The End of Budget Climbing in Nepal?

Over the past year it has become increasingly evident that the government in Nepal has been making decisions that are going to have a long term impact on the mountaineering landscape within the country. First, they changed the pricing scheme on Everest in which they did away with flat-fees for permits and started charging all climbers $11,000 no matter how many people were on the team. This was sold as a reduction in cost, but in reality it is an increase as most teams had no problems filling their permits, making it less expensive for everyone involved. Now comes word of further changes to regulations that could make small, low-budget expeditions a thing of the past.

In an article posted to the Himalayan Times a few days back it is revealed that all climbing teams will now have to pay a fee of US$10,000 for search and rescue insurance, and an additional US$7,000 for medical insurance too. On top of that, all teams will also be required to hire two full-time climbing support staff as well, bringing the costs up further.

These new regulations make some sense for large teams going to mountains like Everest or Annapurna, but the costs would be crippling to small groups of climbers attempting lesser peaks in Nepal. These regulations apply to everyone equally however, which means that the days of a small team climbing in the Himalaya on a budget could soon be over.

The article indicates that the Nepal Mountaineering Association, which is led by Ang Ushering Sherpa, has already asked the Nepali government to revise the rules for smaller groups climbing on one of the less dangerous peaks. What the outcome of that request will be remains to be seen.

Small teams of climbers working together on a low-cost expedition has been a part of mountaineering for decades. These new regulations could cripple those types of efforts in Nepal however, and potentially send climbers to other countries seeking more affordable experiences.

These ongoing adjustments to regulations and pricing make it clear that Nepal's government isn't particularly interested in accommodating foreign climbers, but is only looking for ways to make more money. Considering the political climate there in recent years, this shouldn't be a surprise. Still, they may be making decisions that will impact the long-term fortunes of the climbing community there, although they seem to be operating under the assumption that as long as people continue to come to Everest, they'll be fine.

Winter Climbs 2015: Summit Bid Over on Nanga Parbat

The summit bid for the Russian team of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval is over on Nanga Parbat. The four men had hoped to move up towards the summit starting yesterday, but persistently bad winds has kept them from going above Camp 4 at 7150 meters (23,458 ft). The entire team has now returned to Base Camp where they will rest, regroup, and consider their next options.

The news of the aborted summit attempt came via Russian Climb, which received a text message that said: "We managed to return to BC through the bad weather. All are safe and sound. Nothing real on the route in such wind. You can fly to K2 at once" The last sentence is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the high winds, which would blow a climber all the way to K2 if they aren't careful.

The team has now been on the mountain since late December, and have been working the route ever since. While acclimatizing to the altitude they managed to build and stock four camps up the Rupal Face, and had returned to their high camp with the hope of completing the first winter ascent of the mountain. Unfortunately the weather has not been very cooperative in the past week, and they've been waiting for several days to move up.

The weather forecast calls for high winds for the next several days, so they'll have to wait in BC to see if another window opens. Hopefully they can recharge their batteries for another go, but conditions are harsh on the mountain at the moment. In addition to hurricane force winds at higher altitudes, there has also been plenty of snow and very cold temperatures too. That has taken its toll on the men, but perhaps they aren't quite done yet.


Meanwhile, updates from Italian climber Daniele Nardi have been few and far between in recent days. The last we knew he was in BC on the Diamir Face and was waiting out the poor weather as well. But an update sent via Twitter a few days back indicates that he has returned to the Mummery Spur to continue working his planned route. How much progress he has made, and under what conditions, remains unclear at this time. Hopefully we'll get further updates soon.

Similarly, there has been no word from Alex Txikon either. We know he arrived in BC in the last week in January, and has been stranded there due to the poor conditions too. If the weather has improved however, we can expect that he has started to acclimatize as well, and has moved up the Diamir Face, possibly to C1 or C2. But without any updates, this is just pure speculation. We'll just have to be patient and wait for news.

It is beginning to look like Nanga Parbat may turn back all of the teams once again this winter. There is still plenty of time left to go of course, but the weather has certainly deteriorated significantly in recent weeks, and the forecast doesn't look great for the next nine days. Still, two teams have only just arrived in Base Camp, so they are well rested, have plenty of supplies, and are determined. Perhaps their plan is to wait out the worst of the weather and make a dash for the summit in March before winter officially ends. Stay tuned to find out more.

Winter Climbs 2015: Russians in Camp 4 on Nanga Parbat

Last week I posted that the Russian team of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval has launched a summit bid on Nanga Parbat, although it was unclear then where exactly they were on the mountain. Over the weekend we received new updates, courtesy of Russian Climb, that indicate that the men are now in Camp 4 and are waiting out a bad storm with the hope of pushing towards the top in the next few days.

According to their most recent updates, the team is sitting in C4 at 7150 meters (23,458 ft), which puts them about 975 meters (4000 ft) below the summit. That final push to the top will be a tough one even in good weather, but the latest dispatches also indicate that they are currently experiencing 100 km/h (62 mph) winds, along with a roaring blizzard and extreme cold. Those conditions are expect to persist through Tuesday, with a period of relative calm arriving shortly there after. Forecasts indicate that the winds will then drop to about 50 km/h (31 mph), which will still make things challenging. Visibility is also said to be almost zero at the moment as well, although that will certainly improve to a degree if the winds drop as expected.

