi and Romano Benet has also summited Kangchenjunga at 12:00PM on May 18th.
Kangchenjunga North Face
All five members of the team Denis Urubko, Alex Txikon, Adam Bielecki, Artjom Braun and Dmitri Sinev were in C4 (7650m) on May 17th. Considering the favorable weather, they were hoping to go for the summit, that night.
However, shortly after departure, Denis and Artjom returned to C4. “The slope is too dangerous. Artem and I came back in the tent at 7650,” messaged Denis Urubko. Adam, Alex and Dmitri continued the ascent.
On May 18th, at around 1630hrs local time, the trio was at 8350m; approximately 240m short of summit. Given the time required for ascent and descent on South side (as per plan), the three climbers decided to retreat and descended to C4. They will be going down to BC, now.
Update: Denis Urubko SUMMITED alone at 09:40AM, this morning (May 19th). As per message on his Facebook Page, the Russian climber is already back in C4 and will continue the descent to C3.
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| Kangchenjunga North Face; Source |
Makalu
Two teams launched summit bids on Makalu on the night of May 16th. The Indian team of Ashish Mane, Debashish, Anand Mali, and Arjun Vajpai were in C4 (7800m), whereas Swiss duo Fred Roux and Mike Horn were at 7500m.
Indian team had to turn back 150m short of summit due to exhaustion and no fixed ropes. It was Arjun Vajpai’s second unsuccessful attempt on Makalu. Last spring, he was forced to retreat at around 8200m.
Although, precise details of Swiss duo’s ascent are not available, it is confirmed that both Fred Roux and Mike Horn reached the top on 17th. Apparently, they were first men to reach Makalu summit, this season.
Meanwhile, rest of climbers who were at C3 (7450m) on May 16th, ascended to C4 on 17th. It has been reported that following members of the team summited on May 18th: French Philippe Gatta with Pasang Gombu, Canadians Al Hancock and Monique Richard, Serbian Dragan Celikovic and Norwegian Arvid Lennard Lahit.
Update: German Florian Hubschenberger summited along Mike Horn on May 17th.
Several climbers headed to Cho Oyu top on May 17th and several of them made it to the summit. “By watching towards the summit, we can see a long queue of climbers ascending. It's a spectacular day, I hope it will be repeated,” wrote the SummitClimb team from ABC.
Later that day, Benegas Brothers Team confirmed that eleven members of its team reached the summit. “Willie Benegas, Matt Moniz, Mike Moniz, Jim Walkley, Charles Mace and Gray Watkins all summited Cho Oyu in Tibet today at 11.00pm Nepal time, and are safely back ALL the way down at ABC.” Five Sherpa who reached the summit are: Nima Kanchha Sherpa, Ang Furba Sherpa, Kami Tshering Sherpa, Pemba Tshering Sherpa and Phurita Sherpa.
Andrea Rigotti, Australian climber who was also on summit push, had to turn back because of cold and exhaustion.
Update: After returning from Shishapangma without success, the Kobler-Partner team reached the top of Cho Oyu on 17th. It's reported that Felix, Pasang Sherpa, Lundup Sherpa and Peter managed to reach the top.
Update: Russian MAI team also summited Cho Oyu on May 18th. Summiteers include Yuri Kruglov, Mikhail Volkov, Nick Sinjushin, Anna Frankevich, Anna Tsvetova and Pavel Tsvetov.
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| The Cho Oyu summiteers; Source |
Dhaulagiri
10 summits have been reported from Dhaulagiri, this weekend. Following clients of Seven Summit Treks team reached the top on May 18th: Two Chinese climbers Luo Jing and Zhu Gang, Peruvian Rimac Trejo Victor and Nepalese clients Nirmal Purja and Krishna Thapa Magar.
Chhang Dawa Sherpa (14x8000er) accomplished second ascent of Dhaulagiri. Lakpa Sherpa, Chheji Nurbu Sherpa, Pemba Sherpa and Mingma Dorchi Sherpa also summited.
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