Posted: Mar 12, 2009 12:13 pm EST
(MountEverest.net/K2Climb.net) "Word is that some of the climbing media plan to gang up on Simone Moro" a contributor told ExWeb a couple of years ago.

We didn't pursue the claim, but it sure seemed from headlines and articles that although Simone had been transparent and followed established Himalaya winter rules; most favor during the Shisha Pangma controversy was with the secretive JC Lafaille.

Late last year, a climbing editor told us, "I'm not all that impressed with Simone."

"Why is that," we asked, "new routes, winter climbs - isn't that something to consider?"

"Nah," the editor shrugged his shoulders.

Makalu and Beka Brakai Chhok

Then came Simone's Makalu winter ascent early this year. Simone had hoped to return to Broad Peak in Pakistan (which he had attempted in winter for two years straight) but when the Polish/Canadian team announced their plans for the mountain, Simone rerouted for Nepal Himalaya.

Together with Denis Urubko, Simone bagged Makalu's first winter summit, yet when a statistician noted (at ExplorersWeb) that only Simone and Jerzy Kukuczka have done two first winter ascents of an 8000er within full Calendar winter, another statistician - without objecting to the actual fact - cried that ExWeb was favoring Simone.

A skilled rock climber, last year Simone made a first ascent of Beka Brakai Chhok, in alpine style. Simone's original goal was a first ascent of Batura II (7762m) but he abandoned the peak when it became known that a Korean team planned to scale it in expedition style.

Seems that nothing the Italian does will please parts of the climbing community. ExplorersWeb never encountered Moro as being untruthful, or unethical even about his climbs; yet now the Beka Brakai Chhok expedition is being questioned. A few days back, following email arrived at ExplorersWeb: "The middle is the highest summit. Moro went to the south summit. Heichel knows it. Jerzy Wala knows it. Moro knows it."

So what's that all about? ExWeb asked Simone, and here goes his reply.

Due diligence

"After 29 years of attempts, I honestly thought that now was the time to speak about my historic first winter Makalu summit with Denis Urubko and not to have the surprise to know that someone is accusing me of 'lying'."

"In this world everything is possible and everybody can make a mistake, especially when exploring and writing about new areas and summit faces."

"I attempted Beka Brakai Chhok south for 3 reasons:
1. Because it is a very nice peak, probably the most beautiful of that glacier,
2. because it had been attempted 3 times before along the same face,
3. and because all the information and maps that I have, indicated Beka Brakai Chhok South as the highest of the 3 separate Beka Brakai."

"I'm not a geologist or a scientist, and for this reason I usually trust the maps and the accurate books available on the market. This is why I consulted Wolfgang Heichel's book and various maps all indicating the same information. I'm attaching some of the maps and info that I had and trusted, to make it easy to understand that I was careful in looking for the correct information."

"Also when at the summit of Beka Brakai I had the impression to be on the highest of the 3 different and independent summits as confirmed by the maps."

Wrong measurements not evidence of climbers' lies

"Should someone discover and demonstrate that Beka Brakai Chhok south is not the highest point; it would still hardly mean that Simone Moro and Herve Barmasse are liars, but simply that all the actual published information is wrong and that all
the previous attempts also fall in the same mistake category, trusting honestly in the published information."

"The same thing could happen for the Nuptse summits, Lhotse summits, Shisha Pangma, Broad Peak and many others
peaks should wrong measurements of the summits be discovered."

"So I gently ask for respect not only for myself, but also all the serious people who explored, researched information, wrote books and created maps of this area and other mountains and valleys."

It’s time to explore, not fight

"Should new facts come to light proving that the current data is wrong; no other drama is needed than for others to scale the two remaining peaks (which still remain unclimbed); offering the same great adventure of the south summit which too can be repeated, enjoyed and evaluated."

"I hope that my explanation and documents explain the situation and base for our statements about our climb and the mountain."

It's time to explore; not to fight, attack, accuse, and defame. The value of a mountaineer is not based on a single climb but on his entire career, ethics, and honesty. All well known climbers know each other and have a clear idea about what we are saying, what we did and what we can do."

"After 40 expeditions all over the world in all seasons and in all styles, I think that it is quite clear who I am, how I climb and what I have climbed. I always wish (and push) for mountaineers to go and dream independently of collections, awards, records and appreciations."

This could happen on a main as well as a secondary peak, known or unknown, on a small or a big mountain, in summer or winter, solo or in groups."

"Too often, parts of the vertical community are wasting time exploring what others are doing, saying, and thinking - instead of what they themselves should do and work for. Judging others in front of a PC or TV-set is easy. It also makes avoiding failure easy, but it removes chances of the success and real action that I and Hervè enjoyed on Beka..."

Simone Moro, 41, has done a total of 40 expeditions during the last 16 years. Some of his high altitude achievements include the first winter ascent of Shisha Pangma (8027m); the first winter ascent of Makalu (8462m); a traverse of Everest (8848m) south-to-north side, with summit at 3.15 am and descent to base camp in only 5 hours; a number of new lines such as on the north face of Baruntse; a number of winter ascents and speed climbs on major mountaineering peaks. A difficult attempt on an Everest-Lhotse traverse together with Denis Urubko ended in the successful rescue of a young climber gaining Simone a number of awards for true, climbing spirit.

Simone did the first ascent of Beka Brakai Chhok (6940 m) this past summer, in pure alpine style and a 43 hours roundtrip.

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