Video: Flying a Snowmobile Off a Mountain in Sweden

What do you get when you add a para-sail to a snowmobile? Why, a flying snowmobile of course. That's exactly what the team in this video did, and then they flew it off of a mountain in Riksgränsen, Sweden. The results pretty much speak for themselves. This is definitely a good shot of adrenaline for a Monday!

Winter Climbs 2015: It's Over On Nanga Parbat

The winter climbing season came to an end this past weekend when the international team of mountaineers on Nanga Parbat called it quits. The squad, which consisted of Spaniard Alex Txikon, Italian Daniele Nardi, and Pakistani Muhammad Ali Sadpara, had put themselves in a position to become the first men to summit that mountain during the winter. But a navigational error on Friday kept them from reaching the top, and after that the health of Ali became the primary concern for the team, which struggled to get back down the mountain.

After spending most of last week working on their summit bid, the team was exhausted from their efforts. Still, they managed to climb up to Camp 4, located at 7200 meters (23,622 ft), which put them into position to make a push towards the top on Friday. They set off at 2 AM in the dark, and climbed as high as 8000 meters (26,246 ft) before they realized that they had missed a turn that would have taken them to the summit. With no way to proceed upwards, they elected to durn back to C4, where they would rest and have another go at the summit on Saturday.

But that second attempt on the summit would never come. That night, Ali began exhibiting signs of altitude sickness and his teammates knew that they had to get him down from the mountain. The Pakistani climber was suffering from a severe headache, dizziness, and incoherent speech, which are all indicators that something was seriously wrong. Rather than trying to reach the top, the team now needed to descend as quickly as possible.

That descent would not be easy however. Ali was able to move under his own power, but he was moving very slowly and clumsily. Worse yet, the route down from C4 to C3 was not in good condition, and the trio had to down climb without the use of fixed ropes. It was a treacherous situation, but fortunately they were able to reach Camp 3 safely.


From there, things improved, and they were able to connect up to fixed ropes to take them down to Camp 2. By that point, Ali was beginning to show signs of improvement, as the reduced altitude started to take the pressure off from his altitude sickness. The fourth member of the team, Muhammad Kahn, also came up to assist with the descent.

Apparently Ali's disorientation from altitude sickness began on summit day, but Alex and Daniele were not aware of the situation until it was almost too late. The Pakistani has summited Nanga Parbat twice, and so he was leading the team up the mountain when they were making their summit bid. But because he was disoriented, he missed the navigational cues that would have allowed them to go to the top. The other two member of the squad were unaware of this error until it was too late, and once they returned to C4, it became apparent that Ali was in trouble. Earlier signs that were an indication that something was wrong included Ali attempting to wear a sock as a glove, and his inability to answer questions about his age and family.

Fortunately, the entire team is back in Base Camp now and resting a bit before they leave the mountain. Ali is said to have improved dramatically, and should be back to full health as they continue their descent.

This ends the winter climbing season for another year, and once again both Nanga Parbat and K2 remain unclimbed during that season. Now, the mountaineering community will take a brief break before turning its attention to Everest and the spring climbing season in the Himalaya. In about two weeks climbers will begin arriving in Kathmandu and things will start to get very busy there once again. For now, though it is the calm before the storm, with plenty of action to come in the very near future. Stay tuned!

Winter Climbs 2015: Nanga Parbat Team Reaches Camp 3

The summit push continues today on Nanga Parbat where the four man team of Alex Txikon, Daniele Nardi, Muhammad Ali Sadpara and Muhammad Kahn continue to move up the mountain. The squad has now reached Camp 3 located at 6700 meters (21,981 ft), but reaching that point was not easy as high winds had put the entire expedition in jeopardy. Fortunately, things seem to have calmed down now, and they are rapidly putting themselves into position to have a crack at the top, and possibly making history.

The team had intended to set out for C3 straight away this morning with the hopes that it would only take them a couple of hours to move up the mountain. But incredibly high winds (60-70 km/h - 38-42 mph) buffeted their tent all night, preventing them from getting sleep, and keeping them in place for a few extra hours. For a time, it looked like those winds would prevent them from going any further, but eventually they began to subside, and the foursome was able to move up from C2 to C3 in just five hours. They are resting there now as they begin to think about moving up to Camp 4 tomorrow, which will put them in position to go for the summit this weekend.

As you can imagine, the team is keeping a close eye on the weather forecast which now calls for cloudy conditions and precipitation, but much lower winds. Temperatures are expected to be very cold, although that is the norm on just about any 8000 meter peak in winter. The climbers are prepared for those conditions and are ready to push on towards the summit if they can. Moral continues to be high with the squad, but exhaustion is a real challenge at this point. The entire group has worked incredibly hard to reach Camp 3, but are determined to move on from here.

If everything stays on schedule, the team will reach C4 tomorrow where they'll assess the weather once again, and decide when to push on towards the top. It is possible that they could elect to take a rest day at Camp 4 to regain some strength for the final summit push, although that will likely be determined by the forecast. It may be that there simply won't be time for the luxury of day off, and they'll need to get up and back down as quickly as possible. If they do manage to summit, this will be the first ever winter ascent of Nanga Parbat, which would leave K2 as the only unclimbed 8000-meter peak in winter.

Stay tuned for updates. This summit bid has been the first legitimate attempt all season long, and it looks like it has a real chance of succeeding. We'll know more soon enough.

