Alex Txikon and Simone Moro are already together on Manaslu. Jet-stream winds are still high on the upper part of the mountain, but otherwise, a long, stable weather window should allow them to head up the mountain in the next few days.
Dhaulagiri summit push this week?
In fact, the jet stream may be lifting, since David Goettler and Herve Barmasse finally flew to Dhaulagiri’s Base Camp today. High winds had kept the helicopters grounded until now. After two weeks in the Khumbu Valley, they are acclimatized and ready to launch a single summit push up the mountain as soon as conditions are right. This could happen later this week.
David Goettler arrived at Dhaulagiri’s Base Camp today. Photo: David Goettler/Instagram
In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Barmasse explained that they had opted for Dhaulagiri because they couldn’t get a climbing permit for Nanga Parbat. Txikon and Moro had also invited the pair to join them on Manaslu, but the climbers preferred to go to a mountain they could climb in alpine style, rather than join a traditional expedition-style team on a partially fixed route.
Annapurna was another option for them. But while Dhaulagiri is more difficult and colder, it is safer than the always-dangerous Annapurna.
Cho Oyu: Go up or go home
Conditions should be improving as well on Cho Oyu. Here, the team led by Gelje Sherpa has been in Base Camp, waiting out the wind. They reached Camp 3 two weeks ago but lost some essential gear cached in Camp 1 during the gales.
Kristin Harila on Cho Oyu’s South Side. Photo: Kristin Harila/Instagram
The climbers seem not to have made a decision yet about whether to proceed without that gear. If they choose to go up, they could try a summit push right away. If so, it will be a long one. The team will have to fix the upper part of the mountain (a difficult rocky face) and set up one or two more camps on the way.
