No one can question Carlos Soria’s dogged commitment. Now on his ninth attempt at Dhaulagiri, the 79-year-old patiently waits at Base Camp for a weather window that will allow his summit push.
Soria descending from Camp 1 (5,700m). Photo: Carlos Soria
Soria completed his acclimatization on April 24 with a rotation up to Camp 2 at 6,450 meters. Thanks to the hard work of 14 Sherpas on two different teams, the fixed ropes have all been laid. The route is ready.
Unfortunately for Soria, the weather has yet to cooperate. Soria reports that “the mornings are clear and we enjoy beautiful dawns. But over the course of the morning, clouds build, leaving our Base Camp covered with snow every afternoon.”
Afternoon clouds building. Photo: Carlos Soria
And so he waits. To keep fit, Soria walks extensively at the foot of Dhaulagiri, wondering if this ninth time will reward his patience eventually.
Previous / Links:
Carlos Soria, 79, Returns for a Ninth Attempt at Dhaulagiri
Top 7 Expeditions in the Spring 2018 Himalaya Season
About the Author
Martin Walsh
Martin Walsh is a freelance writer and wildlife photographer based in Da Lat, Vietnam.
A history graduate from the University of Nottingham, Martin's career arc is something of a smörgåsbord. A largely unsuccessful basketball coach in Zimbabwe and the Indian Himalaya, a reluctant business lobbyist in London, and an interior design project manager in Saigon.
He has been fortunate enough to see some of the world. Highlights include tracking tigers on foot in Nepal, white-water rafting the Nile, bumbling his way from London to Istanbul on a bicycle, feeding wild hyenas with his face in Ethiopia, and accidentally interviewing Hezbollah in Lebanon.
His areas of expertise include adventure travel, hiking, wildlife, and half-forgotten early 2000s indie-rock bands.