If the weather does indeed improve over the next few days, the Russians could attempt to reach the summit later this week. They'll have to hurry though, as ExWeb indicates that the chances of success on Nanga go down after the first week of February due to a general deterioration of the weather and the onset of fatigue. Almost every previous winter expedition to the mountain had abandoned their attempts by the start of March, and 85% of those attempts reached their high point by February 10.

Over on the Diamir Face, the three teams that are attempting that route are all currently holding in Base Camp. Conditions are not any better on that side of the mountain, and the recent arrival of the Iranian squad, as well as Alex Txikon, means that they are just getting themselves established on the mountain. As the weather improves, those teams will start their acclimatization efforts.

Meanwhile, Italian climber Daniele Nardi is ready to go up, but is currently waiting for the winds to die down and the snow to settle. Apparently there is a high probability of avalanches at the moment, and until the recent snowfall settles it is too dangerous to proceed.

For now, it looks like the Russians are the team that is in the best position to complete the first winter ascent of Nanga. We'll just have to wait to see if they get the weather window they need to proceed up. Stay tuned for further updates soon.

Winter Climbs 2015: Summit Push Begins on Nanga Parbat

The last time we checked in on the teams on Nanga Parbat they were hunkered down in Base Camp waiting out poor weather. Reportedly high winds, heavy snow, and extremely cold temperatures had fallen on mountain, and there was nothing they could do but wait for a weather window. Apparently conditions have started to change, as the Russian squad on the Rupal Face has now launched a summit bid.

According to Russian climb the team of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval sent an SMS message sent earlier in the day indicating that they have started to go back up the mountain. The message was short, and to the point, simply saying "We begin to climb up." That text message follows one sent yesterday that indicated that the team had re-opened the route  the route from 3600 meters (11,811 ft) to 4600 meters (15,091 ft). That section of the climb was no doubt choked with snow from the recent storms.

Previously we knew that the Russians had established a series of camps up to 7100 meters (23,293 ft). That would put them within striking distance of the 8126 meter (26,660 ft) summit, although there is still a great deal of altitude to be gained in that push. If they hope to put up the first winter ascent of Nanga, it will still require a herculean effort on their part, no to mention a prolonged break in the weather.

You may recall that earlier in the season Polish climber Tomek Mankiewicz and his climbing partner Elisabeth Revol from France, were able to reach 7800 meters (25,590 ft) but were turned back du to high winds. We'll just have to wait to see if the Russians have more success.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that Spanish climber Alex Txikon has reached Base Camp on the Diamir side of the mountain. He arrived there a few days back, and like everyone else he is waiting for the weather to clear. He has established his campsite and is preparing to head up the mountain – along with climbing partners Muhammad Ali Sadpara and Muhammad Kahn. No word yet on when they'll begin their acclimatization rotations, but I'd expect that to start happening soon.

Finally, there has been no recent updates from Italian climber Daniele Nardi, who is probably in BC at the moment as well. He has completed his acclimatization rotations and should soon be ready for a summit bid of his own. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and he can launch his bold solo attempt.

That's all for now. I'll post more news as warranted.

Sky Runner Kilian Jornet in The New Yorker

Kilian Jornet's amazing success in the mountains continues to earn him plenty of mainstream press. We've seen the Spanish sky runner garner attention from a number of unexpected sources as word of his exploits has spread to more traditional media outlets. The latest such outlet is The New Yorker, which recently published an excellent profile of the man who is setting new standards for speed on some of the world's most challenging peaks.

The article catches up with Kilian on Aconcagua, a mountain that he summited back in December, setting a new speed record in the process. It discusses his previous speed records on mountains Denali in Alaska and Mont Blanc in France. It even mentions his attempt at Elbrus, which was turned back due to high winds. The New Yorker says he'll give that mountain another go later this year, but at the moment he is squarely focused on training for Everest in the spring. The tallest peak on the planet will bring new challenges to Jornet, not the least of which will be the extreme altitude.

This profile takes us to Aconcagua Base Camp where we get a glimpse of Kilian's routine while on the mountain. His needs are simple as he shares the campsite with his girlfriend Emelie Forsberg, who is an accomplished mountain runner in her own right. The two make their own meals, boil water for tea, and generally keep each other company as they both prepared to challenge the speed records on the mountain. Due to the high altitude of Aconcagua, the tallest peak outside of Asia at 6962 meters (22,841 ft), both athletes had to take their time with the acclimatization process.

The story offers some good details about Kilian's speed record on the mountain, as well as his intentions for the year ahead. In a few months, he'll head to the Himalaya, where he'll be attempting to set a new "fastest known time" on the North Side of Everest. That makes good sense, as the Tibetan side of the mountain is far less crowded than the busy South Side in Nepal. The route is just as challenging of course, but he also won't have to contend with the tricky Khumbu Icefall, a traditional bottleneck for climbers that can cause progress to slow to a craw at times. On the North Side he'll still have to contend with plenty of obstacles however, not the least of which will be the Second Step.

Still, if anyone can set a new speed record on the Big Hill, it'll probably be Kilian. And you can bet that we'll be following his progress closely this spring. We're two months away from the arrival of the first teams in Nepal, and the anticipation for another season is already starting to grow.

Winter Climbs 2015: No Progress on Nanga Parbat

Poor weather has arrived on Nanga Parbat, stalling out climbing efforts on that mountain, where no less than four teams will be trying to complete the first winter ascent. The notoriously difficult peak has already sent one team home this year, and now it is looking to repel all-comers once again. But there is a little less than two months to go in the season, and teams aren't ready to give up just yet.

