In the early hours of Wednesday morning, the Climbalaya team left their tents at 7,100m and set off toward the summit of Shishapangma.
“We’re hoping for the best [but] there’s so much wind,” Viridiana Alvarez texted via her InReach satellite device. Around noon, Nepal time, Alvarez’s tracker put her at 7,700m.
[A note on times: Although currently in Tibet, the climbers might still use Nepal time, which is more coherent with daylight. Despite its size, China only has a single time zone: China Standard Time, GMT+8]
Viridiana Alvarez’s tracker put her at 7,781m at 12:15 pm, Nepal Time.
Just one team on the peak
The Climbalaya team is the only expedition on Shishapangma this season, so they will have to break trail and carefully select their route from several options. They might follow the summit ridge across Shishapangma’s central summit (8,008m) and traverse the sharp ridge to the highest point. Alternatively, they might take a more direct route up the couloirs on the upper part of the face.
Alternative routes to Shishapangma’s main summit from Camp 3. Photo: Edurne Pasaban
Alvarez’s tracker suggests the team has chosen one of the more direct routes.
The team comprises Kristin Harila, Viridiana Alvarez, Sophie Lavaud, Matias Myklebust, Pemba Tenjin Sherpa, Pemba Tenjing Sherpa, Chhiring Wanchu Sherpa, Ngima Rita Sherpa, Tenjen Sherpa, and team leader, Mingma Sherpa.
