Big news on the ‘other’ 8000ers with 15 members with 15 High Altitude Workers summiting on Annapurna. Over on Everest, the hard work of adjusting bodies to the thin air continues.
Big Picture
With a break in the weather, the summit of Annapurna was visited by 30 people on April 28, 2022. but the other 8000ers are playing coy at the moment. Climbing is strong on Everest with the ropes high on the peak. Sherpas are beginning to stock all the camps to support summit pushes. Remember that the sweet spot is between May 18 to 23, so we have a few weeks to go for the masses. The first summits will be by the rope fixing team, and that could be any day now. See the tracking table for the latest team locations.
8000ers – Annapurna Summits
Pemba Sherpa of 8K Expeditions contacted me to talk about their 100% success on Annapurna and how proud he was of two of his Sherpas, Pasadawa Sherpa and Lakpa T Sherpa, for their role in helping fix the ropes to the summit.
He said it was a bit difficult for the six members with eight Sherpas who summited between 11:25 am all the way to 4:00 pm starting from the High Camp or C4. He said not everyone was down yet and some are struggling. Pemba told me he had another five left to attempt the summit. These climbers and support made the top:
- Norweigan, Kristin Harila, 35, wanting to summit all 14 of the 8,000-meters peaks in six or seven months, setting a female record, summited. Her first phase includes: Annapurna (summited), Dhaulagiri, Kanchenjunga, Everest, Lhotse and Makalu. The second phase has Nanga Parbat, G1, G2, Broad Peak, and K2.
2. Kasturi Deepak Savekar – India3. Baibanou Bouchra – Morocco4. Australian, Allie Pepper, 47, going for her fifth 8000ers. She has Everest, Cho Oyu, and Manaslu,
Climbing Guides:
1. Dawa Ongju Sherpa – Sirdar2. Pasdawa Sherpa – Rope Fixing3. Halung Dorchi Sherpa –4. Lakpa Thendu Sherpa – Rope Fixing5. Dawa Wongchu Sherpa6. Lakpa Nurbu Sherpa7. Dawa Tenzing Sherpa
1. Gelje Sherpa (Fixing Team)2. Pasang Nurbu Sherpa (Fixing Team)3. Adriana Brownlee at 21, is hoping to set a female age record for all 14. She has Everest and Lhotse.4. Dorota Lidia Samocko5. Dawa Sherpa6. Olga Koroleva7. Chhangba Sherpa8. Hans Wenzl No O29. Tim Bogdanov No O210. Giamppaolo Corona No O2
Kangchenjunga – Playing Tough
Mimnga G of Imagine Nepal had to pull the summit attempt due to poor conditions. Coloradoan Tracee Metcalf, 48, ended her summit push just a week after submitting Dhaulagiri. She has summited Everest, Cho Oyu, Makalu, and Annapurna. She said, “Down to BC but I think we spent several hours above 8400 in very technical terrain. I accept no summit was possible but I am disappointed in my decisions.”
And Dutch legend, Wilco van Rooijen, made this interesting post about rescue and conditions, “Last night was 1-st summit attemped with team Nirmal Purja Purja Purja. It failed. And 1 heli rescue 6350m! (Team flew in from other 8000m mountain) ”
Dhaulagiri: Still Holding
Carlos Sori, 83, Sito Carcavilla, and the six Sherpas are hoping to get to the summit soon. They’ve been holding at BaseCamp for improved weather. Their latest update showed them holding as of April 26, “Today we went to “the stone of Sito” to train. It is a rock located about 2.5 hours from the Base Camp full of fossils and from where you have a great view of Dhaulagiri.”
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
Nepal Permit Update as of April 26, 2022 – Everest Holding at 303, 100 less than 2021
The permits for Everest are leveling out albeit around 100 less than the record set in 2021 of 408. Climbing permits have been issued for 886 climbers from 73 countries for 25 peaks. Looking at Everest only, the US has the largest representation with 63 members, followed by the UK-33, Nepal (non-Sherpas)-20, India-22, Canada-17, Russia-17, France-12, China-10, and Austria with 10. There are 37 countries represented by a single climber.
These permits have generated $3.7M in royalties for the government. Almost all of this revenue stays in Kathmandu, with some in various personal pockets and none to the Sherpas, porters, or other high-altitude workers. The Nepal Ministry of Tourism posted these foreign permit tally as of April 26, 2022:
- Everest: 303 on 38 teams (many very small teams this year)
- Ama Dablam: 97 on 9 teams
- Annapurna I: 26 on 4 teams
- Annapurna 4: 9 on 1 team
- Baruntse: 20 on 3 teams
- Bhemdang: 8 on 1 team
- Dhaulagiri: 27 on 3 teams
- Gangapurna: 2 on 1 team
- Himlung: 35 on 4 teams
- Khangchung: 68 on 7 teams (many very small teams this tear)
- Kangchung/UIAA: 2 on 1 teams
- Lhotse: 112 on 12 teams
- Makalu: 39 on 4 teams
- Manaslu: 9 on 1 team
- Mukot: 4 on 1 team
- Norbu Khang: 5 on 1 team
- Nuptse: 57 on 7 teams
- Phu Khang: 5 on 1 team
- Pokhar Kang: 9 on 1 team
- Putha Hiunchuli: 14 on 1 team
- Ratna Chuli: 9 on 1 team
- Saribung: 10 on 2 teams
- Saula: 2 on 1 team
- Thapa (Dhampus): 12 on 4 teams
- Urknmang: 2 on 1 team
The Podcast on alanarnette.com
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Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
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8 thoughts on “Everest 2022: 8000er Summits!”
Of course, I find it as soon as I posted. Apologies.
Always works like ! Glad you found it.
Could someone point me in the direction of the tracking tables? I have looked around and can not find a link to it.
The link is in the post but here it is https://wp.me/p5LUlU-aux
Happy 22 climbing season Alan. You know if any of the climbing teams are filming their climbs this year?
Many. It’s the cool thing to do. Watch for Full Circle Everest. It should be excellent.
Why call them “high altitude workers”.
High Altitude Climbing Guides is far more appropriate !!
Hi Fred,
Well, it’s complicated. The word ‘guide’ has real value and meaning, especially to anyone who is certified as an IFMGA or AMGA guide. They spent tens of thousands of dollars plus years to earn the right to call themselves a guide. Similar to using the title, ‘Engineer.” So not every person who works on a mountain, any mountain, is a ‘guide.’
Also, not every person who works on Everest is a “Sherpa.” As you know, Sherpa is an ethnicity, like German, Canadian, or American, not the name of a professional, like an Electrical Engineer. There are Tibetan, Han, Hui, Tujia, Sherpa, and Nepalese, Kachart on the Tibet side. Nepal has 126 castes and ethnic groups: Chhetri, Brahman-Hill, Magar, Tharu, Tamang, Newar, Kami, Musalman, Yadav, and Rai. Many have jobs as porters, in teahouses, cooks at mountain camps, cook assistance, yak drivers, etc.
The use of ‘Sherpa’ to define anyone who works on a mountain, while still the majority, is a bit misleading. The Himalayan Database uses the term ‘hired’ for anyone who doesn’t pay, as they are called ‘members.’ Over the years, the use of High-Altitude Worker’ has tried to get a foothold but hasn’t taken root. I use it every now and then.
Hope this helps.
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