We'll start with an update on the team that has departed Base Camp. Polish climber Tomek Mankiewicz is now in the town of Gilgit where he is receiving treatment for an injured leg and broken ribs that he suffered as a result of a fall down a crevasse while making his descent following a summit push. He also has severe frostbite in his toes, which may need to be amputated. He will likely spend a few more days there before he starts his journey home. 

Meanwhile, Tomek's climbing part Elisabeth Revol is already back home in France. There was a bit of confusion in the report about her departure last week, as it wasn't clear if she had left BC for home or had gone back up the mountain to try another summit push. It is now more than clear that she has returned home, doing so without even saying goodbye to the other teams in Base Camp. In a post-climb interview with ExWeb Elisabeth says that she now believes that the mountain is unclimbable for the winter, as poor wether has set in. She and Tomek spent 10 days trying to reach the top and were turned back. With that weather window now closed, she feels that there won't be another one for this winter, which is why she decided to leave.  

Italian climber Danielle Nardi remains in Base Camp on the Diamir Face and is waiting for the weather to clear so he can go back up the mountain. With his acclimatization now complete, he is also ready to stock his high camp with supplies and potentially press on towards the summit. But it has been snowing for several days now, and hurricane-force winds have arrived on the mountain, making it impossible for anyone to climb at the moment. Everyone is stuck in BC and waiting for a weather window to open. 

Over on the Rupal Face, the Russian team of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval have not updated their progress for a few days. The last we heard, they had climbed up to 7100 meters (23,293 ft) as they established camps up the side of the mountain. Presumably they are back in BC as well and waiting for their opportunity too. 

Finally, two new teams are set to arrive on the Diamir side soon. Alex Txikon, along with two local climbers – Muhammad Ali Sadpara and Muhammad Kahn – should reach Base Camp within the next few days, while the Iranian squad of Reza Bahadorani, Iraj Maani and Mahmood Hashemi are a few days further back. They'll arrive on a mountain that is now displaying the full challenges of climbing during the winter season, and it won't be a warm greeting. 

Video: Winter Climbing on Nanga Parbat

As I write this, there are no less than four teams on Nanga Parbat who are attempting to complete the first winter ascent of that mountain. If you've been following their progress over the past few weeks, and have wondered what life is like in the Karakoram in the winter, then have a look at this video. It was shot on 2012-2013 winter expedition tot he mountain, and it will give you a good idea of hat conditions are like there, as well as what it is like to live in Base Camp for days at a time. The music in this clip is a bit much for my tastes, but the images are amazing.

Video: Official Trailer for Meru - Climbing the Shark Fin

If you only watch one video today, make it this one. It is the official trailer for the film Meru, the film that documents the 2008 ascent of Meru Peak along the Shark's Fin that was completed by Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, and Renan Ozturk. The trio spent days moving up the 6660 meter (21,850 ft) peak located in Himalaya of India. Their expedition has become the stuff of legends, and now the full story will be told. The trailer looks fantastic, with some images that are both incredibly beautiful and tension-inducing all at the same time. This was one of the most difficult climbs attempted, and the film will bring us all of the details directly from the men who did it themselves. I can't wait to see this.

MERU Official Trailer from Jimmy Chin on Vimeo.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: ExWeb Has Details on Nanga Parbat Summit Push

Last week, climbed Tomek Mankiewicz and Elisabeth Revol caused a bit of a stir on Nanga Parbat when they went up the mountain and were out of contact for ten days. There was concern for their safety, since they were only carrying a satellite phone and hadn't bothered to call in to update anyone on their progress. Now, we know that both of them returned safely to Base Camp, although Tomek suffered a fall on the descent that has ended his expedition early. The duo have also shared information about their time up high on the mountain, including some details about their aborted summit attempt that were shared at ExWeb.

Tomek and Elisabeth were able to climb up to 7000 meters (22,965 ft) with little difficulty. It was there that they established Camp 4, and prepared to make a final push towards the top. At the time, they were feeling very strong, and the weather conditions were good. So, they set off with a high degree of optimism thinking that they could be the first team to climb Nanga Parbet in winter. Unfortunately, they underestimated the distance to the summit, and were forced to turn back to C4 to rest, eat, and rehydrate.

Still feeling strong, they elected to have another go at the summit on the following day. They left their tent at 3:00 AM local time and started heading up. By 11:00 AM they had reached 7800 meters (25,590 ft), but the weather conditions had taken a turn for the worse. By that point, high winds were buffeting the summit, making it impossible to go any higher. With the weather deteriorating rapidly, they decided to turn back and head down to Base Camp. It was then that the accent occurred.

As mentioned previously, the climbers had to cross a snow bridge on their descent. Elisabeth, being the lighter of the two, managed to cross without problems, but Tomek's heavier weight caused the bridge to collapse, sending him 40 meters (131 ft) down into a crevasse. His partner was able to help pull him out, but he suffered broken ribs and hurt his leg in the fall, bringing an end to his expedition. The duo were able to slowly ascend back to BC, but it was a painful experience for the Polish climber, who now reports that he also has six frozen toes that he hopes won't need to be amputated.

