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Project Possible: SUCCESS on Shishapangma for #14!!!

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Oct 282019
 
Project Possible: SUCCESS on Shishapangma for #14!!!

Demonstrating incredible determination and physical strength, Nirmal Purja completed his summits of the 14 peaks over 8,000-meters in 189 days. Nims posted that he and three teammates made the summit of Shishapangma at 8:58 am hrs local time. On 9:21 PM, October 28, 2019, he posted on Twitter: At 8:58 hrs local time, Nims and his team reached the summit of Shisha Pangma. Team Members includes: Mingma David Sherpa, Galjen Sherpa and Gesman Tamang. A GPS track was provided as they crested the false summit and photos later showed them on what is believed to be the true summit after continue reading

Project Possible Update: Shishapangma Summit Bid Underway

 1 Response »
Oct 282019
 
Project Possible Update: Shishapangma Summit Bid Underway

Nirmal Purja and the team are fighting high winds and tough route finding as they make their way towards the summit of Shishapangma. They were scheduled to be on their final push on Tuesday, October 29. No update as of this post. Shish is the lowest of the fourteen 8,000-meter peaks at 8,027 meters/26,335 feet located totally within Tibet. As usual, they are climbing in one push, aka alpine style, bypassing any acclimatization.  He posted an update on Twitter from October 26: Yesterday, we had a pretty tough day. We climbed for 15 hrs non stop in an extreme weather conditions with continue reading

HIMALI: A Gear Company with Great Ideas and Products

 4 Responses »
Oct 282019
 
HIMALI: A Gear Company with Great Ideas and Products

How often does a new company enter the highly competitive market for quality outdoor jackets and clothing … and succeed? Well, Boulder, Colorado-based HIMALI has done just that and judging by their second-generation line, they are excelling. Full disclosure, company founders Dave Schaeffer and Tendi Sherpa provided at no charge all the gear I have used for evaluation. I’ve been using their first-generation down jacket for over a year now and it has become my goto jacket here in Colorado, on Nepal’s Island Peak last October and this year in Ecuador and Bolivia.  The second-generation is full of small improvements continue reading

Project Possible Update: Shishapangma Summit Schedule Set

 2 Responses »
Oct 262019
 
Project Possible Update: Shishapangma Summit Schedule Set

Tuesday, October 29, 2019, might be a history-making day in the world of mountaineering given that Nirmal Purja and the team have now established their Shishapangma summit schedule. As usual, they are climbing in one push, aka alpine style, bypassing any acclimatization.  In order to achieve his timeline of seven months for all 14 of the 8000ers he needs to summit Shish by November 23. He posted on Instagram and Facebook: Now it’s confirmed that, we will be heading for the summit bid on the 29th. Tomorrow early morning, we will leave for camp 2. 28th we are planning to reach camp 3.  29th continue reading

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

 2 Responses »
Oct 232019
 
Project Possible Update: Nims at Shishapangma Base in Bad Weather and a Toothache

Nirmal Purja and the team have arrived at Shishapangma’s Base Camp.  Nims 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. continue reading

Nirmal Purja Travels to Shishapangma for Number 14

 3 Responses »
Oct 162019
 
Nirmal Purja Travels to Shishapangma for Number 14

Its official, Nirmal Purja has a permit to climb Shishapangma to achieve his self-imposed timetable of November 23 to summit all 14 of the 8000ers in seven months. He posted on Instagram and Facebook: With full of mix emotions ; I feel very humble, thankful and proud today. Finally me and my team has got the permit to climb Shishapangma. I would like to thank the government of Nepal for approaching China on my behalf for this project and I would also like to thank the government of China for considering my application and allowing me to climb Shishapangma this year. continue reading

Autumn 2019 Himalayan Season: Carlos, 80, Ends Dhaulagiri Attempt; Season Wrap-Up

 4 Responses »
Oct 112019
 
Autumn 2019 Himalayan Season: Carlos, 80, Ends Dhaulagiri Attempt; Season Wrap-Up

Looking to summit all 14 of the 8,000-meter peaks, Carlos Soria Fontán has only Dhaulagiri and Shishapangma remaining, but Dhaul is proving to be difficult. The 80-year-old Spanish climber ended his 10th attempt overnight as high winds pummelled the summit and their Camp 3 location at 7,250-meters/23,790-feet. The summit is 8,167-meters/26,794-feet. With a poor weather forecast, it appears this season is over. Outfitter Expedition Base provided these details: Dhaulagiri Expedition update: news in not long ago. All climbers (unconfirmed) from all teams have called it at Camp 3 and are descending to base camp. The high winds were unrelenting for more than continue reading

Autumn 2019 Himalayan Season: Last Climbers Abandon Everest

 2 Responses »
Oct 062019
 
Autumn 2019 Himalayan Season: Last Climbers Abandon Everest

Nims confirmed his last climb of his Project Possible and the remaining teams on Everest leave due to the end of the season and serac dangers. Everest – And Then There Were None Madison Mountaineering and Kilian Jornet both fearing the devasting effect of being hit by the trailer sized ice serac a few thousand feet above the Khumbu Icefall when it falls, have officially abandoned their climbs. Their Nepali logistics organizer, Iswari Paudel, Managing Director at Himalayan Guides, confirmed their decision in the Himalayan Times Garrett told me yesterday: Yes, I think I’m going to call it off tomorrow…we’re running out continue reading

Autumn 2019 Himalayan Season: New Everest Serac Picture

 4 Responses »
Oct 052019
 
Autumn 2019 Himalayan Season: New Everest Serac Picture

Well, the autumn Himalaya season seems to have a second breath on Manaslu. Disaster nearly avoided on Dhaulagiri climbers and a new picture of the hanging serac over the Everest Khumbu Icefall. Russians are back on Manaslu.  Carlos Soria Fontán at age 80 will make one more summit bid on Dhaulagiri. And, an unclimbed route on Ama Dablam. Everest – Serac Watch Madison Mountaineering‘s team is down to Garret and one client. They are at base camp and seem content to wait as long as their permit allows (which is mid October) to see if anything happens with the serac. Garrett checked in and continue reading

Autumn 2019 Himalayan Season: Dhaulagiri Summits!

 1 Response »
Oct 032019
 
Autumn 2019 Himalayan Season: Dhaulagiri Summits!

Extremely determined Dhaulagiri climbers made the summit this morning. No movement on Everest and climbs have ended on Manaslu, Cho Oyu. Dhaulagiri – Summits!! Sergi Mingote summited in tough conditions. This summit takes him halfway through his program to summit all the 8000ers in 1,000 days. Now he has seven including K2, Broad Peak, Manaslu, Lhotse, Nanga Parbat, and Gasherbrum II. Sergi posted this today: I’VE REACHED THE TOP! In only 444 days this is the seventh 8000 m-summit, without the help of artificial oxygen. After Broad Peak, K2, Manaslu, Lhotse, Nanga Parbat and Gasherbrum II, today I’ve already reached continue reading

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