Himalaya wrap-up: Shisha climbers shocked by Piantoni's fate, Miss Oh's Annapurna summit push ahead, Manaslu teams heading home
Italian Roby Piantoni, 32, died on Shisha Pangma's south face earlier today. Image of the brave climber courtesy of his website (click to enlarge).
Korean On Eun-Sun plans a summit push this upcoming weekend. Image of Miss Oh courtesy of Black Yak (click to enlarge).
It's over for Guillaume Hintzy on Manaslu - all remaining teams are aborting their attempts due to bad conditions. Image of Guillaume some weeks ago courtesy of his website (click to enlarge).
11:21 am CDT Oct 15, 2009
(MountEverest.net) “I'm not a bull-fighter; I don't want to die in the ring.” Packing up, Edurne Pasaban reflected on her decision when minutes later she was stunned about Roby Piantoni, perished on the very same face she had just renounced to climb.
Meanwhile on Annapurna, Korean Oh Eun-Sun prepares to set off on a second summit push in spite of the gale, while Manaslu climbers are throwing the towel in and heading home.
Shisha Pangma – south side
“Winds picked up to nearly 100km/h at altitude today,” Edurne Pasaban told ExplorersWeb earlier today. “A summit bid in such conditions would have been irresponsible, with zero chances of success at an unbearably high risk."
"I can’t help thinking of bull-fighters – many of them say they want to die in the ring. That's not me, I want to die old.”
Al filo de lo Imposible’s home team released the sad news about Roby Piantoni’s accident on Shisha’s south side. All climbers in BC are reportedly in deep schock, while Italy’s climbing community mourns the loss of their young climber, who apparently took a fatal fall on an icy section while on a summit push up Bonington’s route early morning today.
“We are headed home, it's the only sensible option left for us, but we will return,” Pasaban said, adding also that Jean Troillet launched a solo attempt on the face yesterday but was forced down at about 7,000 meters by the tough conditions.
Annapurna
Korean Oh Eun-Sun is gearing up for a second summit push on Annapurna, this weekend. “Should everything go to plan, Miss Oh would attempt the summit on Tuesday or Wednesday,” Black Yak told ExWeb’s correspondent Kyu Dam Lee.
According to reports, Miss Oh and possibly other Korean climbers are currently checking conditions in C1 and C2.
Manaslu
“It snowed heavily for over six days – over five feet of fresh snow piled up and thus put an end to our summit hopes,” Guillaume Hintzy reported. “We have tried everything. But on a mountain like Manaslu, known for its high risk of avalanches, venturing up in these conditions is reckless. No sherpa would have joined us. Moreover, the return of good weather comes with a strong high altitude wind.”
“The last two teams present in Base Camp - one Mexican, one French - are going home too,” Guillaume added.
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