Winter Climbs 2015: Team in Camp 2 on Nanga Parbat, Summit Bid Continues

Things are going according to plan on Nanga Parbat, where the four remaining climbers are in the midst of a summit bid and have now reached Camp 2 at 6100 meters (20,013 ft). Yesterday, the team of Alex Txikon, Daniele Nardi, Muhammad Ali Sadpara and Muhammad Kahn spent ten hours climbing up the most technical section of the ascent in order to reach the next camp. Now, they've put themselves in a position to possibly make history, although the weather has not quite improved the way they had hoped.

When they set off from Camp 1 yesterday the climbers first had to wade through deep snow on their way up the Kinshoffer Wall, a technically demanding climb that was made all the more difficult because the fixed ropes were buried under several meters of fresh snow. That made for tough going for the early stages of the climb, but as they went higher the amount of snow on the mountain lessened, and by the time they were approaching C2 there was just a few centimeters of powder on the ground. That bodes well for conditions higher up on the mountain, and lessens the chances of an avalanche, but as they arrived in Camp 2, they also saw an increase in the winds, which could be problematic moving forward.

The weather forecast has indicated that conditions should be improving over the next few days, with a good weather window developing into the weekend. Whether or not that proves accurate remains to be seen however, and considering this will be the team's final attempt at completing the first winter ascent of the mountain, a lot is riding on that forecast being accurate.

After spending the night in Camp 2, the plan is to proceed up to C3 today. The team's dispatches indicate that they are exhausted from their efforts, but that moral is high and they are as determined as ever to reach the summit. If the make it to C3 as expected, they'll then climb to C4 tomorrow, potentially take a rest day if the weather permits, and then go for the summit on the weekend. A lot of pieces need to fall into place before that happens however, and for now the squad is taking each day as it comes.

At 8126 meters (26,660 ft) in height, Nanga Parbat is just one of two 8000 meter peaks that have yet to be climbed in winter, with the other being K2. This season there were no less than five teams attempting to become the first climbers to complete that winter ascent, and of those, these four men are all that remain. It has been a very long, and difficult, winter on Nanga, and next week that season will draw to a close at long last. This team can hear the clock ticking on their efforts, and they know that this is their last chance to make history. We should know in another day or two if they are going to be able to complete the expedition, but until then it is a very tense time on a mountain that has a reputation for being incredibly difficult during just about any season.

Good luck to Alex, Daniele, and the two Muhammads as they enter the final stages of the expedition. Get up and down the mountain, and home safely.

Winter Climbs 2015: A Weather Window Opens on Nanga Parbat

It appears that the plan for a late-season summit push on Nanga Parbat may be paying off. Yesterday I reported that climbers Alex Txikon, Daniele Nardi, Muhammad Ali Sadpara and Muhammad Kahn had launched an attempt to reach the top of the 8126 meter (26,660 ft) Himalayan giant, and while they were only in Camp 1 at the time, the hope was that the weather would turn in their favor and give them an opportunity to complete the first winter ascent of the mountain. Now, the forecast for the coming days has come in, and it appears that they'll get exactly the conditions they need to make a legitimate summit bid at last.

According to reports, a good period of weather should descend on the mountain beginning today and lasting for as much as five days. That includes clear skies, low winds, moderate temperatures, and no snow. This is a complete turn around over the weather the four climbers had been enduring for the past two weeks, and will be a welcome respite from the relentless weather conditions they have faced for much of the time that they have been on the mountain.

The plan had been for the team to attempt to push upwards to Camp 2 yesterday, but with the weather remaining poor, they decided to survey the route a bit, and then return to C1 for some much needed rest. On Sunday the four men spent 11 hours climbing up to Camp 1 at 5050 meters (16,568 ft), where they discovered their tents were buried under heavy snow. They spent another couple of hours rebuilding their campsite before they were finally able to drag themselves inside their shelters. This led to a much needed rest day yesterday that has allowed the squad to recharge their batteries and prepare for the next phase of the expedition.

Today the group hopes to move up to Camp 2 as the weather conditions continue to improve. If all goes well, they'll then go to C3 tomorrow and C4 on Thursday, which will set them up for a final push to the top on Friday or Saturday. The good weather is expected to last at least into the weekend, which means their success should hinge on how physically fit and strong they are feeling over the next few days, and whether or not the conditions along the route will allow them to proceed upwards. Heavy snow could still create avalanche dangers, which could still scrub the attempt as well.

This will be the teams final attempt on the summit. With the winter season running low, they no longer have the supplies, strength, or time to have another go. At this point it is either make history, or go home. Over the next few days, we should find out exactly which one it will be.

Winter Climbs 2015: A New Summit Push is Underway on Nanga Parbat

With the winter climbing season quickly coming to an end, the international team of climbers who have joined forces on Nagna Parbat have launched another summit bid. The four-man team launched what will likely be their final attempt to complete the first winter ascent of the mountain yesterday as the weather forecast calls for improvising conditions in the days ahead.

The team of Spanish climber Alex Txikon, Italian Daniele Nardi, and Pakistanis Muhammad Ali Sadpara and Muhammad Kahn set out from Base Camp yesterday afternoon on skis and snowshoes. A storm had dropped a foot of fresh snow the night before, which made the trail a difficult one. It took the squad approximately 10 hours of nonstop climbing to reach Camp 1 at 5050 meters (16,568 ft), where the exhausted team quickly collapsed in their tents for a nights rest.

