Himalaya Spring 2015: Puja Ceremonies and a Collapse in the Icefall

There as been another setback on Everest that is keeping the climbers in Base Camp today, despite the need to start their acclimatization rotations soon. Earlier in the week it was bad weather that prevented them from getting on the move, but now it is a collapse in the Khumbu Icefall that has delayed the start of the first rotations up the mountain.

Alan Arnette reports that more than 80 Sherpas were in the Icefall this morning as they continued their work to shuttle gear up to Camps 1 and 2. But the collapse of the ice along the route caused all of them to turn back. Apparently there was a traverse over a large crevasse that required four ladders to complete, and the entire thing came crumbling down. The Khumbu Ice Doctors will now have to search for an alternate route through the dangerous Icefall. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the collapse.

This is not uncommon, and is large part of why crossing through the Icefall is so dangerous. This portion of the mountain is incredibly unsteady, and the Ice Docs work all season long to keep the route safe and open. This sounds like it was a major collapse however, so it could take a day or two for them to find a new path. You may recall that this route was described as safer and shorter than the ones used in the past, and hopefully that won't change following this incident.

Alan also says that his team had its Puja ceremony a few days back. The Puja is an important step for any climbing expedition, as no one can start up the mountain until it is finished. During the Puja, a Buddhist monk brings the climbers and Sherpas together to ask permission from the mountain gods to safely pass up Everest, or what ever other mountain they are climbing. Traditionally, the monk will also bless their gear and ask the gods to keep the climbers safe. While it is taken very seriously by everyone, it is also a time to celebrate and have too.


With the Puja over, the teams are then ready to start the climb, but the unusually heavy snowfall continued on Everest over the past couple of days, preventing anyone from going higher than Base Camp. None of the commercial teams have passed through the Icefall as of yet, and no one other than the Sherpas have been up to Camp 1 or 2. Hopefully that will change shortly, as it is now time to begin acclimatizing for sure. In fact, some of the squads have actually gone off to other mountains to begin their acclimatization process. For instance, American climber Jim Davidson has moved over to Lobuche East where he'll go as high as 6118 meters (20,075 ft) on the summit. He hopes to wrap up that climb today, and head back to Everest BC.

Over on Annapurna, the teams continue to play the waiting game. The weather has remained bad there too, not allowing teams to make their summit pushes. Heavy snows have blanketed the upper slopes of the mountain in powder, making it extremely unsafe. Avalanches are common on Annapurna even in the best of conditions, but with so much snow falling on the mountain, breaking trail is incredibly difficult, and the risks of avalanche too high. For now, everyone must bide their time, and wait for things to improve.

ExWeb has posted a round-up of news from other 8000 meter peaks, and much of the news is the same. Poor weather continues across the Himalaya, including on Manaslu where Simone Moro and Tamara Lunger had hoped to make a spring attempt after their winter climb was thwarted. According to reports, the duo returned to the mountain in early April only to discover that more snow had fallen in their absence and they couldn't even locate their cached gear under all of the powder. They elected to pull the plug on the expedition altogether, and have now returned home.

The same story is being reported on Shishapangma, Cho Oyu, and Dhaulagiri, where ExWeb says a team of trekkers ran into serious trouble a few days back. Heavy snows caught the unprepared team off guard, and they were forced to take shelter in Base Camp where a climbing team offered them assistance. Apparently, whiteout conditions continue there now, making it very difficult for anyone to go anywhere.

Finally, tomorrow marks the one year anniversary since the massive avalanche claimed the lives of 16 porters on Everest. I'm sure it will be a solemn occasion on the mountain as the Sherpas and western climbers all think about that day. Many of the people on the mountain this spring were there last year too, so I expect there will be some memorial services and ceremonies held. I have no doubt that those who lost their lives will be on the minds of the climbers the next few days.

Himalaya Spring 2015: Expeditions to Watch

This weekend many climbers from across the globe will set out for Nepal at long last. Even though there has already been action in the Himalaya this spring, the season won't truly get underway until next week when the teams begin arriving in Kathmandu in droves. It'll take them some time to get out to their various Base Camps, but things are about to get very interesting in the big mountains.

To prepare us for the season ahead, Alan Arnette shared a post yesterday detailing some of the major expeditions to watch in the weeks ahead. Most of these climbs center around Everest of course, but several will focus on other major peaks too. Alan himself will leave shortly for Nepal as well, where he'll be attempting Lhotse this spring.

Among the climbs that Alan recommends keeping an eye on this year are an expedition to the rarely visited North-Northeast Ridge, where Canadian Raphael Slawinski will be joined by Germans David Goettler and Daniel Bartsch to attempt a new route without the use of Sherpas or supplemental oxygen. This side of the mountain has only been scaled one other time, but a Russian team back in 1996. The trio will be going up the ridge along a different path however.

Kilian Jornet's speed attempt on Everest will certainly get plenty of attention as well. His original plans were to make the attempt from the North Side, but Alan's report seems to indicate that is no longer the case. Considering the challenges and uncertainty that come with climbing in Tibet, and the fact that some operators switched sides and cancelled climbs on the North, perhaps Kilian has had to change up his plans as well. That will make things difficult for him, as the larger crowds on the South Side will certainly alter his approach.