As of yesterday, Tomek was on his way from Base Camp to the town of Gilgit where he can receive medical attention. According to Daniele Nardi, he is in a lot of pain, but in good spirits. Daniele also reports that Elisabeth has already left BC without saying goodbye, but it is unclear whether or not he means that she is going back up the mountain for another summit attempt, or if she is heading for home. We'll have to watch for further updates to on her status.


Daniele is back in Base Camp at the moment and is resting for his next push up the mountain. With his acclimatization efforts wrapped up, he is now ready for a summit push of his own. He is simply waiting for a good weather window before moving up.

Elsewhere, the Russian squad on the Rupal Face has made progress. The team is currently back in BC resting after establishing their high camp at 7150 meters (23,458 ft). They report that all is well, and they are preparing for a summit push of their own as soon as the weather permits.

Finally, the last two teams for Nanga Parbat should be arriving in BC on the Diamir Face sometime in the next few days. Alex Txikon and his local climbing mates Muhammad Ali Sadpara and Muhammad Kahn are expected there tomorrow or Saturday, while the Iranian team of Reza Bahadorani, Iraj Maani and Mahmood Hashemi should finally get to Islamabad today, and hit the trail for Base Camp. These two teams are apparently sharing a permit and logistical duties while on the mountain.

Gear Review: Hillsound Armadillo LT Gaiters

For many outdoor enthusiasts, the arrival of winter doesn't bring an end to our favorite activities, it just alters them a bit. Winter hiking can still be incredibly rewarding, as often times you'll have trails completely to yourself. But snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and other seasonal pursuits can be a great deal of fun too. But if you're going to play in the snow, a good set of gaiters will make your life a lot easier and enjoyable, as they help to keep snow, ice, mud, and rocks off your boots, which can become a serious issue at anytime of the year, but especially in the winter.

Gaiters are one of those pieces of gear that you don't really realize you really need until after you have tried them. For those who aren't familiar with how they work, gaiters are like a sleeve that pulls over the top of your boot, and is fixed securely into place there. They provide protection from the vulnerable parts of your shoes, keeping moisture, dirt, rocks, and other debris out of the interior, and way from the laces too.

Recently I've had the good fortunate of testing the Armadillo LT gaiters from Hillsound, a company that specializes in making products for protecting your legs and feet. Searching their website, you'll see that they also make a line of outstanding crampons, as well as waders for fishing. The Armadillo LT is the first product of theirs that I have test however, and I came away suitably impressed.


On paper, gaiters are a simple product that serve a very focused purpose. But modern fabrics and design have allowed these pieces of gear to perform at a much higher level. For instance, Hillsound makes their gaiters out of a stretchy waterproof – yet highly breathable – fabric that repels moisture, and yet is easy to get on and off, even while wearing heavy boots. Those fabrics are soft and have a lot of give, which makes them comfortable to wear too. Easy to adjust foot-straps make it a breeze to dial in a snug fit, even in poor conditions, and while it took a bit of practice to learn how to work the up-side down zipper, I soon was able to pull the Armadillo gaiters on and off with relative ease.

Everything about this product screams quality. The fabrics are durable and slash resistant, preventing accidental cuts from crampons for instance, and the user-replaceable foot-straps are rugged as well. Zippers can be a source of contention on gaiters, as they can sometimes be a place where snow and dirt can collect, but on the Armadillo LT there was no such problem. In fact, the zipper continued to function smoothly and easily no matter the conditions.

Hillsound has created a lightweight, high performance gaiter that will appeal to hikers, backpackers, and alpinists alike. Durable and comfortable, the Armadillo LT provides surprising performance, particularly for the price. At just $49, these gaiters are a bargain. In fact, they're so good that I am planning on taking them with me to Kilimanjaro next month, leaving my older, heavier gaiters behind.

If you've been looking to add a set of gaiters to your gear closet, than I highly recommend the Hillsound Armadillo LT model. They will provide plenty of protection on the trail, and won't break the bank in the process.

Antarctica 2014: End in Sight for Final South Pole Team

The end of the 2014 Antarctic season is now just a week away, and the last plane is scheduled to depart the frozen continent – weather permitting – on January 28. That means the last of the explorers must be back at Union Glacier by then, which shouldn't be a problem for most of the remaining climbers and skiers. But for one team, the clock is ticking, and there is still a considerable amount of ground to cover before they are done.

The trio of Are Johnson and Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel continue their race against time as they speed back to Hercules Inlet from the South Pole. They are now on day 68 of their round-trip journey, which will cover 2300+ km (1430 miles) before they are through. As of today, they still have 253 km (157 miles) to go until they reach the finish line, which means they must average roughly 36 km (22 miles) per day to catch the final plane. That's a tall order, but since they've been covering 46.5 km (29 miles) in recent days, they should arrive back at the coast sometime next Tuesday.

These final legs of the journey won't be easy though. Poor weather has set in once again, it has made for tough going in recent days. Are, Stéphanie, and Jérémie are exhausted from their efforts too, which makes each day a struggle. But now that they are finally finished, they seem like they have girded themselves up for the final push.

Elsewhere, after skiing solo to the South Pole, Newall Hunter traveled to Mt. Vinson to climb the highest peak in Antarctica as well. He reached the summit on that 4892 meter (16,050 ft) peak last Friday, and is now back in Union Glacier waiting for a flight out to Punta Arenas. Bad weather has stranded him there for the past couple of days, as winds of 112 km/h (70 mph) have been howling through the camp. But Newall says he is taking advantage of this extra time on the continent to learn how to kite-ski, which he says will come in handy next year. This season isn't even over yet, and some of the explorers are already planning their next expeditions.

