More summits on Manaslu taking the total to well over 200, but crowds seem to be a problem this year. Nirma Purja summited getting his 13th and is asking the public to contact China to help him get his Shishapangma permit.
Everest – Still at EBC
Both the Madison Mountaineering team and Andrzej Bargiel team are still at base camp waiting and wondering if/when the serac will fall onto the Icefall. Garrett noted, “Lazy days here at #Everest base camp, as we wait for the weather & route conditions to improve…always good times in the mountains with great people!”
I asked Garrett a few questions since he had time:
Q: Garrett would you share with us your decision making process when an objective danger like this years hanging serac occurs?
GM: Regarding the Serac…I’ve made an independent assessment based on aerial and long lense photography, it’s massive and will fall down soon, and likely wipe out the central portion of the Khumbu Icefall. The Polish ski team led by Andrezj Bargiel has made the same independent assessment, so neither of us are sending anyone up until the Serac comes down and is no longer a threat to the personal safety of our climbers.
Q: How do consider the risks for the Sherpas compared to the members?
GM: we are all a team so we consider risk as it pertains to all members.
Q: What external resources do you use in situations like this (weather, etc)
GM:: we rely on weather forecasts, but the drone footage & photography really helps the most. We can afford to accept inherent risk when climbing in the mountains but when this type of red flag presents, it’s not reasonable to climb until the hazard is gone.
Another nice video from Andrzej’s team:
Project Possible: Got #13, Manaslu, Now it’s in China’s hands for #14
Looking to summit all 14 of the 8000ers in seven months, Nirmal Purja, got his 13th, Manaslu, on Friday, September 27.
I am currently at Camp 4, leading an exped for @elitehimalayan . We will be making our summit push early tomorrow morning.
He now has 13 in a mere 157 days: Annapurna (April 23), Dhaulagiri, Kangchenjunga, Makalu, Everest, Lhotse, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II, K2, Broad Peak and Cho Oyu adn today, Manalsu (Sept 27). He needs to complete Shish by November 23, to meet his goal of seven months.
China has said all foreigners must be out of Tibet no later than October 1 fearing protests around anniversaries, holidays, remembrances, etc. thus leaving open the big question of whether they will give Nirmal Purja a climbing permit for Shishapangma. Additionally, China had said no climbing on Shishapangma a few months ago after a string of deaths and accidents on the lowest of the fourteen 8000ers. They felt the mountain had become too dangerous to climb.
Nirmal Purja is asking for help:
However, today I’m asking for a genuine help only. Had a meeting with deputy PM, Ex PM and Tourism Minister of Nepal to approach Chinese Government in ref to #Shishapangma & they have agreed to conduct a diplomatic talk. Till date; I’m still waiting for the reply.
Humble request: rather than sending me a message, I would be very grateful if you could write to Chinese government/ CMA/TMA on my behalf. I have done everything I could have done from my side. If we all go as a collective force, it may help.
Dhaulagiri – Weather Worse
Sergi Mingote is at base camp with Carlos Soria Fontán, Chris Jensen Burke and Expedition Base. They are ready for the summit push when weather allows. Sergi suggests they need to summit before October 3:
The weather it’s not clearing up. Today it’s been raining and snowing the whole day on Base Camp. Today, we had a meeting between all the alpinists on Dhaulagiri’s base camp to coordinate a possible summit attack. Probably we will have to do it before 3th october. The weather is not the best, but there is an entry of strong winds expected as for October 3.
Manaslu – More Summits, and Crowds
More summits today, Friday, September 27, 2019 with 50 more taking the total to well over 200 thus far. But there have been problems with the crowds once again. Stefi Troguet who summited earlier this week commented on Facebook:
We are in Camp 4, 7.400m! The longest day & the longest traffic jam I’ve ever seen! But slowly slowly here we are!!
Another interesting event came from François Cazzanelli who set a speed record on Manaslu with a climb from base camp to the summit and back to base camp in 17:43 on the normal route. The previous record was 21:41 by Andrzej Bargiel as reported by Montagna.
Adventure Consultants got 3 members, 2 guides and 5 Sherpas on the summit. Arnold Coster’s team summited but no details. Kobler & Partners also enjoyed success:
On September 26, at 8:00 am but complete calm Astrid, Ingrid, Patrick, Mark and Till were at extremely streaky weather at the summit of the 8163m high #Manaslu.The summit team was accompanied by Sherpas Kusang, Gyaltsen, Tashi, Gelu, Lakpa Nuru, Pasang Dendi, Karma and mountain guide Andreas Neuschmid.
No word from Summit Climb who posted they were on their summit push. and finally, Climbing the Seven Summits chose to lay back and let the majority of the people summit before their attempt expected over this weekend, weather permitting.
Cho Oyu – 12 more Summits!
Alpenglow had success on Cho:
100% success for our team of 12 on Cho Oyu this season! The team snuck through a tight weather window to reach the summit. Everyone is safely down in ABC resting and celebrating swipe to meet the team ! Sound on
Shishapangma – Closed
The Chinese have officially closed Shish for the season.
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
