2019/20 Winter Himalaya Climbs: Broad Peak Summit Push Stopped
The Karakorum continues to play tough. Yesterday the only team on K2 quickly flew out ending their effort and today the Broad Peak team halted their summit push but suggest they will try again in February to meet Denis Urubko’s definition of winter. Broad Peak – Illness Stops Summit Push Don Bowie developed some kind […]
2019/20 Winter Himalaya Climbs: Update on Everest Hanging Serac
Last Autumn, several teams abandoned their Everest climbs fearing a teetering serac above the Khumbu Icefall. It was so massive that if it fell, it would shatter directly on top of their route killing anyone there instantly. Echos of a similar release in 2014 were loud. That incident killed 16 Sherpas. So the big question […]
2019/20 Winter Himalaya Climbs:K2 Winter OVER, Broad Peak Summit Push Underway
Huge news that Mingma Gyalje Sherpa‘s Imagine Nepal has ended its K2 winter effort. The reasons remain vague. The team flew back to Askole by helicopter ending speculation some might stay and join with Urubko and Bowie after their Broad Peak attempt currently underway. But we never know for sure until everyone is back home. […]
2019/20 Winter Himalaya Climbs: It’s Cold Up there!!!
To state the obvious for the millionth time, climbing in the winter is cold, damn cold. Currently, the Karakorum climbers are seeing still air temps of -20F/-29C this week. Even with the best down suits, you have to be very active to stay warm and with most of the climbers doing the slow work of […]
2019/20 Winter Himalaya Climbs: Incident in Khumbu Icefall
Winter alpine climbing and especially in the Khumbu Icefall are notorious for objective hazards, i.e., avalanches, serac releases, and falls into open crevasses or through soft snow bridges. Today we saw more evidence this winter. First to Simone Moro on Gasherbrum, now to Jonatan García on Everest. The problem with these snow bridge collapses is […]
2019/20 Winter Himalaya Climbs: Summit Push Called Off
Climbing 8,000 meters peaks are hard enough, but in winter all the odds are against making the summit. This winter is validating that axiom. The summit push was halted on Broad Peak due to strong winds and dangerous conditions, while an injury to Jost has temporarily stalled his solo effort. But Txikon did make through […]
2019/20 Winter Himalaya Climbs: Injury and Summit Push
The weather on Everest is making for slow progress but it’s better in the Karakorum where the Broad Peak team is hoping to summit soon. Everest – Back at EBC Jost on West Ridge German alpinist Jost Kobusch, is back at EBC after a quick trip up the Lho La according to his tracker. His high […]
2019/20 Winter Himalaya Climbs: Update: Jost on the Move on Everest, Urubko/Bowie on Broad Peak
No progress on Everest or Broad Peak due to poor weather but plans to reach Camp 2 on K2. Monday, Jan 28 Update: Jost back on the move to the Lho La and Denis Urubko with Don Bowie are starting their summit push. Everest – Climbing Jost on West Ridge German alpinist Jost Kobusch, age 27, […]
2019/20 Winter Himalaya Climbs: Summit!
The first Himalayan summits of this winter season were on Ama Dablam while poor weather bogs down the other climbs. Ama Dablam – Summit! Alex Txikon and the team summited Ama Dablam. They will now move to Everest for an attempt on the standard SE Ridge route. His team includes Spaniard Oscar Cardo, Jonatan García and Nepalese […]
2019/20 Winter Himalaya Climbs: Progress in Bad Weather
Quiet across most of the Himalaya today. Progress on Ama Dablam while poor weather bogs down the Everest and Broad Peak advances. The K2 winter team is at base camp and will start climbing in a few days. Jost on Everest is back at base camp holding due to weather Everest – At Base Camp […]