Thats all from Antarctica for today. I'll be watching the final ski expedition closely as they near the finish. They should wrap things up early next week and be back at Union Glacier in time for the flight out. By then, they'll be more than ready for a much deserved rest.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: Nanga Parbet Expedition Over for Tomek Mackiewicz

Sad news from Nanga Parbet today, where it has been revealed that Tomek Mankiewicz has suffered a serious injury, and must now abandon his attempt to complete the first ascent of that mountain in winter. But as he prepares to depart, two other teams will now arrive as the busy season on that mountain continues.

When last we checked in, Tomek and his climbing partner Elisabeth Revol were descending after spending ten days at altitude on the mountain. The duo had gone as high as 7800 meters (25,590 ft), and had established several high camps. For a time, they had even flirted with launching a summit bid, but exhaustion set in, so they made the wise choice to descend back to Base Camp to regain some strength.

They were expected to arrive back in BC yesterday, but along the way an accident occurred. The two climbers encountered a snow bridge on the way down, and while Elisabeth was able to cross over without incident, the bridge collapsed under Tomek, dropping him into a crevasse. He reportedly fell 50 meters (164 ft), braking some ribs, and fracturing his leg, in the process. Elisabeth was able to help get him out of the crevasse and make his way down, but the expedition is now over for the Polish climber who is luck to be alive. It is unclear at this time whether or not Elisabeth will join another team or return home as well.

Daniele Nardi is also back in BC after making a brief climb up the Mummery Rib. He is wrapping up his acclimatization efforts and is now preparing to go higher up the mountain as well. There is no time table yet on when he'll push up the Diamir Face, but it is possible that he and Elisabeth will now join forces, as the two have climbed together in the past and know each other well.

Meanwhile, ExWeb is reporting that the Iranian team of Reza Bahadorani, Iraj Maani and Mahmoud Hashemi has sorted out their issues with Pakistani immigration and will finally receive their entry visas into that country. That will allow them to make their way to the mountain at long last, where they'll begin their attempt from the Diamir Face as well. They are expected to reach Base Camp by the end of the week.

Finally, Alex Txikon, along with climbing partners Muhammad Ali "Sadpara" and Muhammad Khan are now enrollee to Nanga Parbet Base Camp as well. They are also expected to arrive on the mountain before week's end. You may recall that Alex was scheduled to climb K2 this winter, but was forced to cancel when the Chinese revoked the team's climbing permit at the last moment. He has now decided to switch focus, and is hoping for a winter ascent on this 8000-meter peak instead.

That's it for now. More soon!

Video: The Legend of Chris Davenport

Professional skier Chris Davenport has been setting the bar high for other big mountain skiers for years. He is, without a doubt, one of the icons of ski mountaineering, having skied all 53 of Colorado's fourteeners, and even down the Lhotse Face on Everest. This video takes a great look at his career, with other skiers and adventurers weighing in on what Davenport has accomplished. If you're not familiar with Chris' work, some of the footage will astound you and give you an indication of why he is considered a legend.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: Alex Txikon Heads to Nanga Parbat Too!

As if there weren't already enough teams attempting Nanga Parbat this winter, you can throw another name into the hat for those who could potentially achieve the first winter ascent of that 8126 meter (26,660 ft) mountain. After being denied a permit to climb K2 from the Chinese side of the mountain a few weeks back, Spanish climber Alex Txikon will now travel to Pakistan to give Nanga Parbat a try as well.

According to reports, Alex set out for Pakistan yesterday, and provided he clears customs without any problems, and gets his logistics sorted out quickly, he should be on his way to Base Camp within a day or two. He will not be joined by his K2 teammates however, as both Denis Urubko and Adam Bielecki have moved on to other projects. Instead, he'll climb with two old friends who are local climbers. Txikon will be joined by Muhammad Ali, who has already climbed Nanga twice in the past, and has topped out on all but one of the 8000-meter peaks. He lacks only K2 to complete that line-up. The other climber is Muhammad Kahn, who has also climbed Nanga Parbat in the past, and has reached the top of Gasherbrum I and II, as well as K2. Their experience on the mountain should prove invaluable in the days ahead.

The team will attempt the Diamir Face, but which route they'll take to the top remains to be seen. Alex says he'll wait until he is in BC where he can scout the route before deciding which way he wants to go up. He expect to be in Base Camp by Friday, and has dedicated two months to this expedition.



Meanwhile, after not hearing anything out of climbing partners Tomek Mackiewicz and Elisabeth Revol for ten days, Daniele Nardi finally reports that they are safe and descending the mountain. The word of their whereabouts came via Elisabeth's husband Jean Christophe, who received a text message from her back home in France. The duo will return to BC for rest while they ponder their next move. The weather is reportedly quite good on the mountain at the moment, but they simply didn't have the energy or oxygen to push towards the summit. Tomek has now gone as high as 7200 meters (23,622 ft), and he and Elisabeth have established all of their camps up to C4. If the weather continues to cooperate, they may be ready to attempt a summit push in the near future.

After discovering his climbing mates were safe, and on their way back down, Daniele has decided to move back up the mountain too. He went up to Camp 2 over the weekend while he continues to acclimatize and prepare for his own summit bid in the days ahead.

