09:24 pm CDT Apr 05, 2009
Himalaya is filling up with hopeful mountaineers. It was a different story a few months ago, with only four 8000-er winter attempts in Himalaya and Karakoram combined. Two teams truly stuck it out, and last week ExWeb checked in with both for debrief interviews.
In other news; as rare as Himalaya winter climbs; the two full-trip North Pole expeditions are getting a break at last, and no open water yet. Speaking of water; last week ExWeb ran an interview with the only ocean rower alive today to have crossed the Indian Ocean singlehanded.
Bill Burke's Everest traverse question mark "If things change, and I can obtain North side and traverse permits, my original plan for a single traverse will be right back on track,” reported Bill early last week, in that case going with Bud Allen, from Georgia. As for the change needed; some reports had it that the Tibetan border might let up after this weekend.
“Alberto San Martín, who originally hoped to climb Cho Oyu, was unable to get a climbing permit and thus has joined us on Manaslu instead,” reported Carlos Pauner.
Altitude Junkies: bad economy impact They have a strong team this year, with several members having climbed an 8,000-meter peak before, but a handful had to postpone their Everest and Lhotse climbs last minute, due to concerns about their job security during the present shaky economy, Phil Crampton led Altitude Junkies reported.
No O2 Everest climbs: Nobukazu Kuriki will attempt Everest from its North side, on his own, and without supplementary O2 Japanese contributor Yusuke Hirai told ExplorersWeb. Romanian Alex Gavan sent word he is planning to climb Everest south side without supplementary O2 and so is Norwegian Jarle Traa, also as an independent climber.
Mexicans Yuri and Laura reported from Kathmandu: “Things are not easy here: water supply is scarce and there are power blackouts 16 hours a day – we have a head-lamp at hand all the time.”
Peak Freaks: Lukla airport closed Led by Tim (“Timalaya”) Rippel, team Peak Freaks was stuck Friday after all flights had been cancelled due to high winds and thick fog for two days. "Kathmandu appears to be quiet this year compared to 2008," the team added.
Lhotse Italian Simone La Terra and Spanish Xavi Arias are two additions for Lhotse.
Minarik, Kopold & Elisabeth Revol on Annapurna Czech Martin Minarik and Slovak Dodo Kopold are already progressing on Annapurna’s south face, together with French Elisabeth Revol. The three are acclimatizing before considering an attempt on the Bonington route, in alpine style, according to Revol.
Kangchenjunga: Polish Kinga Baranowska will attempt Kangchenjunga, as member in K2 Magic Line leader Oscar Cadiach’s Spanish team. In addition to the Spaniards, a Korean team is headed for the peak, led by a Miss Oh, Liz Hawley told Edurne Pasaban.
Winter Broad Peak: ExWeb's interview with Artur Hajzer, "you just have to have much bigger balls in winter" This past winter, Polish veteran climber Artur Hajzer, fellow Robert Szymczak and Canadian Don Bowie fought a prolonged battle against the brutal elements on Broad Peak until finally forced to give up. ExWeb checked in with expedition leader Artur Hajzer for a debrief interview.
Winter Makalu debrief interview with Denis Urubko, "we were in the right place at the right time" Early morning February 9 phones were jumping at ExWeb: Italian Simone Moro and Kazakh Denis Urubko had summited Makalu at around 2 pm local time. Back in Moscow last week, RussianClimb's chief Lena Laletina sat down with Denis Urubko for an extensive, 2-part interview about the major climb.
Arctic wrap-up: John and Tyler, and Lonnie, Stuart and Max who started from land crossed 85°N and are going well. John and Tyler said the terrain became better, although all types are still reported, “from mountains of rubble to huge ice boulders of the bluest ice to the flattest of the flat - but no open water." The two Peary-Henson teams reported their first open water, but they were able to cross them on skis or to ski around them; no swimming or canoeing. The ice runway of Barneo airdrome is ready and accepted several technical flights on 29 March, reported the organizers to ExWeb.
Mongolian dogsled expedition Belgian Bert Poffé and his Spanish wife, Kiki Nárdiz, together with Frenchman Joël Rauzy and his Mongolian wife, Bayana, will embark on a dog sledding expedition around Lake Khuvsgul in Mongolia in April. The team also plans to climb Munkh Saridag peak, they told ExplorersWeb.
Hogan crossed Baikal Hogan Beernaert crossed Lake Baikal in Siberia and spent 34 nights on the ice. He is now back in Belgium.
ExWeb interview with Simon Chalk, "every stroke gets you one stroke closer" The Indian Ocean has been rowed single-handed/unsupported only twice; in 1971 by Swedish Anders Svedlund and in 2003 by Brit Simon Chalk. This year, a rowing race will take place on this vast body of sea. Organized by Simon, the WoodVale Indian Ocean Rowing Race starts April 19. It is a distance of approx 3550 nautical miles, making it the longest rowing race in the World. ExWeb caught up with Chalk for an interview about the event and his own ride leading up to it.
Sarah Outen update: off again Following a week on Aussie soil, with her boat in quarantine, British ocean rower Sarah Outen set off again on 1 April to resume her bid to become the first woman to row solo across the Indian Ocean, after a first attempt nearly ended in disaster when strong currents threatened to sweep her into the treacherous Southern Ocean.
HumanEdgeTech heads-up to Himalaya climbers about Thuraya issues Climbers in Nepal are experiencing problems related to SMS, refills and registration to the Thuraya network. The sat comm company last week acknowledged problems with its no. 2 satellite and the problem seems to be extending over several weeks. Check in at ExWeb for the report and possible fixes.
Read these stories - and more! - at ExplorersWeb.com
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