Other interesting expeditions on the schedule an attempt to ski the Lhotse Coulair on Everest by Matt Moniz and Wilie Benegas. Alan says the coulair has never been fully skied before, and these two climbers will do it after summiting Everest. British climber Kenton Cool has ambitious plans for the weeks ahead as well. He'll first attempt to summit Everest – something he has done 11 times in the past – before moving on to Kangchenjunga and eventually K2. 23-year old Brit Rupert Jones-Warner will attempt to summit Everest from both the North and South Side, using a helicopter to travel between the two Base Camps on the respective sides of the mountain. Finally, German climbing legend Ralf Dujmovits is returning to Everest once again to attempt to summit without the use of bottled oxygen. Ralf has already climbed all 8000-meter peaks, but feels he has unfinished business on Everest after using O's to summit that peak.

That's the run-down of Alan's suggestions for climbs to watch this spring. Of course, I'm sure there will be plenty of other interesting expeditions to keep an eye on as well. The season is only about to get underway, so there should be plenty of action to come.

Himalaya Spring 2015: Nepal Extends 2014 Climbing Permits for Everest

With the start of the 2015 spring climbing season in the Himalaya fast approaching, we continue to receive a string of important news stories ahead of the arrival of climbing teams. The latest announcement from the Nepali government is that they will now officially honor all of the climbing permits from 2014. You may recall that the climbing season on Everest and Lhotse was cancelled in the wake of a tragic avalanche that claimed the lives of 16 Sherpas there. Since then there has been a great deal of confusion over just how and when the teams that were on the mountain last year could return.

In this latest announcement, the Ministry of Tourism made it clear that they would honor 442 permits issued last year for climbers on Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse. The individual climbers are free to return anytime between now and the spring of 2019, although they must do so with the commercial guide service that they had originally planned to climb with in 2014. Any mountaineers heading to Everest will be forced to pay an additional $1000 which reflects the change in pricing that went into effect this year.

Government officials had previously announced that they would recognize permits from the canceled 2014 season, but had stipulated that all the teams must return together. That meant that if some members of a squad were unable to return as part of the group they would forfeit their permit and be forced to purchase another one. This recent ruling allows individuals to come back at any time.


This announcement isn't without some issues however. Since climbers must return to Nepal with the guide service they had previously signed on with, this ruling could leave some out in the cold. For instance, the Peak Freaks and High Adventure Expeditions have already canceled their climbs for this year, and possibly 2016 as well, while other high profile squads – including Alpenglow Expeditions and Amical Alpin – have transferred their operations to the North Side of the mountain in Tibet. Unless these companies change their operations, their clients from last year may never get an opportunity to use their permits.

Additionally, with the 2015 spring climbing season about to start, more than a few climbers from last year have already signed up to return to the Himalaya. Those individuals will likely have already payed for their impending expeditions, which means they'll probably have to cut through a lot of bureaucratic red tape to try to get their money back from last year. Considering how the government in Nepal operates, those climbers shouldn't hold their breath on ever seeing that money again.

Still, this is good news for the climbers who haven't signed up to return just yet. It has taken months to get to this point, despite the fact that everyone knew this was the right decision all along, but at least there is some hope the mountaineers who had their dreams dashed last season. This isn't the most convenient way to handle the situation, but it is the best that can be done for now.

Climber to Attempt Six 8000 Meters Peaks in a Single Year

We've seen climbers set ambitious goals for the Himalaya before, but Canadian Nick Cienski has set the bar high for 2015. Nick is preparing to launch the 6 Summit Challenge, during which he will attempt to summit six 8000-meter peaks in a single year, a feat that has never been accomplished before.

The challenge will begin in Nepal this spring, where Nick will first attempt to summit Lhotse, the 8516 meter (27,940 ft) neighbor to Mt. Everest. His current plan to top out on that mountain in early May, then descend to Camp 2 where he'll rest before going back up to attempt to summit Everest (8848 m/29,029 ft) sometime around mid-May. After that, he'll descend once again, take a brief rest, and then fly to Base Camp on Makalu (8481 m/27,825 ft) where he'll go for his third 8000-meter peak in as many weeks.

With those three mountains out of the way, and with the summer Monsoon arriving in the Himalaya, Nick will take a much deserved break before returning in the fall for his second set of mountains. He'll use a similar approach as in the spring, first attempting Cho Oyu (8201 m/26,906 ft) before moving on to Shishapangma (8013 m/26,289 ft) and Manaslu (8156 m/26,759 ft). The exact timeline for those climbs hasn't been set just yet, but they should all take place during the stable weather conditions that return to the Himalaya post-Monsoon in the autumn.

Nick is undertaking the 6 Summit Challenge in an effort to raise funds and awareness of Mission 14, a nonprofit dedicated to battling human trafficking around the globe. The 6 Summit Challenge will be used as way to draw attention to this troubling practice, and to help Mission 14 and its partners to work to stamp out the illegal trade of human beings that is all too common in certain parts of the world.