There has been no update on the Russian team that is attempt to summit from the Rupal Face. The last reheard, that team was on its way up to continue fixing ropes and carrying equipment to their high camps. They will undoubtedly stay at altitude to acclimatize and get as much work done as they can while the weather remains favorable.

That's all for now. More updates from Nanga Parbat soon.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: Lonnie is Off Denali, Team Drama on Nanga Parbat

We're barely two weeks into 2015, and it has already been an historic year for winter climbing. With Lonnie Dupre's successful summit of Denali, he has now become the first person to climb that mountain solo in the month of January when it is the coldest, harshest days of all. Meanwhile, over in Pakistan, the three teams currently on Nanga Parbat have pressed forward, while a fourth squad continues to try to clear logistical hurdles.

We'll start with an update from Denali. After reaching the 6168 meter (20,237 ft) summit this past weekend, Lonnie was able to make the descent back to Base Camp with little difficulty. Retrieving his gear as he went down, Dupre managed to return to BC on Wednesday, where he had hoped for a quick airlift back to Talkeetna to start his celebration. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate, and even though two planes took off to retrieve him and his gear, neither of them were able to land Kahiltna Glacier due to high winds. With the mission to retrieve him aborted, he was forced to settle into his tent for one more night and wait for calmer weather.

Yesterday, the conditions were much more conducive for the aircraft, they were able to land and retrieve the mountaineer/polar explorer from his chilly campsite. Lonnie is now safely back in Talkeetna, where he is thawing out and relaxing, while enjoying sharing his tales of the climb with the locals. His website promises more updates on the summit push, as well as video from the ascent too. Stay tuned for that post, as I'm sure it'll be quite the tale.

Over on Nanga Parbat there seems to be a bit of a drama brewing between Italian climber Danielle Nardi, and his campmates Tomek Mankiewicz and Elisabeth Revol. Tomek and Elisabeth departed Base Camp a week ago to establish several higher camps, and have apparently decided that they are now going to attempt to push up towards the summit. They have made this decision without consulting Danielle or without being in communication at all, as they are traveling with just a satellite phone. In a post to his website, Nardi has said that the cooperative expedition is now over due to this lack of communication between the teammates, although he says he will continue to provide support for Tomek and Elisabeth out of a sense of obligation for their safety.


It seems that the trio of climbers had planned on working more closely with one another on their eventual summit bids than was previously thought, and now Danielle feels that he has been left out of those plans. The lack of updates from Tomek and Elisabeth – who refused to take a radio with on their ascent – has left Nardi to read about the duo's progress on the Internet, rather than hearing directly from them. Considering they had planned the project together, it now seems as if he is the one who has been left behind.

As for their part Tomek and Elisabeth have now established Camp 4 at 7000 meters (22,965 ft) amidst fluctuating weather conditions. High winds have been buffeting the mountain over the past few days, although very little snow is reported on the Diamir Face. The forecast is expected to improve over the weekend however, and the two climbing partners may take the opportunity to move up even higher. So far, they are happy with their progress and can see a good line to the summit, but the blisteringly cold conditions are making it very tough. (Update: It now appears that the two climbers will go down from Camp 4 to BC. How this will impact future plans remains to be seen.)

On the Rupal side of the mountain, the Russians team of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval have started their second rotation up the mountain. They had been back in BC at the beginning of the week where they were resting and waiting out the weather. On Wednesday they started back up the mountain but there have been few updates on their progress ever since. Presumably they are heading put to stock Camp 2 and possibly press on to C3 as the weather permits.

Finally, ExWeb is reporting that the Iranian team that had hoped to be on Nanga by now has hit a snag with Pakistani immigration. Apparently there have been some issues with their visa, and the squad is trying to work through the situation so that they can proceed with their expedition. Hopefully they'll get over those bureaucratic bumps soon, and can proceed to Base Camp.

8 Things No One Tells You About Climbing Nanga Parbat in Winter

At the moment, there are at least three teams on Nanga Parbat in Pakistan, with another on the way. All of them are attempting to achieve the first winter summit of that 8126 meter (26,660 ft) peak. Over the coming weeks, they'll endure incredibly challenging weather conditions, including temperatures that will drop well below freezing. High winds will buffet them as they climb to ever increasing heights, and heavy snows will make their lives miserable at every step of the way. In short, it is a brutal environment for anyone to climb in.

Few would know that better than Ian Overton, an American who joined two Hungarian climbers (David Klein and Zoltan Acs) to attempt a winter ascent on Nanga a few years back. Ian wrote a piece for Cracked.com last week that discussed his experience there, an expedition that he called "the most indisputably batshit thing I have ever attempted." In that article, Ian shares the wisdom he gained along the way by listing 8 things that nobody tells you when you about climbing a mountain.

As you can imagine, the list is filled with interesting insight on both Nanga Parbat and mountaineering in general. For instance, coming in at #8 on Ian's list is the fact that one in four climbers  never come back from the mountain. Yep, that's right. Nanga Parbat has a death rate of about 25%, which puts it right up there with K2 and Annapurna as one of the most deadly peaks in the world.

I won't spoil the entire list for you, as it is well worth reading the article on your own. But some of the other topics that Overton touches on include begging sponsors to help cover gear, falling into crevasses, surviving an avalanche, the effects of altitude, and much more. It is an interesting read, and  will provide some good insights into what kind of conditions the current teams on Nanga are dealing with. (Hint: It isn't a walk in the park.)