Today they hope to press on to Camp 2. This section of the climb is one of the more challenging ones, and with so much snow on the route it promises to test the team once again. But the forecast says that they should see sunshine and clam winds, so hopefully that will help contribute to their success.

If all goes according to schedule, the team hopes to be in position to make a real attempt at the summit by the end of the week. At this point they'll need not only the weather to cooperate, but conditions on the upper sections of the mountain to stabilize as well. With so much fresh snow on the mountain the chances of avalanche increase dramatically, and that could be the biggest obstacle that they'll need to overcome in order to have a real chance at reaching the top.

The official end of winter comes in a little more than a week and a half. If the team is turned back on this summit push it would be unlikely that they would have enough time to regain their strength and make yet another attempt. They've put all of their efforts into this bid, and it is probably the best chance they have had since the season began. Whether or not Nanga Parbat will allow them to top out remains to be seen, but we could be about to witness history in the making.

Stay tuned for updates throughout the week.

Winter Climbs 2015: Resupply on Nanga Parbat Extends Expedition

It has been very long season on Nagna Parbat, where one team continues to struggle with the mountain in an attempt to complete the first winter ascent of that peak. An aborted summit attempt last weekend sent the three Iranian climbers that had been a part of the international expedition home, while Spanish climber Alex Txikon, Italian Daniele Nardi, and Pakistani's Muhammad Ali Sadpara and Muhammad Khan remain with the faint hope of getting another chance to summit. But time is running low, the window for success becomes narrower with each passing day.

A few days back the team ran out of some of the more important food staples including eggs, flour, and sugar. Kerosine for the generators is also starting to run low as well, but fortunately the team is expecting the weather to clear enough today for a group of porters to shuttle up a resupply to Base Camp. The squad has been stuck there all week with a steady downpour of snow bringing an accumulation of more than five feet (1.5 meters) over the past few days.

For now, the four climbers are content to see wait for Mother Nature to provide them with one last weather window before the official end of winter arrives on March 21. That is still more than two weeks away at this point, so the hope is that perhaps early next week conditions will improve enough for them to head back up. Considering how much snow has fallen in recent days however, they may find the trail above them to be nearly impassable. Climbing through such deep snow is exhausting work at any altitude, but on an 8000 meter peak it is excruciating. All of that snow will also lead to instability on the upper flanks of the peak, which means avalanches become a greater threat as well. When the weather does improve, the team will want to wait a few days just to let things stabilize before they proceed up.


Meanwhile, over in Nepal Simone Moro and Tamura Lunger have been officially evacuated from Manaslu. As I wrote in a post yesterday, the duo called for a helicopter pick-up after an avalanche nearly struck Base Camp. But I erroneously reported that the two climbers would be heading home to start thinking about projects for the spring climbing season instead. Stephen Nestler says that instead they will travel to the Khumbu Valley and continue to climb and acclimatize before returning to Manaslu in a few weeks time. Apparently their permit is good for 75 days, and they still hope to complete their goal of summiting the mountain via Manaslu East, a 7992 meter (26,220 ft) sub-summit that will eventually take them to the 8167 meter (26,794 ft) main peak.

That climb will now come in the spring however, after the weather conditions have improved, and the heavy snows on the mountain have had a chance to melt away. Until then, Simone and Tamara will continue to work on their conditioning in preparation for the re-launch of the expedition.

The winter season is quickly coming to an end now. I'll continue to monitor the situation on Nanga Parbat for any developments.

Winter Climbs 2015: Simone Moro and Tamara Lunger Abandon Manaslu Climb

It looks like Simone Moro and Tamara Lunger's attempt to summit Manaslu in winter is over before it ever really got a chance to get underway. Reports indicate that the duo have called for an evacuation from the mountain following a very close call with an avalanche yesterday. They'll now head home and regroup of potential spring expeditions in the Himalaya instead.

The two climbers arrived on the mountain on February 20 with good weather welcoming them to Base Camp. This allowed them to quickly establish Camp 1 and begin scouting the route. Soon there after however the weather too a turn for the worse, with heavy snow falling over the past few weeks. In fact, Simone and Tamara spent much of their time simply shoveling snow to keep the area around BC clear.

Yesterday, while resting in their tent, they heard a deep rumble above them and knew that an avalanche was taking place it swept down the mountain, bringing five meters of snow with it, just outside of their campsite. That close call was enough of a sign to tell them that the mountain is no longer safe, and that it is time to go home.

At the moment, the two climbers are stranded in Base Camp. It is unsafe for them to descend on their own, as the danger of further avalanches is too high. They have called for a helicopter to come pick them up, but the weather is so poor that it is impossible to fly. It could be another day or two before they are evacuated from the mountain, depending on the weather.

This leaves just the team on Nanga Parbat struggling to summit an 8000-meter peak this winter. That squad is back in Base Camp as well at the moment following a failed summit bid this past weekend. Whether or not they make another attempt at the top of that mountain remains to be seen, with the weather ultimately dictating their chances.

Winter Climbs 2015: Bad Weather Thwarts Summit Bid on Nanga Parbat

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

While I was off climbing the tallest mountain in Africa, the combined international team of Alex Txikon, Daniele Nardi, and their Iranian and Pakistani companions have continued to work very hard on completing the first ever winter ascent of Nanga Parbat. Overt he weekend, the team launched a summit bid at last, but true to form, bad weather set in, forcing the entire squad to return to Base Camp, with at least a few of the climbers deciding to head home.