As you can imagine, climbing three 8000-meter peaks back-to-back-to-back in the spring and the fall will be a logistical challenge unlike any other. During both of those time frames there will be three independent teams working on each mountain. Those teams will establish each of the camps, fix the ropes to the summit, and prepare for Nick's climbs. Meanwhile, he'll first focus on acclimatizing on one of those peaks before he launches his summit bids. He will be climbing with bottled oxygen above 8000 meters on each of these mountains, and the logistical support for the expeditions is being handled by the very experienced team from Himalayan Experience.

With the spring climbing season in the Himalaya just a few weeks away at this point, Nick is just one of many climbers getting ready to depart for Nepal. By the first of April, Kathmandu will be crawling with new arrivals as the new season begins to get underway. I'll be keeping a close eye on his progress, and posting regular updates as the season unfolds. Stay tuned for what promises to be a very interesting couple of months once again.

Alan Arnette Officially Announces Lhotse Expedition, Shares Gear For Everest

Back in early January, Alan Arnette announced his intention to become just the second American to climb all 14 of the world's 8000 meter peaks. Having already successfully topped out on Everest, Manaslu, and K2, he will now set his sights on the remaining 11 mountains starting with Lhotse this spring. The initiative is part of Alan's ongoing efforts to raise awareness and funds to fight Alzheimer's, an affliction that he has a very personal connection with having lost his mother to the disease a few years back. To date, his efforts have reached more than 50 million people, and he had raised $250,000 for the Cure Alzheimer's Fund. With Project 8000, he hopes to raise those numbers to 100 million and $1 million respectively.

This spring Alan will travel to Nepal where he'll be attempting to summit Lhotse, the 8516 meter (27,940 ft) neighbor to Everest. In fact, the two mountains are so close that they share much of the same route to the top, as mountaineers go up the Lhotse Face before diverting in separate directions. Much of the climb will be very familiar to Alan, who has spent plenty of time on Everest in the past. This should make his climb a bit easier, as he won't be facing a completely new experience while scaling this Himalayan giant.

Alan will depart the U.S. on March 30 and soon there after he'll begin blogging about his adventure both from the trail, and Everest Base Camp. Throughout the spring, we'll be able to get some very candid and personal dispatches from the climb, which should make for a very enjoyable experience for those that follow along. Alan writes with an engaging style that makes it fun to follow his efforts, and I'm sure he'll keep readers posted about any and all developments on the mountain.

Speaking of Everest, we're now just a month away from climbers setting out for Kathmandu, and in the days ahead they will be frantically packing all of their gear and preparing for the challenge ahead. Just what equipment they bring with them is crucial to their comfort on the mountain, and eventual success on a summit bid in late May or early June. With that in mind, Alan has also written a very interesting blog post about the gear that he takes with him on his expeditions. The story includes his selections for warm sleeping bags, boots, gloves, packs, and more. If you've ever wondered about what gear is best for an Everest climb, than you'll certainly want to give this article a read. He also shared the video below, which is a couple of years old, but also gives us some insights into the gear situation for climbing in the Himalaya.

Fall Climbing Season in Nepal Sees Just 20% Success Rate

It was a rough fall climbing season in Nepal with a lot of mountaineers heading home without a successful summit. According to an article published in the Himalayan Times, expeditions that spent the Autumn in the Central Asian country only had a 20% success rate due to unusually bad weather across the region.

According to the article, there were 1385 foreign climbers, spread out over 183 permitted expeditions on 42 peaks in Nepal last fall. Those mountains that saw teams ranged from Nar Phu at 5921 meters (19,425 ft) to the 8163 meter (26,781 ft) Manaslu. Over the course of the season 242 climbers managed to record a total of 382 summits, with some bagging multiple peaks. Of those, the bulk of the successful climbs came on Ama Dablam and Manaslu, which saw 145 and 114 summits respectively. Furthermore, only Nanga Mari (6547 m/21,479 ft) and Nar Phu saw a 100% success rate with four and nine summits.

The other 8000-meter peaks that saw action in the fall included Makalu (8463 m/27,765 ft), Dhaulagiri (8167 m/26,795 ft), and Lhotse (8516 m/27,940 ft). All three of those mountains turned back all comers, with no teams recording a summit on any of them.

Obviously the poor weather in the Himalaya played a role in this dramatic drop-off in the number of fall summits. You may recall that a massive blizzard hit Nepal back in October, claiming the lives of more than 40 trekkers. That snow storm closed passes and dumped more than a meter of fresh powder in some areas, which hindered both trekking and climbing expeditions alike. Teams on Lhotse and Dhaulagiri in particular were hit hard by the poor weather, which was unusually bad even before the blizzard hit.

Still, this is an incredibly low success rate on many mountains that are often used as tune-ups for the bigger peaks. Traditionally those peaks see solid numbers of climbers reach the top as they build skills and experience for Everest or other Himalayan mountains. The article from the Himalayan Times only offers up the statistics however, and doesn't provide any further insight into why the success rate was so low this year.

We'll have to wait to see if this will become a trend or if the fall of 2014 was an anomaly. But with climate change impacting weather across the planet, it is possible that we could see even more big storms and extremely bad weather in the future too.