Simone has been using his Everest BC downtime to fly rescue missions around Himalaya. Image by Simone Moro, courtesy www.simonemoro.com
From here to there. Simone's previous camp: on Nanga Parbat only a few months ago. The winter virgin climb fell through this time. Image by Simone Moro, courtesy Simone Moro
Denis Urubko, Simone Moro and Cory Richards celebrating the climb that won them the 2011 ExplorersWeb Best of Award. Following the first winter ascent of Gasherbrum II, Cory joined Conrad Anker for an attempt on Everest west ridge but was airlifted for health concerns. Today Anker aborted the attempt, citing dangerous conditions. Image by Alex Txikon, courtesy Alex Txikon/ ABC GI winter team
Posted: May 16, 2012 06:46 pm EDT (Newsdesk) Italian Simone Moro has done it all. The rock climbs, the virgin walls, and a record number of 8000ers climbed in winter for the first time. Recently he took a heli license for another dream: flying rescues in Himalaya.
This spring Simone plans to climb Everest and Lhotse, both, in one go. Simone will try to reach the South Col, then climb Everest without O2, next climb Lhotse along his regular climbing mate's Denis Urubko's route (again without O2) and finally descend down the normal route.
With all the commotion this year on the south side, and now at least one of the west ridge expeditions folding, what's Simone's take? ExplorersWeb checked in with him early this week to find out.
ExplorersWeb We hear you have been airlifting people from BC. What's been going on?
Simone This year I spent all my free time here in BC flying as pilot or copilot, doing rescue on several mountains (including Everest), evacuating an expedition from Annapurna (Carlos Soria team), airlifting people to Makalu and so on.
So instead of resting in my tent I used the time to do what I like to do and what will be my job here for some months each year. Tomorrow (ed note: Tuesday) I should do another extreme long line mission on Tencghanboche, taking down 2 dead bodies lying there already for 1 year.
ExplorersWeb There's lots of commotion with Russ leaving, how is the rope situation?
Simone The rope situation is good. Of course when a big and experienced team like Russel leaves things have to be reorganized and coordinated. But other good teams have continued the work. In any case, I always respect decisions and that includes Russel's.
ExplorersWeb You'll need lines in place both on Everest and Lhotse, with the job being late, what is your plan?
Simone Honestly I planned a late attempt so the ropes should be there. But I climbed Lhotse in 1994 and 1997 without fix ropes (of just with few meter of them) so I'm not so worried about the technical aspect. I'm more worried about my stamina. Climbing Everest and Lhotse together will be so hard and exhausting.
ExplorersWeb Brice said the Lhotse wall and icefall have been unusually dangerous this year. You've been there quite a few times, do you agree?
Simone For sure this is a very dry and strange season. The icefall was very dangerous early on. It looks safer now. But just this morning (ed note: Monday) a huge avalanche fell into it from Everest shoulder so... The rocks I saw falling from Lhotse late April were huge and many but it looks much better now. All I can say is that year over year it looks a bit dryer to me.
ExplorersWeb What is the general feeling around camp right now in terms of summit push?
Simone Summit push has started. The 18th and 19th will be the first summit days. I will go for the second round that should be around the 25th...
More on Simone: check out this fresh interview at PlanetMountain.
Interview: Patricio Tisalema about speed-climbing Everest, "I will ask for permission to pass"