According to a report from ExWeb, the team abandoned their summit push on day two after finding the route was altered dramatically by a recent snowstorm that dumped plenty of powder on the mountain. The mountaineers were able to proceed above Camp 1 but discovered waist-deep snow and encountered several small avalanches, which convinced them it was time to turn back at 5300 meters (17,388 ft).

With unstable conditions prominent on Nanga Parbat at the moment, Alex and Daniele have decided to wait for another weather window before attempting a second summit push. Exactly when that attempt will begin remains a mystery at this time however.

Discretion being the better part of valor, the Iranian team consisting of Reza Bahadorani, Iraj Maani and Mahmood Hashemi have decided that Nanga is simply too unsafe to proceed this year. After surveying the intended route up the mountain, the trio have elected to pull the plug on their expedition and are now preparing to head home. With excessive amounts of snow and the growing threat of avalanche danger, they feel that it is simply too unsafe to proceed.

Meanwhile, over on Manaslu, Simone Moro and Tamara Lunger are stuck in Base Camp as they wait for the weather to clear as well. They arrived on the mountain amidst good conditions a few weeks back, and were quickly able to establish Camp 1 at 5220 meters (17,125 ft), but since then the weather has taken a turn for the worse, preventing them from moving upwards. Heavy snows continue to fall on the mountain, making it very difficult to proceed.

For each of these winter climbs the click is now ticking. With the calendar now officially turned to March, there are just three more weeks of winter remaining. That is plenty of time to launch another summit bid on Nanga Parbat, but on Manaslu conditions are going to have to be exactly right for Simone and Tamara to have a crack at the top. Their late start has put them behind schedule, and now it seems unlikely that they'll get the chance to actually make a summit push. Of course, anything can happen, and three weeks is still plenty of time, but the weather will have to stabilize dramatically for them to have a true chance.

Stay tuned for more updates soon.

Winter Climbs 2015: Teams Back in BC, Simone Moro Set to Begin

All of the teams on Nanga Parbat are back in Base Camp today after spending time on the upper flanks of the mountain at the end of last week. The weather remains dicey at the moment, and the climbers are all taking advantage of the poor forecast to rest and recuperate before heading back up once again.

Alex Txikon and company returned to BC on Friday, and have been there all weekend. Before heading back down to rest, the team managed to go as high as Camp 2, where they shuttled gear and supplies, while also fixing ropes up the Diamir Face. Alex reports that as they went higher, the snow began to disappear and was replaced with blue ice instead. That, combined with more difficult terrain and the combined fatigue of climbing for several days, slowed progress. After dropping supplies in C2, they elected to descend to rest and let their bodies acclimatize further.

Alex is joined on his expedition by two local climbers – Muhammad Ali "Sadpara" and Muhammad Kahn. Their group has also joined forces with an Iranian squad consisting of Reza Bahadorani, Iraj Maani and Mahmood Hashemi. The combined team now expects to spend much of this week in Base Camp as they wait for a long enough weather window to climb up to Camp 3 or possibly go for the summit. Currently the forecast doesn't indicate that that will happen anytime soon, so they will try to wait patiently.

Meanwhile, ExWeb is reporting  that Italian climber Daniele Nardi has also retreated to Base Camp after attempting to climb up along the Mummery Rib. He had hoped to make a summit bid this weekend, but his home team reports that he has descended even though Daniele has not posted an update to his website just yet. Reportedly just 15 minutes after he set out from Camp 3 an avalanche struck the campsite, destroying his tent in the process. With no tent to provide shelter on his way up and down, Nardi wisely elected to head back down. Where his expedition stands at the moment remains to be seen.


In other news, Italian Simone Moro is preparing to leave for the Himalaya this week to launch his late winter climbing expedition. This news comes via Stefan Nestler's regular mountaineering and adventure sports news column. At this point, we still don't know what Simone has planned for the weeks ahead, and he says he prefers to keep it quiet for a few more days, at which time he'll finally reveal his project.

The very accomplished mountaineer also told Nestler that he had expected the Russian team of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval to complete the first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat. Now that they have left the mountain for home, Moro says that he wouldn't rule out making another attempt at putting up that first ascent himself next winter, provided none of the remaining climbers are able to do it this year. Simone has attempted Nanga in the winter on two previous occasions, getting turned back each time. It is possible we could see him back there next winter.

That's all for now. We'll wait to see what Simone has planned in a few days time, and I'll continue to keep an eye on the teams on Nanga Parbat as well. For now though, it looks like they won't be going anywhere for at least a few days.

Winter Climbs 2015: Russians Depart Nanga Parbat, Daniele Preps For Summit Bid

There is more news to report from Nanga Parbat today, as the Russian squad that has been climbing the mountain has pulled the plug on their expedition. The team returned to Base Camp a few days ago after a summit bid stalled due to bad weather. The team began packing their gear and is now preparing to head home.

The news of the Russian team's departure came via a text message to the Russian Climb website. That message reads as follows:

"Today exactly 45th day as we left St. Petersburg, and, unfortunately, the time for our expedition runs to the end. The mountain is clear at last, for the first time in two weeks, but there're still snow flags on the top due to the strong wind. We pack BC and are going down."

