11:33 am CDT Sep 12, 2008
(MountEverest.net) Yes it's that time of the year again! Here goes the first edition of the brand new 2008 Everest and Himalaya fall list of expeditions.
In 2006, Chinese soldiers shot Tibetan kids trying to leave their country over Nangpa La pass, very close to Cho Oyu. A climbing guide who spoke up was threatened by two commercial expedition leaders.
This spring, the Chinese closed not only Everest, but Tibet entirely to climbers and foreign journalists. And last month, several outfitters requested from ExWeb for their names to be removed from pro-Tibet stories; they had learned competitors used the articles to get them kicked out of China.
Now the Chinese have opened Cho Oyu again, but restricted permits. Field Touring Alpine (new in town) got one, and also reportedly Dan Mazur's Summit Climb plus IMG - who have no less than two teams listed. Himex is unconfirmed.
Nepal takes it all
Regulars such as Alpine Ascents, Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness are reportedly not going to Cho Oyu this fall, and many commercial teams are offering Ama Dablam or Baruntse instead, while others (including some of the large ones) are headed for Manaslu where around 20 expeditions are expected according to some reports.
Interestingly enough, no teams have either been announced for Shisha Pangma yet. Seems this will be an all-out Nepal climbing season; with quite a few very hard climbs coming up.
Here goes the list:
Everest
Korean Park’s SW face expedition
Korean Park Young-seok is back for Everest’s SW face. In his first attempt last year, Park’s close friends Oh Hee-joon and Lee Hyeon-jo perished in an avalanche. Now the Korean 14x8000ers summiteer is back, leading a team of 11 climbers.
Skydive Everest
After a successful skydive from 16,000ft at Shyanboche in May, High and Wild have received permit to hold the first ever Skydiving program in front of Mt Everest this October/November.
Kangchenjunga
“Vikings” Eriksson and Aamot’s sky-ski expedition
Swedish Fredrik Eriksson and Norwegian Jörgen Aamot hope to climb and ski down Kangchenjunga's south-west face in the first Swedish/Norwegian ascent of the peak and the first ski descent of its (very steep) slopes ever.
They plan to acclimatize in the area before launching a four-day summit push without supplementary oxygen or high altitude Sherpas.
Annapurna
Jean Troillet’s Annapurna South expedition
Swiss Jean Troillet is headed for the infamous Annapurna south face together with Martial Dumas, Jean-Yves "Blutch" Fredriksen, Kobi Reichen and Sébastien Devrient (camera).
Dare to Dream Annapurna North expedition
American Everest Summiteers Tonya Riggs and Brad Clement are attempting Annapurna, by the French route on the north side. “Tentatively, we will be attempting the Dutch Rib route,” the team also stated.
Makalu
House, Anderson & Prezelj for Makalu’s west face
Piolet d’Or winners Steve House, Vince Anderson and Marko Prezelj are setting their sights on Makalu’s difficult west face.
Jesús Calleja
Spanish Jesús Calleja is climbing Makalu, assisted by 5 Sherpa and Emilio Valdés on camera.
Manaslu
Nives Meroi & Romano Benet
Teaming up with regular climbing mate Luca Vuerich, the Italian couple is back in Himalaya, this time for Manaslu.
Edurne + Al Filo de lo Imposible Spanish Expedition
Once again teaming up with Al Filo de lo Imposible's Antonio Perezgrueso, Ignacio Delgado, Esther Sabadell, Ferrán Latorre, Mikel Zabalza, Asier Izagirre, Alex Chicón and Juanjo Garra - Edurne Pasaban hopes Manaslu will become her 11th 8000er.
Juanito Oiarzábal’s Alava expedition
The 22x8000ers summiteer is leading a bunch of homies from Alava to Manaslu; the Basque climbers' original goal of Cho Oyu was scrubbed after the climbers were unable to get a climbing permit.