Ian's story not only includes text about his experiences, but plenty of images as well. They help to convey the challenges he faced even more fully. He also followed up the story with an interesting interview with ExWeb too, sharing his thoughts on writing the story, the current expeditions on Nanga and the challenges they face, as well as his own plans for the future.

Both articles are insightful and worth a look for anyone into mountaineering.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: Lonnie Descends on Denali, Progress on Nanga Parbat

With the winter climbing season now in full swing, teams are working hard Nanga Parbat, where several squads are hoping to complete the first winter ascent of that 8000-meter giant. While they gird themselves for the challenge ahead, another climber is already wrapping up his expedition on the tallest peak in North America.

We'll start with an update on Lonnie Dupre, who successfully completed the first solo ascent of Denali in January on Sunday. When I posted the news of his success yesterday, Lonnie had already returned from the summit to his high camp located at 17,200 feet (5242 meters). An update later in the day indicated that he only spent a few hours resting there before proceeding down to his camp at the West Buttress Ridge, which sits at 14,200 feet (4328 meters). He stopped there long enough to cache some of his supplies, and then was immediately proceeding further town to 11,200 feet (3413 meters) where he had hoped to rest for the night. That means he is almost safely off the mountain, and while he still has further to go before he gets to Base Camp, the most treacherous part of the climb is now behind him.

Lonnie's home team expects to hear more from him later today, including potentially more details on his summit push. As you can probably imagine, he is exhausted from his efforts and could use some rest, but the weather on Denali is fickle, and it is best that he get to the safest place possible before the winter weather returns.

Meanwhile, the Russian team of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval arrived in BC on Nanga Parbat last week, and have immediately gone to work. According to Russian Climb, the team has now shuttled gear up to their camp at 6000 meters (19,685 ft) on the Rupal Face, and have fixed ropes to that point, but were forced back down due to high winds. After four days of working the route, they have now returned to Base Camp to rest and gather their strength before proceeding up further.


Italian climber Danielle Nardi is back in BC on the Diamir Face as well. He reports that snow is in the forecast over the next few days, so he'll wait for the weather to pass before going back up the mountain. At that time, he hopes to finish establishing Camp 2, located at 5100 meters (16,732 ft). Danielle is hoping to make a solo-summit of Nanga, which means he'll have to be very patient, conserve his strength and energy, and hope that the weather turns in his favor.

Tomek Mackiewicz and Elisabeth Revol are sharing BC with Danielle, and are bit further along in their acclimatization efforts. They have reportedly climbed up to Camp 3 at 6600 meters (21,653 ft), and are planning on going as high as 7200 meters (23,622 ft) before turning back. They report that the weather is holding at the moment, but the route is extremely difficult, with very cold temperatures.

As you probably already know, Nanga Parbat is just one of two 8000-meter peaks that remain unclimbed in the winter. K2 is the other mountain to hold that distinction, and an attempt on that peak was shut down this year when the Chinese refused to issue a permit to climb from the north side. With all of these climbers concentrating on Nanga, it seems that there is a good shot of someone reaching the top this year. But as always, the weather will dictate if that proves to be true.

The season is truly just getting underway. Stay tuned for more updates soon.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: Lonnie Dupre Summits Denali!

The winter climbing season is barely underway, and we already have our first successful summit of the new year. Yesterday, polar explorer and mountaineer Lonnie Dupre reached the top of Denali in Alaska, bringing an end to his quest to climb the highest peak in North America in January, the coldest, harshest month of the year on that mountain.

On Saturday, Lonnie's home team updated his status indicating that he had reached 17,200 feet (5242 meters) on the mountain, which would put him within striking distance of the 20,237 foot (6168 meter) summit. Better yet, the weather forecast indicated that a period of excellent weather would cover the area for the next few days, creating the best summit window that Lonnie has seen during his winter visits to the mountain. It is not uncommon for temperatures to drop to -50ºF/-45ºC on Denali in January, and winds can blow at speeds of over 100 mph (160 km/h). In the past, those conditions have prevented him from summiting, but that wasn't the case this time.

Yesterday another update was posted to Lonnie's website, this time indicating that the team had received a SPOT GPS signal from the summit of the mountain. Lonnie had reached the top at approximately 2:08 PM local time, and while I'm sure he took a little time to enjoy the view, he was soon heading back down the mountain. Another SPOT update later in the day indicated that he has descended back to his high camp at 17,200 feet, where he is likely still resting now. He'll continue his descent today, and will likely be off the mountain in a few days, provided the weather continues to hold.

The successful solo-summit of Denali brings an end to a quest that Lonnie has been on for the past five years. This was his fourth attempt at climbing the mountain in January, and this time all of the variables came together in a proper fashion. Hopefully the weather will cooperate for just a bit longer, as the decent can be a treacherous one as well. He won't breathe easy until he has made it safely back to Base Camp. From there, he can call in a flight to come pick him up, and the celebration can truly begin.

Look for Lonnie to post his summit report once he is safely off the mountain and back in BC. I'm sure he has plenty of good insights to share.

Congratulations to Lonnie on completely this challenge. Get down safely!