Over the course of their month and a half on the mountain they were able to climb as high as 7150 meters (23,458 ft) before being turned back due to high winds. Since descending they have reported continued bad weather, although things are expected to gradually improve in the days ahead. Unfortunately for the four-man squad of  Nickolay Totmjanin, Serguey Kondrashkin, Valery Shamalo and Victor Koval, time has run out and they must now return home. 

Meanwhile, over on the Daimir Face, Alex Txikon and company have found it tough going on their way up to Camp 2. They have struggled to make progress in a speedy fashion due to deep snow along the route. The men had hoped to reach C2 yesterday, but unfortunately they came up just a bit short. The squad, which also consists of local climbers Muhammad Ali "Sadpara" and Muhammad Kahn, as well as a trio of Iranians (Reza Bahadorani, Iraj Maani and Mahmood Hashemi), had reached 5800 meters (19,028 ft) along the Kinshofer Route before having to call it a day. They hope to establish Camp 2 at 5900 meters (19,356 ft) today and possibly continue up to Camp 3 depending on conditions. 

Italian climber Daniele Nardi is going it alone on the Mummery Rib. According to his latest dispatch he reached Camp 3 at 5600 meters (18,372 ft) yesterday and will attempt to continue up the route today. The forecast indicates good weather for the next two days, with a bit of snow on the weekend. If those conditions hold, Daniele hopes to be in position to make a summit bid on Sunday. 

Finally, shifting gears to the spring climbing season ahead, Spanish mountaineer Carlos Soria has announced his plans for the Himalaya, and they are ambitious ones. The 76-year old climber doesn't appear to be slowing down any, as he now plans to climb both Annapurna and Dhaulagiri in a few months time. In fact, he intends to leave for Nepal next week, and will spend his time trekking throughout the country to begin his acclimatization well ahead of the start of the climbing season. He then says that he and his team will go to Annapurna early on to scout the mountain well ahead of time. Later he will proceed to Dhaula to continue his quest to summit all 14 of the 8000 meter peaks. 

Good luck to Carlos in this endeavor. He remains an inspiration to us all. 

Winter Climbs 2015: Russians in Camp 4 on Nanga Parbat

Last week I posted that the Russian team of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval has launched a summit bid on Nanga Parbat, although it was unclear then where exactly they were on the mountain. Over the weekend we received new updates, courtesy of Russian Climb, that indicate that the men are now in Camp 4 and are waiting out a bad storm with the hope of pushing towards the top in the next few days.

According to their most recent updates, the team is sitting in C4 at 7150 meters (23,458 ft), which puts them about 975 meters (4000 ft) below the summit. That final push to the top will be a tough one even in good weather, but the latest dispatches also indicate that they are currently experiencing 100 km/h (62 mph) winds, along with a roaring blizzard and extreme cold. Those conditions are expect to persist through Tuesday, with a period of relative calm arriving shortly there after. Forecasts indicate that the winds will then drop to about 50 km/h (31 mph), which will still make things challenging. Visibility is also said to be almost zero at the moment as well, although that will certainly improve to a degree if the winds drop as expected.

If the weather does indeed improve over the next few days, the Russians could attempt to reach the summit later this week. They'll have to hurry though, as ExWeb indicates that the chances of success on Nanga go down after the first week of February due to a general deterioration of the weather and the onset of fatigue. Almost every previous winter expedition to the mountain had abandoned their attempts by the start of March, and 85% of those attempts reached their high point by February 10.

Over on the Diamir Face, the three teams that are attempting that route are all currently holding in Base Camp. Conditions are not any better on that side of the mountain, and the recent arrival of the Iranian squad, as well as Alex Txikon, means that they are just getting themselves established on the mountain. As the weather improves, those teams will start their acclimatization efforts.

Meanwhile, Italian climber Daniele Nardi is ready to go up, but is currently waiting for the winds to die down and the snow to settle. Apparently there is a high probability of avalanches at the moment, and until the recent snowfall settles it is too dangerous to proceed.

For now, it looks like the Russians are the team that is in the best position to complete the first winter ascent of Nanga. We'll just have to wait to see if they get the weather window they need to proceed up. Stay tuned for further updates soon.

Winter Climbs 2015: Summit Push Begins on Nanga Parbat

The last time we checked in on the teams on Nanga Parbat they were hunkered down in Base Camp waiting out poor weather. Reportedly high winds, heavy snow, and extremely cold temperatures had fallen on mountain, and there was nothing they could do but wait for a weather window. Apparently conditions have started to change, as the Russian squad on the Rupal Face has now launched a summit bid.

According to Russian climb the team of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval sent an SMS message sent earlier in the day indicating that they have started to go back up the mountain. The message was short, and to the point, simply saying "We begin to climb up." That text message follows one sent yesterday that indicated that the team had re-opened the route  the route from 3600 meters (11,811 ft) to 4600 meters (15,091 ft). That section of the climb was no doubt choked with snow from the recent storms.

Previously we knew that the Russians had established a series of camps up to 7100 meters (23,293 ft). That would put them within striking distance of the 8126 meter (26,660 ft) summit, although there is still a great deal of altitude to be gained in that push. If they hope to put up the first winter ascent of Nanga, it will still require a herculean effort on their part, no to mention a prolonged break in the weather.