Serbian Manaslu expedition
Dragan Jacimovic is leading a large team on Manaslu. Members are Nina Adjanin, Dejan Apostolovic, Dragan Celikovic (Expedition Dr.), Aleksandar Rasin, Zoran Mitrovic, Muhamed Gafic, Miralem Husanovic, Zdenko “Veki” Veljacic, Zdenko Maric, Simona Pogac, Marko Salvic, Dragan Bulatovic, and Milan Radovic.
Stephan Kecks
Austrian Stephan Kecks is climbing Manaslu together with Wolfgang Bartl, Martin Sutterlüty and Josef Felder.
Richard Hidalgo
Peruvian Richard Hidalgo is attempting Manaslu in a preparatory climb for Everest next year.
Rosa Fernández
Spanish Rosa Fernandez also switched from restricted Cho Oyu to Manaslu.
Amical Alpin Manaslu 2008 expedition
Mathias Nössig is leading nine climbers from Germany, Austria, Czech Republic and Switzerland on Manaslu. The expedition has two high altitude Sherpas, but no supplementary O2.
Project-Himalaya/Altitude Junkies
The two outfitters have joined forces for a Manaslu expedition led by double-Everest summiteer Phil Crampton. Also members are Guntis Brands, Valerie Parkinson and Stuart Smith, plus climbing Sherpas Tarki Sherpa and Pasang Gombu Sherpa.
Kari Kobler
The Swiss outfitter has launched a Manaslu expedition led by Reiner Taglinger.
Cho Oyu
Spanish and Italian Cho Oyu expeditions
Spanish Isabel Asensio, Vanesa Ortega, Nicolás Durán Jiménez and Arturo Díaz Herrero, from Spain’s Extremadura region, are attempting Cho Oyu via its normal route. Italian Nicola Campani, Daniele Corsini, Fabrizio Silvetti, and Fausto Sassatelli claim they will climb Cho Oyu's normal route in alpine style and without O2.
Field Touring Alpine Cho Oyu 2008 expedition
The Australian outfitter has been granted a permit to launch a commercial expedition on Cho Oyu this fall season.
Leader Stu Remensnyder and Assistant Guide Ben Kane are leading Kit Dickson, Justin Moody, Guy Higgott, Guy Leveille, Italo Mazza, Lyngve Skrede, Erik Haugen, Ian Hibbert, Antonin Calzarossa, and Rob Baker. BC manager Ryan Castel; climbing Sherpas Rai "Tsering" Parsu Ram and Lakhpa Sherpa.
IMG
International Mountain Guides have two climbing permits for Cho Oyu:
Team one is led by Olivia Cussen, plus two private guides; Ben Kurdt and John Race. Members are David Rice, John Dahlem, Ryan Dahlem, Monica Rimai, Hamish Walton, Vladimir Grechka, and Robert Meyer.
Team 2 is led by Michael Hamill. Members are Christian Bergum, Louis Carstens, Theodore Fairhurst, Nathan Dolbeare, Alfred Schumer, Paul Garry, Michael Chapman and Karel Masek.
Summit Climb
Owner Dan Mazur is leading the Summit Clima expedition on Cho Oyu. The large team comprises a second guide (Finnish Sam Mansikka), four leaders-in-training (Argentinean Max Kausch, Australian Gavin Turner and Americans Erik Petersen and Michiel Zuidweg), and 19 international members: Squash Falconer, Suzy Madge and David Fairweather from UK; Finnish Marko Aho, Heikki Kallio, Pertti Kalliola, Mikko Valanne and Raimo Koponen; Americans Kurt Blair, Ron Cloud, Gary Kellund, John Pando, Vik Sahney and Keith Spencer; Australian Tom Clarke; Dutch Willem Leendertse; Italian Federico Rota, and Polish Krzysztof Wasowski.
Himex?
Himalayan Experience announces a Cho Oyu expedition to take place from Aug 28 to Oct 07. Confirmation and updates are still expected.
Godspeed climbers - please email corrections and additions before final edit Monday.
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