The State of Everest in 2015

With the 2015 spring climbing season in the Himalaya still there months off, there remains a lot of uncertainty surrounding Everest. Following the unprecedented shutdown of the mountain last spring – when an avalanche claimed the lives of 16 Sherpas – politics have played a significant role in governing the future of climbing on the world's tallest peak. This year, commercial teams will return to the mountain, but not without a degree of trepidation as to how the season will unfold.

With this in mind, Alan Arnette has posted another excellent article to his blog that takes a look at the shifting attitudes of climbers and guides heading to Everest this spring. In putting this article together, Alan reached out to some of the top operators on the mountain to gauge their feelings about what to expect in a few months time. Some were very candid in their response, while others spoke off the record. By compiling those responses, Alan is able to give us a glimpse of the season ahead.

I won't spoil the entire article here, as I think it is important that you read it in its entirety. I will point out some of the larger factors that will be impacting the season ahead however. For instance, there still seems to be a lot of uncertainty amongst the guides as to how things will unfold this year. So much so, that the Peak Freaks, one of the top operators on the mountain, have decided to cancel their 2015 and 2016 expeditions to Everest. Others have decided to move to the North Side in Tibet, where they'll be out from under the control of the Nepalese government. These include Alpenglow, who will take 8 clients to the Chinese side of the mountain this spring. It should be noted that Himex had intended to guide an expedition from that side as well, but didn't have any clients elect to climb from the North.

The teams climbing from the South will take a new route through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall this year. This will hopefully eliminate some of the danger and cut down on the amount of time spent in that area. The Sherpas that were killed last spring were passing through the icefall when the avalanche occurred, and the hope is that this new route will be safer all around. The teams are also looking at ways to reduce the number of trips required through the icefall as well, potentially using helicopters to help shuttle gear, although the Nepalese government has been reluctant to allow that in the past.


There is some ongoing debate as to whether or not the North Side is safer than the South. Most of the guides that Alan spoke to didn't feel that was the case, but a few did. The prevailing feeling is that there are fewer deaths on that side of the mountain due to the fewer number of climbers. If more teams had to Tibet to climb, the number of fatalities is likely to go up there as well.

Finally, Alan updates readers about the current situation with the canceled climbing permits from 2014. The Nepalese government had originally said that they would honor them for a period of five years, but the entire team would have to return intact, or climbers would lose their ability to use the permit. They have since backpedaled some on that decision, although the final ruling sits with the Cabinet that oversees the country. They have not made a final decision yet, and are considering charging an additional $1000 to each climber to bring the cost of the permits inline with current pricing. Those changes are keeping some of the mountaineers away at the moment while permit issues get sorted out.

As I said, this is a good article that will give you an indication of the current climate that surrounds Everest expeditions. If you're interested in what is happening there, you'll definitely want to check out the full article.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: Updates From Nanga Parbat and Denali

Now that the holidays are officially behind us, and we're all returning to a more typical routine, it seems fitting that we start a new week with an update on the winter climbing expeditions that are underway in Pakistan and Alaska. Over the past few weeks, the teams have been getting settled into Base Camp, and have started the challenging work of acclimatizing to the altitude and the cold temperatures. Soon, the real work will begin, with each of the teams hoping to make history in the weeks ahead.

We'll start on Nanga Parbat, where three teams are looking to make the first winter ascent of that peak. The Russian squad of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval arrived in Pakistan just before Christmas, and set out for BC on the Rupal side of the mountain almost immediately. They established Base Camp on December 27, and have been shuttling gear up the slope ever since. As of yesterday, they have reached 5900 meters (19,356 ft), and have firmly established Camp 1 at that location. They are currently back in BC resting up before they head up the mountain once again.

Over ont he Diamir Face, the first team of climbers in BC as well, with Tomek Mankiewicz and Elisabeth Revol sharing space with Daniele Nardi. While the trio are officially on the same permit, they aren't intending to do much climbing with one another, as Daniele is looking for a solo summit, while Tomek and Elisabeth join forces on their attempt at the first ascent. According to Russian Climb, they reached Camp 1 on January 2, so they are making solid progress thus far. Meanwhile, Daniele is just getting settled in Base Camp today.

A third team consisting of Iranian climbers Reza Bahadorani, Iraj Maani and Mahmoud Hashemi is preparing to depart for Pakistan. The trio intends to arrive on the mountain next week, and begin their expedition as well.


Over on Denali, Lonnie Dupre is forging ahead with his attempt at a solo-summit in January. Conditions remain very cold, but the weather has improved over the past few days, allowing him to move more than 160 lbs (72 kilograms) of gear up to 13,600 feet (4145 meters). Yesterday he planned to go up to 14,000 feet (4267 meters), where he will build a large snow cave that will serve as one of his high camps. Once that job is done, he'll begin carrying gear up to 16,000 ft (4876 meters), which will mark his next major campsite. At the moment, all seems to be going well, and Lonnie is happy with his progress.

Finally, it appears that Dupre won't be the only climber making a solo-summit bid on Denali this winter. British mountaineer Andy Kirkpatrick is also in the final stages of planning his own expedition to the mountain, and intends to arrive their in February. Kirkpatrick says that he has been thinking about this climb for 14 years, and he is now ready to make it a reality. We'll certainly be following his efforts closely in a few weeks as well.

That's all for today. Expect regular updates on each of these expeditions in the weeks ahead. It should be an exciting time on both Nanga Parbat and Denali. Perhaps this year could see the first winter ascent of Nanga at long last.