You may recall that earlier in the season Polish climber Tomek Mankiewicz and his climbing partner Elisabeth Revol from France, were able to reach 7800 meters (25,590 ft) but were turned back du to high winds. We'll just have to wait to see if the Russians have more success.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that Spanish climber Alex Txikon has reached Base Camp on the Diamir side of the mountain. He arrived there a few days back, and like everyone else he is waiting for the weather to clear. He has established his campsite and is preparing to head up the mountain – along with climbing partners Muhammad Ali Sadpara and Muhammad Kahn. No word yet on when they'll begin their acclimatization rotations, but I'd expect that to start happening soon.

Finally, there has been no recent updates from Italian climber Daniele Nardi, who is probably in BC at the moment as well. He has completed his acclimatization rotations and should soon be ready for a summit bid of his own. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and he can launch his bold solo attempt.

That's all for now. I'll post more news as warranted.

The Best Gear of Winter Outdoor Retailer 2015

The 2015 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market gear show wrapped up this past weekend. The bi-annual event attracts the biggest gear companies in the world to show off their latest and greatest products, most of which won't arrive on store shelves until this coming fall. As usual, there were a host of interesting products on display, some of which were even truly groundbreaking. In fact, there was so much good stuff to see, that the Gear Junkie had to post his best of show selections in two different articles.

In Part 1 of his "Best of Show" round-up we get a look at a super-comfortable looking new hiking boot from Hoka, an avalanche air-bag system from The North Face, and a versatile new crampon developed by Black Diamond. There is also an ultra-light hammock from Eno, and a new moveable goggle lens design from Julbo, amongst other products.

Part 2 of the "Best of Show" round-up introduces us to a charger for our smartphones that provides power from a candle, as well as a new shoe from Under Armour that incorporates the tread from a fat tire mountain bike. There is also a cool device called the Fogo that incorporates a GPS device and two-way radio into a 1000-lumen flashlight. There is also a new battery pack for your GoPro courtesy of Brunton which not only provides a 400-lumen light, but promises to keep your camera running for 24 hours.

This is just a small taste of the gear that GJ highlighted from the show, and what he spotlights is just a tiny fraction of all of the items that were unveiled at Outdoor Retailer. Some of what was unveiled there will be arriving in your favorite gear shop soon, but much if it is slated for release in the Fall/Winter of 2015. This gives you plenty of time to start saving your pennies for that one item you need to complete your gear closet.

Winter Climbs 2015: No Progress on Nanga Parbat

Poor weather has arrived on Nanga Parbat, stalling out climbing efforts on that mountain, where no less than four teams will be trying to complete the first winter ascent. The notoriously difficult peak has already sent one team home this year, and now it is looking to repel all-comers once again. But there is a little less than two months to go in the season, and teams aren't ready to give up just yet.

We'll start with an update on the team that has departed Base Camp. Polish climber Tomek Mankiewicz is now in the town of Gilgit where he is receiving treatment for an injured leg and broken ribs that he suffered as a result of a fall down a crevasse while making his descent following a summit push. He also has severe frostbite in his toes, which may need to be amputated. He will likely spend a few more days there before he starts his journey home. 

Meanwhile, Tomek's climbing part Elisabeth Revol is already back home in France. There was a bit of confusion in the report about her departure last week, as it wasn't clear if she had left BC for home or had gone back up the mountain to try another summit push. It is now more than clear that she has returned home, doing so without even saying goodbye to the other teams in Base Camp. In a post-climb interview with ExWeb Elisabeth says that she now believes that the mountain is unclimbable for the winter, as poor wether has set in. She and Tomek spent 10 days trying to reach the top and were turned back. With that weather window now closed, she feels that there won't be another one for this winter, which is why she decided to leave.  

Italian climber Danielle Nardi remains in Base Camp on the Diamir Face and is waiting for the weather to clear so he can go back up the mountain. With his acclimatization now complete, he is also ready to stock his high camp with supplies and potentially press on towards the summit. But it has been snowing for several days now, and hurricane-force winds have arrived on the mountain, making it impossible for anyone to climb at the moment. Everyone is stuck in BC and waiting for a weather window to open. 

Over on the Rupal Face, the Russian team of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval have not updated their progress for a few days. The last we heard, they had climbed up to 7100 meters (23,293 ft) as they established camps up the side of the mountain. Presumably they are back in BC as well and waiting for their opportunity too. 

Finally, two new teams are set to arrive on the Diamir side soon. Alex Txikon, along with two local climbers – Muhammad Ali Sadpara and Muhammad Kahn – should reach Base Camp within the next few days, while the Iranian squad of Reza Bahadorani, Iraj Maani and Mahmood Hashemi are a few days further back. They'll arrive on a mountain that is now displaying the full challenges of climbing during the winter season, and it won't be a warm greeting. 

Video: Winter Climbing on Nanga Parbat

As I write this, there are no less than four teams on Nanga Parbat who are attempting to complete the first winter ascent of that mountain. If you've been following their progress over the past few weeks, and have wondered what life is like in the Karakoram in the winter, then have a look at this video. It was shot on 2012-2013 winter expedition tot he mountain, and it will give you a good idea of hat conditions are like there, as well as what it is like to live in Base Camp for days at a time. The music in this clip is a bit much for my tastes, but the images are amazing.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: ExWeb Has Details on Nanga Parbat Summit Push

Last week, climbed Tomek Mankiewicz and Elisabeth Revol caused a bit of a stir on Nanga Parbat when they went up the mountain and were out of contact for ten days. There was concern for their safety, since they were only carrying a satellite phone and hadn't bothered to call in to update anyone on their progress. Now, we know that both of them returned safely to Base Camp, although Tomek suffered a fall on the descent that has ended his expedition early. The duo have also shared information about their time up high on the mountain, including some details about their aborted summit attempt that were shared at ExWeb.

