Everest 2019: Be Aware of Significant Problems Flying from Kathmandu to Lukla
The Nepal aviation authority announced last December that the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) would be closed daily from 22:00 (local time) to 08:00 starting April 1, 2019, through June 30, 2019, – smack in the middle of the pre-monsoon trekking and climbing season. Due to a limited construction season with winter conditions and summer monsoons, […]
Everest 2019: Welcome to Everest 2019 Coverage
Welcome to the kick-off for my Everest 2019 coverage! I have already posted a few articles on 2019 and am actively covering the current K2 winter attempts so let me officially welcome you. This will be my 18th season of all-things Everest: 12 times providing coverage, another 4 seasons of actually climbing on Everest and two years […]
2018/19 Winter Climbs: NP Drone Search, K2 Resumes
Update: 1 March 2019: No rescue fight today due to poor weather. In what has become a deadly sad and uncertain season, the K2 climbers have been asked to stand down for helping with the search for British climber Tom Ballard, 30, and Italian Daniele Nardi, 42, on Nanga Parbat instead drones will be used. […]
2018/19 Winter Climbs: What Now? – Updated
Update 28 February 21:00 local time: First Helicopter search completed with Pakistani climber Ali Sadpara on board. He reports seeing their tent at Camp 3 at 5,700-meters but also evidence of avalanche in the area. Tomorrow, March 1, is for four climbers from the Russian lead team to be picked up and dropped off at NP Camp3 […]
Climbers Missing on Nanga Parbat – Search Hampered
After having no contact for two days, the home team and base camp crew for British climber Tom Ballard, 30, and Italian Daniele Nardi, 42, have asked for help to search for them. They were attempting a new route on the Mummery Rib – a steep, avalanche-prone area known for taking lives. The two climbers […]
2018/19 Winter Climbs: Four Keys for a Winter K2 Summit
UPDATE Tuesday February 26: All K2 teams have returned to base camp due to strong winds If you are in the camp that believes winter ends on February 28, then you might be getting nervous that a K2 summit won’t happen this winter. The other camp has March 21st, the Spring Solstice, as the end […]
Everest 2019: Interview with Adrian Ballinger on China’s New Rules
With lots of buzz about the new rules from China and banning tourists from going Everest Base Camp on the Tibet side, I reached out to Adrian Ballinger, founder of Alpenglow, for his thoughts. Adrian has been running Everest expeditions only from the Tibet side for several years now. He left the Nepal side after […]
2018/19 Winter Climbs: K2 and NP Weather Issues … Again – Updated
UPDATE 25 February: The weather, while still bad, calmed enough to allow Txikon and his Sherpas to reach Camp 2 and the Kazakhstan, Russia and Kyrgyzstan Team to attempt to establish their C3 at 7300-meters above the Black Pyramid. Txikon posted: “Cheppal and I have reached Camp 2 at 6650 meters. The weather conditions are […]
2018/19 Winter Climbs: Summit Push on Nanga, Climbing on K2
As per the forecast, high winds kept teams quiet on K2 this week but have now let up and they are planning aggressively to push for the summit. Both K2 teams are scattered over the lower camps. Over on the other 8000er being attempted this winter, Nanga Parbat, the climbers have left for the summit […]
2018/19 Winter Climbs: “Hurricane” at K2 and Messner Weighs In
As had been predicted, high winds are hitting K2 Base Camp and everyone is holding tight for the storm to pass. The high winds will persist through Friday so look for a quiet week and then a lot of climbing starting on the weekend with perhaps a summit push late next week. Informed Opinions say […]