Annapurna (8,091m) summit push
Heavy snowfall has prompted the 8K Expeditions team to descend to Base Camp and delay their summit push. However, three of their Sherpas, plus six Sherpas from other teams, remain on the mountain to finish fixing ropes to Camp 3.
This confirms that until today, it hasn’t been possible to complete the rope-fixing as far as that high camp. 8K Expeditions will wait for the next weather window to restart their summit push.
Adriana Brownlee’s tracker.
Seven Summit Treks seems to have decided differently. Adriana Brownlee’s tracker shows that she went up from 5,070m to 5,461m earlier today. She may be with Gelje Sherpa, and other clients are reportedly there too.
Brownlee is currently near Camp 2 in poor weather. Camp 2 is usually a bit higher, at 5,500 to 5,600m, but it is a small, confined perch. They may also be at this lower location because of avalanche risk.
Juan Pablo Sarjanovich, who canceled his attempt on Annapurna, wrote today that climbers have progressed more slowly than they anticipated. Furthermore, the weather worsens on Tuesday, with more snow in the forecast. Getting weather-bound in the higher camps is a particular danger for those without bottled oxygen.
Avalanche and serac exposure, along with technical difficulty, make the route from Camp 2 to Camp 3 very dangerous. Tomorrow, April 18, we should know if the Sherpas managed to fix the ropes to Camp 3. Whether the climbers near Camp 2 will return to Base Camp or not should also become clear.
Dhaulagiri (8,167 m) summit push
Sito Carcavilla, 83-year-old Carlos Soria, and their six (!) Sherpas are at Camp 2 on Dhaulagiri, according to Desnivel. They report stable weather and good conditions and aim to summit on April 19.
Tomorrow, April 18, they plan to reach Camp 3. According to Soria, the six Sherpas accompanying the Spanish pair are: Mikel (leader), Nigma Sherpa, Nawang Sherpa, Nigma Tenjen Sherpa, Dawa Sherpa, and Dorjee Sherpa. Soria climbs with supplemental oxygen.
Sito Carcavilla and six Sherpas are accompanying Carlos Soria on Dhaulagiri. Photo: Carlos Soria
Kangchung Nup, North Face – summit push begins shortly
Takeshi Tani and Toshiyuki Yamada of Japan are aiming for the first ascent of the North Face of Kangchung Nup (6,090m). Yesterday, Yamada reported that they struggled to cross the glacier but have finally set up their advanced base camp. They have been on the move for eight days. In a couple of days — maybe even Monday, April 18 — they will begin their summit try.
Shortly, Takeshi Tani and Toshiyuki Yamada start their summit push up the unclimbed North face of Kangchung Nup. Photo: Toshiyuki Yamada
Makalu (8,463m)
The Alpenglow team has already reached ABC, and climbers have started their acclimatization to 5,800m. Other teams are still trekking to Base Camp.
Makalu. Photo: Karl Egloff
Everest and Lhotse
Climbers are finally arriving and will start their acclimatization rotations in the next few days.
This spring, there are 262 permits for Everest (8,848.86m), while 94 permits have been issued for adjacent Lhotse (8,516m).
The Khumbu Icefall, Everest (left), and Lhotse (in the background). Photo: Jonathan Griffith
Kangchenjunga
Kangchenjunga (8,586m) has 67 climbing permits.
Horia Colibasanu, Marius Gane, and Peter Hamor have already started their acclimatization by moving up to Camp 1 at 6,000m. If they will feel good and the weather holds, they will continue up to Camp 2 (6,400m), and sleep there.
Kangchenjunga from Gangtok. Photo: Johannes Bahrdt
According to the Department of Tourism, as of April 17, Nepal has issued a total of 740 permits for its mountains to climbers from 70 countries. Among these, 583 are males and 155 are females. The U.S. has the highest number of climbers, with 117.