Tomek and Elisabeth were able to climb up to 7000 meters (22,965 ft) with little difficulty. It was there that they established Camp 4, and prepared to make a final push towards the top. At the time, they were feeling very strong, and the weather conditions were good. So, they set off with a high degree of optimism thinking that they could be the first team to climb Nanga Parbet in winter. Unfortunately, they underestimated the distance to the summit, and were forced to turn back to C4 to rest, eat, and rehydrate.

Still feeling strong, they elected to have another go at the summit on the following day. They left their tent at 3:00 AM local time and started heading up. By 11:00 AM they had reached 7800 meters (25,590 ft), but the weather conditions had taken a turn for the worse. By that point, high winds were buffeting the summit, making it impossible to go any higher. With the weather deteriorating rapidly, they decided to turn back and head down to Base Camp. It was then that the accent occurred.

As mentioned previously, the climbers had to cross a snow bridge on their descent. Elisabeth, being the lighter of the two, managed to cross without problems, but Tomek's heavier weight caused the bridge to collapse, sending him 40 meters (131 ft) down into a crevasse. His partner was able to help pull him out, but he suffered broken ribs and hurt his leg in the fall, bringing an end to his expedition. The duo were able to slowly ascend back to BC, but it was a painful experience for the Polish climber, who now reports that he also has six frozen toes that he hopes won't need to be amputated.

As of yesterday, Tomek was on his way from Base Camp to the town of Gilgit where he can receive medical attention. According to Daniele Nardi, he is in a lot of pain, but in good spirits. Daniele also reports that Elisabeth has already left BC without saying goodbye, but it is unclear whether or not he means that she is going back up the mountain for another summit attempt, or if she is heading for home. We'll have to watch for further updates to on her status.


Daniele is back in Base Camp at the moment and is resting for his next push up the mountain. With his acclimatization efforts wrapped up, he is now ready for a summit push of his own. He is simply waiting for a good weather window before moving up.

Elsewhere, the Russian squad on the Rupal Face has made progress. The team is currently back in BC resting after establishing their high camp at 7150 meters (23,458 ft). They report that all is well, and they are preparing for a summit push of their own as soon as the weather permits.

Finally, the last two teams for Nanga Parbat should be arriving in BC on the Diamir Face sometime in the next few days. Alex Txikon and his local climbing mates Muhammad Ali Sadpara and Muhammad Kahn are expected there tomorrow or Saturday, while the Iranian team of Reza Bahadorani, Iraj Maani and Mahmood Hashemi should finally get to Islamabad today, and hit the trail for Base Camp. These two teams are apparently sharing a permit and logistical duties while on the mountain.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: Alex Txikon Heads to Nanga Parbat Too!

As if there weren't already enough teams attempting Nanga Parbat this winter, you can throw another name into the hat for those who could potentially achieve the first winter ascent of that 8126 meter (26,660 ft) mountain. After being denied a permit to climb K2 from the Chinese side of the mountain a few weeks back, Spanish climber Alex Txikon will now travel to Pakistan to give Nanga Parbat a try as well.

According to reports, Alex set out for Pakistan yesterday, and provided he clears customs without any problems, and gets his logistics sorted out quickly, he should be on his way to Base Camp within a day or two. He will not be joined by his K2 teammates however, as both Denis Urubko and Adam Bielecki have moved on to other projects. Instead, he'll climb with two old friends who are local climbers. Txikon will be joined by Muhammad Ali, who has already climbed Nanga twice in the past, and has topped out on all but one of the 8000-meter peaks. He lacks only K2 to complete that line-up. The other climber is Muhammad Kahn, who has also climbed Nanga Parbat in the past, and has reached the top of Gasherbrum I and II, as well as K2. Their experience on the mountain should prove invaluable in the days ahead.

The team will attempt the Diamir Face, but which route they'll take to the top remains to be seen. Alex says he'll wait until he is in BC where he can scout the route before deciding which way he wants to go up. He expect to be in Base Camp by Friday, and has dedicated two months to this expedition.



Meanwhile, after not hearing anything out of climbing partners Tomek Mackiewicz and Elisabeth Revol for ten days, Daniele Nardi finally reports that they are safe and descending the mountain. The word of their whereabouts came via Elisabeth's husband Jean Christophe, who received a text message from her back home in France. The duo will return to BC for rest while they ponder their next move. The weather is reportedly quite good on the mountain at the moment, but they simply didn't have the energy or oxygen to push towards the summit. Tomek has now gone as high as 7200 meters (23,622 ft), and he and Elisabeth have established all of their camps up to C4. If the weather continues to cooperate, they may be ready to attempt a summit push in the near future.

After discovering his climbing mates were safe, and on their way back down, Daniele has decided to move back up the mountain too. He went up to Camp 2 over the weekend while he continues to acclimatize and prepare for his own summit bid in the days ahead.

There has been no update on the Russian team that is attempt to summit from the Rupal Face. The last reheard, that team was on its way up to continue fixing ropes and carrying equipment to their high camps. They will undoubtedly stay at altitude to acclimatize and get as much work done as they can while the weather remains favorable.

