{"id":35123,"date":"2019-09-27T11:26:02","date_gmt":"2019-09-27T17:26:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/?p=35123"},"modified":"2022-05-07T12:48:27","modified_gmt":"2022-05-07T18:48:27","slug":"autumn-2019-himalayan-season-Nimral-gets-manaslu-will-china-approve-shishapangma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2019\/09\/27\/autumn-2019-himalayan-season-Nimral-gets-manaslu-will-china-approve-shishapangma\/","title":{"rendered":"Autumn 2019 Himalayan Season: Nirmal Purja gets Manaslu, Will China Approve Shishapangma?"},"content":{"rendered":"

More summits on Manaslu taking the total to well over 200, but crowds seem to be a problem this year. Nirma Purja summited getting his 13th and is asking the public to contact China to help him get his Shishapangma permit.<\/p>\n

Everest – Still at EBC<\/h1>\n

Both the Madison Mountaineering<\/a> team and Andrzej Bargiel<\/a> team are still at base camp waiting and wondering if\/when the serac will fall onto the Icefall. Garrett noted, “Lazy days here at\u00a0#<\/span>Everest<\/span><\/span>\u00a0base camp, as we wait for the weather & route conditions to improve…always good times in the mountains with great people!”<\/p>\n

I asked Garrett a few questions since he had time:<\/p>\n

Q: Garrett would you share with us your decision making process when an objective danger like this years hanging serac occurs?<\/strong><\/p>\n

GM: Regarding the Serac…I\u2019ve made an independent assessment based on aerial and long lense photography, it\u2019s massive and will fall down soon, and likely wipe out the central portion of the Khumbu Icefall. The Polish ski team led by Andrezj Bargiel has made the same independent assessment, so neither of us are sending anyone up until the Serac comes down and is no longer a threat to the personal safety of our climbers.<\/p>\n

Q: How do consider the risks for the Sherpas compared to the members?<\/strong><\/p>\n

GM: we are all a team so we consider risk as it pertains to all members.<\/p>\n

Q: What external resources do you use in situations like this (weather, etc)<\/strong><\/p>\n

GM:: we rely on weather forecasts, but the drone footage & photography really helps the most. We can afford to accept inherent risk when climbing in the mountains but when this type of red flag presents, it\u2019s not reasonable to climb until the hazard is gone.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Image<\/a>
Everest Base Camp Autumn 2019 Courtesy of Madison Mountaineering<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another nice video from Andrzej’s team:<\/p>\n