![\"Everest](\"http:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/everest-and-cho-oyu.jpg\")
<\/a>Cho Oyu<\/h3>\n
The world’s sixth highest peak at 26,907’\/8201m, closed for 2017, \u00a0is the second most popular 8000er after Everest with over 3,500 summits. Everest now has over 8,000 summits.<\/p>\n
For many years, the Chinese government has made getting to Cho Oyu a gamble with random border closures and unannounced bans on climbing due to fears of protests involving Tibet.<\/p>\n
Cho Oyu is generally regarded as one of the most “attainable” 8000 meter peaks with a straightforward climb to a huge flat summit and a dramatic view of Everest. It is often used as a climber’s first 8000 meter climb or as prep for Everest the next year.<\/p>\n Similar to Cho Oyu, Manaslu\u00a0is regarded as attainable and in recent years has seen a dramatic increase in traffic with the closures on Cho Oyu.<\/p>\n According to the Himalayan Times<\/a>, there are 135 foreigners with permits this year from 11 teams including Adventure Peaks, Adventure Consultants, 7 Summits Club, Seven Summit Treks, Summit Climb, Satori Adventures, Mountain Experience, Climbalaya Treks, Ascent Himalaya, Himalayan Guides and Snowy Horizon Treks.<\/p>\n With almost the same number of Sherpas and support staff as foreigners, it will be quite crowded once again in 2017.<\/p>\n In 2016\u00a0Seven Summits Treks,<\/a> the dominate Nepali owned and based guide service, posted they had\u00a0130 members and Sherpas for the 2016 season including a 60 member Chinese team. This is astounding in that the largest year ever, 2011, Manaslu saw 140 total summits.\u00a0Since 1956, Manaslu has had 980 total summits.<\/p>\n Himalayan Experience is also running a trip in 2017 along with several other western companies. Himex has been guiding Manaslu since 2008.<\/p>\n Rain on Manaslu<\/strong><\/p>\n I summited Manaslu in 2013<\/a> and can attest that it is one of the most rainy\/snowy base camps in all the Himalayas. An excellent update from the small Adventure Peaks<\/a> team at bae camp:<\/p>\n There has been a theme the past few days \u2013 drizzle, rain, persistent rain, driving rain, wet rain, proper rain and most recently snow.\u00a0 It has rained consistently for 4 days now and today is the first time that we have ventured outside our little camping area.<\/p>\n Having explored the lower valley, it was finally time for us to make the hike up to base camp.\u00a0 We were pretty lucky because we had an early start so it only mizzled on us as we trekked up to base camp and it was only after lunch it properly started to rain.\u00a0 The overhead conditions were better than the underfoot conditions.\u00a0 Mud.\u00a0 In Fact mud and a combination of yak and horse poop.\u00a0 We were caked in it by the time we got to base camp.\u00a0 A pair of wellie boots were probably more appropriate if the truth were known.\u00a0 Despite both overhead and underfoot conditions, the trek to base camp was fantastic.\u00a0 Initially through the rhododendrons and then up the steep slopes and ridges which took us to base camp.<\/p>\n Base camp is big \u2013 which is probably a very good thing judging by the amount of teams that will be attempting Manaslu this season.\u00a0 We didn\u2019t really see much the first couple of days due to the low cloud and rain (have I mentioned that?) and today has been the first opportunity to explore camp.\u00a0 We are somewhere in the middle and every hour it is changing, with tents being erected left, right and centre.<\/p>\n We have yet to see the sun and we are yet to see Manaslu.\u00a0 We are just passing time to be honest, letting our bodies acclimatize.\u00a0 Phil is already on his 4th book and Roberto, who says that he never sleeps back home, has done nothing but sleep.\u00a0 Nothing has happened above base camp as far as we are aware so our progress is hampered until the weather clears up and the mountain can start to be worked upon.\u00a0 Until that happens, we\u2019ll just be chilling out to the best of our abilities.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n 78-year-old Spanish climber Carlos Soria Fontan<\/a> will be on Dhaulagiri trying to complete his quest to summit all 14 of the 8000 meter peaks.<\/p>\n<\/a>Manaslu – 270 climbers!<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Dhaulagiri – 7 Climbers<\/h3>\n