2024/25 Winter Himalaya Climbs: Everest, Manalsu, Annapurna

The winter season has begun for three of the 8000ers: Everest, Manaslu and Annapurna. Each is unique in style, and professional climbers are at the helm.

Jost Kobush on West Ridge

German Alpinist Jost Kobusch, who now lives in Chamonix, France, is back on Everest for his fourth winter, solo, no-O’s climb on the West Ridge. He began his climb on December 21, 2024, the winter solstice. It’s crucial to understand that his goal is knowledge, not the summit, as it has been for the previous climbs. This exact style and route have never been attempted.

Youst is no stranger to tough climbing challenges, preferring solo and light as his style. He summited Denali solo in February 2023 via the Messner Couloir. He’s also nabbed Annapurna in 2016 at age 25. He has spent the last month in Nepal climbing lower peaks to acclimate to his Everest climb.

In 2019/20, Jost’s high point was 7,329 meters/23,750 feet. In 2021/22, he tagged 6300 meters before the weather shut him down. He wanted to return last year, 2023/24, but an injury forced him to cancel.

In his own words, he posted the mission on Instagram:

Yes I‘m back for another session in the project Acclimatizing in the Khumbu before spending time on Everest in Winter, Solo on the West Ridge.

In 2019/20 and 2021/22 I spent time on the route working out the beta, learning a lot and building skill. Last winter I prepared for the 3rd attempt, had everything booked and ready but life had other plans for me – I injured my back due to overtraining a few days before leaving
I guess I was just way too excited and trained more than my body could handle.

This will be my fourth Expedition.

The goal this time will be to break the altitude record that was set by a French team in 1983. They reached 7500m on the west ridge in winter – and I would love to go higher and explore the upper section.

I’m excited for the beginning of winter on 22nd of December – because that will mark the beginning of entering the project once more

According to his tracker, as of Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024, Jost was last reported at 6146 meters/20164 feet on the Lho La Pass.

You can follow his climb on the excellent tracking map at 3D Reality Maps, using Zoleo, and on his social media channels, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and website.

I did two interviews with Jost at:

• Podcast with Jost Kobusch’s Winter 2023/24 Everest West Ridge Attempt
• Video Interview with Jost Kobusch’s Winter 2021/22 Everest West Ridge Attempt

Moro Back on Manaslu

Italian Simone Moro is back for the sixth winter attempt on Manaslu, the eighth-highest at 8,163m/26,782 ft. He prefers winter climbing, especially on 8000ers, with four first winter ascents: Shishapangma, 2005; Makalu, 2009; Gasherbrum II, 2011; and Nanga Parbat, 2016. His partners are Nima Rinji Sherpa, the youngest to summit all 14 800ers, Polish climber and filmmaker Oswald Rodrigo Pereira.

Pereira notes, “No mountaineer in history has ever climbed an 8,000-meter peak in winter using pure alpine style—without fixed ropes, supplementary oxygen, guided support, or fixed camps.”

The acclimatized on Ama Dablam where Nima Rinji reported: “Got a taste of my first winter expedition, and the cold is truly on another level. Yesterday at Camp 1 on Ama Dablam, the temperature hit -33°C, pushing me to embrace the raw beauty and harshness of winter climbing.”

Txikon on Annapurna

Alex Txikon will climb one of the most dangerous peaks anywhere this winter. He will use Sherpa support, fixed ropes, and high camps but will not be on supplemental oxygen. The young Pakistani climber Sajid Ali Sadpara is with him. Of course, Sadoara is the son of Muhammad Ali Sadpara, who died in 2021 during a winter attempt on K2. Also on the team are Italian Mattia Conte, Pole Waldemar Kowalewski.

They also acclimatized on Ama Dablam. Txikon posted on Instagram:

Installed in the Base Camp, we are at home. No one has had acclimatization problems and the weather remains stable. Learning from the experience of K2, in four hours we have built an igloo that will be very useful in the coldest nights. We don’t have coverage but InReach keeps me in touch and I can send short messages like this, and greetings to everyone from the foot of Ama Dablam.

Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything

The Podcast on alanarnette.com

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