The second cyclone to hit Nepal’s mountains this season caused heavy snowfall last weekend, but its briefer stay has affected climbers and trekkers less. As the sun returned this afternoon, fresh snow hampered smaller teams on 6,000m and 7,000m peaks, but the highly supported expeditions on Ama Dablam are proceeding with barely a hitch.
No cyclone seems enough to deter the Russian team on Everest for very long. Leader Andrei Vasiliev told us yesterday from Kathmandu that he, Sergey Kondrashkin, and Vitaly Shipilov will return to the mountain in one or two days. The trio is well aware of the challenge they face on Everest’s West Ridge, completely alone and without oxygen.
The climbers’ latest foray up Everest’s West Ridge route. Photo: Andrei Vasiliev
Vasiliev mentioned he is under some pressure due to unidentified “unsolved matters” but still determined to tackle the climb. In his own words:
We know what needs to be done; the path is clear, and we must attempt to follow it. We’ve fallen ill. A massive amount of snow has fallen. You adapt quickly to new conditions. Once we’re back in the snow, the cold, and the cramped tent, it will feel as though things were never any other way.
7,000’ers
The new snow dump has thwarted some teams attempting Baruntse (7,129m) in the Khumbu. Jan McManus of Ireland was among them, and he has called off his expedition after failing to reach Camp 1 due to deep snow:
It is unclear whether other climbers on the peak may still be trying. There were six large teams totaling 65 foreign climbers with permits for Baruntse.
On Himlung (7,126m), teams hurried to summit and get down and safely away before the cyclone hit. During the previous snowstorm at the end of September, a massive avalanche buried Base Camp, killing 16 staff members. Despite the tragedy, one of the deadliest in Nepal’s mountaineering history, the peak remained open, and guided teams came in large numbers to the mountain a couple of weeks after the accident. A total of 130 foreigners had permits. Teams summited on October 25 and 26, and then left the area.
Ama Dablam
Ama Dablam Base Camp is also covered in snow, but the commercial teams will nevertheless resume climbing soon. According to Jana Schneider of Germany, climbing with 14 Peaks Expeditions, a Sherpa team is on its way to reopen those sections where fresh snow has buried the ropes. “If all goes well, my summit push begins Nov 4 until Nov 6,” she wrote.
So far, 410 foreigners have applied for a permit to climb Ama Dablam. A Sherpa team first fixed the route on October 17, and dozens have summited since then. Despite the break forced by bad weather over the weekend, summits should continue throughout November.
One climber has perished on the mountain so far, and there have been some close calls. Paul Clarke of Australia and Xenia Santha of Hungary climbed Ama Dablam after attempting Dhaulagiri earlier this season. Their summit push was delayed as they found a 25-year-old climber in a serious situation at Camp 2. Santha and Clarke, who climbed without Sherpa support, gave the climber dexamethasone, spent the night with him, and helped organize an emergency airlift for the following morning. They continued to the summit one day later.
A high camp on Ama Dablam. Photo: Xenia Shanta
