Project Possible Update: Nirmal Purja at Shishapangma Base in Bad Weather and a Toothache

Nirmal Purja and the team have arrived at Shishapangma’s Base Camp.  He has a toothache and is holding at base camp for now:

It’s pretty chill for sure here in #shishapangma base camp. I’m having a massive trouble with my wisdom tooth. It’s BLODDY so painful and it’s getting me fever. Yes I have been brushing my teeth and have been using dental floss too. I hope once I start the climb the voluntary pain of climbing in extreme high altitude mountain will supersede this involuntary pain. 

Unlike many big exped, I had no luxury of having doctors or physiotherapist etc etc. I am hoping I will be ok on my final phase of the mission. On my side you can see my climbing buddy @mingma_david_sherpa , he’s also suffering from cold. Anyway not to worry, we have the good weather coming soon; we will deliver our promises AS ALWAYS 🙌🏽🙏


NOTE: This was posted a few days ago but lost during a server transition:

Nirmal Purja and the team have arrived at Shishapangma’s Base Camp.  They are experiencing difficult weather at the moment putting at risk his aspirational goal of summiting all 14 in six months.

In order to achieve a timeline of six months for all 14 of the 8000ers, he needs to nab Shish by October 22! To hit his original seven months, the date is November 23 which he will most certainly make. He posted on Instagram and Facebook:

Much love to all my friends and followers from the #Shishapangma base camp. Plan is to head out to advance base camp tomorrow and play as it comes. The weather seems to be extremely horrendous but I’m sure, we will have an window.

He posted these videos:

The Camps

Their exact strategy remains known only to them but they will most likely climb in Alpine style to try to reach the true summit. These are the usual camps:

  • Base Camp (BC) 5000m, 16,400 feet: BC – ABC 9 miles, 6 hours start of the trip, 4 hours end of the trip
  • Advanced base camp (ABC) 5600m, 18,375 feet: ABC – C1 3.7 miles, 8 hours the first time, 6 hours thereafter (one way)
  • C1 6400m, 21,000 feet: C1 – C2 .6 miles, 4-5 hours
  • C2 7100m, 23,300 feet: C2 – C3 .6 miles, 3-5 hours
  • C3 7500m, 24,600 feet: C3 – Summit .6 miles, 7 hours

See my previous post for details on the climb.


Your Opinion

What is your personal opinion of Nirmal Purja Purja Purja's accomplishments on Project Possible?

  • Fantastic! Makes him one of the best climbers in history. (73%, 838 Votes)
  • Wonderful! He is a great climber but not in the top tier. (11%, 126 Votes)
  • Pretty good! I love his positive attitude. (6%, 69 Votes)
  • OK! But he used supplemental oxygen, helicopters and standard routes. (4%, 44 Votes)
  • So,So! It is a stunt but I admire his ambition. (3%, 37 Votes)
  • Don't Like! It is another selfish climber looking for publicity. (3%, 33 Votes)

Total Voters: 1,147

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Project Possible

Of course, we all know Nirmal Purja project is to summit all 14 of the 8000ers in seven months. In order to achieve his timeline, he needs to summit Shish by November 23. If he summits on October 29th, he will have summited all 14 in 190 days.

These are the 8000ers Nirmal Purja and team have summited thus far:

  1. Annapurna – April 23
  2. Dhaulagiri – May 12
  3. Kanchenjunga – May 15
  4. Lhotse – May 22
  5. Everest – May 22
  6. Makalu – May 24
  7. Nanga Parbat – July 03
  8. Gasherbrum I – July 15
  9. Gasherbrum II – July 18
  10. K2 – July 24
  11. Broad Peak – July 26
  12. Cho Oyu – September 23
  13. Manaslu – September 27

The other members with Nirmal Purja for Shish includes Mingma David Sherpa, Gesman Tamang, Gyalzen Sherpa and Jangbu Sherpa.

In 2013, Korean climber Kim Chang-ho set the current record for all 14 in 7 years, 10 months, 6 days. The previous record was set in 1987 by Polish alpinist Jerzy Kukuczka climbing all 14 in 7 years, 11 months, 14 days.

Best of luck to everyone!

Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything

Feature image is courtesy of Ed Viesturs: Veikka Gustafsson on the knife-edge ridge to Shishapangma Main Summit April 30, 2001 – Himalayan Quest Ed Viesturs on the 8,000-Meter Giants book

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2 thoughts on “Project Possible Update: Nirmal Purja at Shishapangma Base in Bad Weather and a Toothache

  1. Sry, a big Team, fixed ropes and helicopters is for Nirmal Purja Purja Purja……as it was for Miss Oh.

  2. There is for sure no comparison possible with “real” climbers (climbs)

    Take Messner or Kukuczka:
    New routes, winter climbs, solo, no O2, a big Team, fixed ropes, helicopters…………..

    You can compare him with Oh-Eun-Sun the korean climber

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