That's all for now. More updates from Nanga Parbat soon.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: Lonnie is Off Denali, Team Drama on Nanga Parbat

We're barely two weeks into 2015, and it has already been an historic year for winter climbing. With Lonnie Dupre's successful summit of Denali, he has now become the first person to climb that mountain solo in the month of January when it is the coldest, harshest days of all. Meanwhile, over in Pakistan, the three teams currently on Nanga Parbat have pressed forward, while a fourth squad continues to try to clear logistical hurdles.

We'll start with an update from Denali. After reaching the 6168 meter (20,237 ft) summit this past weekend, Lonnie was able to make the descent back to Base Camp with little difficulty. Retrieving his gear as he went down, Dupre managed to return to BC on Wednesday, where he had hoped for a quick airlift back to Talkeetna to start his celebration. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate, and even though two planes took off to retrieve him and his gear, neither of them were able to land Kahiltna Glacier due to high winds. With the mission to retrieve him aborted, he was forced to settle into his tent for one more night and wait for calmer weather.

Yesterday, the conditions were much more conducive for the aircraft, they were able to land and retrieve the mountaineer/polar explorer from his chilly campsite. Lonnie is now safely back in Talkeetna, where he is thawing out and relaxing, while enjoying sharing his tales of the climb with the locals. His website promises more updates on the summit push, as well as video from the ascent too. Stay tuned for that post, as I'm sure it'll be quite the tale.

Over on Nanga Parbat there seems to be a bit of a drama brewing between Italian climber Danielle Nardi, and his campmates Tomek Mankiewicz and Elisabeth Revol. Tomek and Elisabeth departed Base Camp a week ago to establish several higher camps, and have apparently decided that they are now going to attempt to push up towards the summit. They have made this decision without consulting Danielle or without being in communication at all, as they are traveling with just a satellite phone. In a post to his website, Nardi has said that the cooperative expedition is now over due to this lack of communication between the teammates, although he says he will continue to provide support for Tomek and Elisabeth out of a sense of obligation for their safety.


It seems that the trio of climbers had planned on working more closely with one another on their eventual summit bids than was previously thought, and now Danielle feels that he has been left out of those plans. The lack of updates from Tomek and Elisabeth – who refused to take a radio with on their ascent – has left Nardi to read about the duo's progress on the Internet, rather than hearing directly from them. Considering they had planned the project together, it now seems as if he is the one who has been left behind.

As for their part Tomek and Elisabeth have now established Camp 4 at 7000 meters (22,965 ft) amidst fluctuating weather conditions. High winds have been buffeting the mountain over the past few days, although very little snow is reported on the Diamir Face. The forecast is expected to improve over the weekend however, and the two climbing partners may take the opportunity to move up even higher. So far, they are happy with their progress and can see a good line to the summit, but the blisteringly cold conditions are making it very tough. (Update: It now appears that the two climbers will go down from Camp 4 to BC. How this will impact future plans remains to be seen.)

On the Rupal side of the mountain, the Russians team of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval have started their second rotation up the mountain. They had been back in BC at the beginning of the week where they were resting and waiting out the weather. On Wednesday they started back up the mountain but there have been few updates on their progress ever since. Presumably they are heading put to stock Camp 2 and possibly press on to C3 as the weather permits.

Finally, ExWeb is reporting that the Iranian team that had hoped to be on Nanga by now has hit a snag with Pakistani immigration. Apparently there have been some issues with their visa, and the squad is trying to work through the situation so that they can proceed with their expedition. Hopefully they'll get over those bureaucratic bumps soon, and can proceed to Base Camp.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: Lonnie Dupre Summits Denali!

The winter climbing season is barely underway, and we already have our first successful summit of the new year. Yesterday, polar explorer and mountaineer Lonnie Dupre reached the top of Denali in Alaska, bringing an end to his quest to climb the highest peak in North America in January, the coldest, harshest month of the year on that mountain.

On Saturday, Lonnie's home team updated his status indicating that he had reached 17,200 feet (5242 meters) on the mountain, which would put him within striking distance of the 20,237 foot (6168 meter) summit. Better yet, the weather forecast indicated that a period of excellent weather would cover the area for the next few days, creating the best summit window that Lonnie has seen during his winter visits to the mountain. It is not uncommon for temperatures to drop to -50ºF/-45ºC on Denali in January, and winds can blow at speeds of over 100 mph (160 km/h). In the past, those conditions have prevented him from summiting, but that wasn't the case this time.

Yesterday another update was posted to Lonnie's website, this time indicating that the team had received a SPOT GPS signal from the summit of the mountain. Lonnie had reached the top at approximately 2:08 PM local time, and while I'm sure he took a little time to enjoy the view, he was soon heading back down the mountain. Another SPOT update later in the day indicated that he has descended back to his high camp at 17,200 feet, where he is likely still resting now. He'll continue his descent today, and will likely be off the mountain in a few days, provided the weather continues to hold.

The successful solo-summit of Denali brings an end to a quest that Lonnie has been on for the past five years. This was his fourth attempt at climbing the mountain in January, and this time all of the variables came together in a proper fashion. Hopefully the weather will cooperate for just a bit longer, as the decent can be a treacherous one as well. He won't breathe easy until he has made it safely back to Base Camp. From there, he can call in a flight to come pick him up, and the celebration can truly begin.

Look for Lonnie to post his summit report once he is safely off the mountain and back in BC. I'm sure he has plenty of good insights to share.

Congratulations to Lonnie on completely this challenge. Get down safely!