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Shisha winter guys: Rebel ambush and TMA on winter climbs
Dec 21, 2004 17: 10 EST
Maoist rebels ambushed a military patrol in eastern Nepal on Sunday, triggering a firefight that left 13 dead including 10 soldiers. In gun battles elsewhere, at least 10 Maoists were also killed, ending the bloodiest weeks in Nepal since the Maoist insurgency resumed in the country. Simone Moro and his team reports straight from the front lines:
"I left my computer and modem behind in the bin. Instead, I’m writing with Piotr’s PC because he’s come up on the roof of the hostel where we’re staying in order to send messages. We’re sentries up here…
Street blockade with a barbed wire and machine gunners lined up
We arrived in Nyalam today. We left yesterday because today there was supposed to be a strike with numerous blockades on the street from Kathmandu to the border.
Unfortunately, although we left yesterday we still had problems half an hour before Kodhari (on the border of Nepal and China). A military street blockade with a barbed wire and machine gunners lined up forced us to wait until the next day to continue.
We were able to sleep in a small private house and eat in a hut for the Nepalese. The block was due to an armed clash with Maoists a few hours prior to our arrival, which had killed 11 people!
Liaison officer refuses to endorse winter climb
This morning we left and passed the “Friendship Bridge,” crossing into Tibet. We met Dawa, the liason officer and Nawang, who was the liaison officer for JC Lafaille. He told us that the French alpinist had arrived in Tibet on the 11th of November.
A few days ago, before returning to Nepal, he gave Lafaille the certificate which proves his climb to the peak at 14:00 on December 11th, but he did not write “WINTER EXPEDITION” even though the Frenchman insisted he write it because he didn’t consider it a winter climb.
Acted with the normal autumn permission
Nawang says that he has 10 years of expedition experience in all 4 seasons and Lafaille’s climb was not to be registered with the TMA (Tibetan Mountaineering Assoc. Ed.note) as a “WINTER EXPEDITION” but as “LATE AUTUMN.” Anyone can contact Nawang at the TMA in order to confirm this.
The French alpinist got his Chinese Visa extended because he only intended to stay 30 days and as he entered Tibet and started the expedition before December 1st, he acted with the normal autumn permission.
With all this news and clarification, added to the scientific one of the world season calendar which says that winter starts the 21st of December, we must consider that Shisha Pangma has never been conquered in winter. Now it’s up to us to see if this climb is possible…..
Bye,
Simone"
Up until now only 7 out of all 14 eight-thousanders have been winter climbed, all located, partially at least, in Nepal. All first winter accents were made by Polish climbers in Calendar winter, from Everest in 1980 to Lhotse in 1988 - the last time someone set foot on a virgin summit higher than 8000m during the winter.
Now, the Polish are back - with an Italian! Simone Moro, Piotr Morawski, Jacek Jawien, Dariusz Zaluski and Jan Szulc will repeat their winter attempt of last year.
Simone Moro, 37, is the driving force behind this current expedition. He has earlier summited Mount Everest, Broad Peak, Cho Oyu and Lhotse. In the summer of 2003, he climbed on Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak and K2 with Denis and an all/star team. He opened a new partial route on the Diamir face of Nanga Parbat, though he did not reach the summit.
This past summer, Simone and Denis, along with Camos, reached the Kali Himal (Black Summit) of Baruntse, also known as the North Summit at 7014m via a new route up the North Face. That climb recently won the URSS championship in the category Hi-Altitude Technical.
After this acclimatization climb, they moved to Annapurna’s North Face. Simone had to turn back for health reasons, but Denis made the summit.
In 1996, Simone reached the N. Summit of Shisha Pangma. He is now attempting to make the first successful classic winter ascent of the peak, climbing via the South Face. Piotr Morawski, one of Simone’s partners, took part in the 2003 K2 winter expedition, led by Polish Krzysztof Wielicki.
Live image "connection from the roof in Nyalam," courtesy Simone Moro.
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