At least two teams on Kangchenjunga are on their summit push. Uta Ibrahimi of Albania-Kosovo’s tracker reports that her Seven Summit Treks team reached a “lower” Camp 4 today. An 8K Expeditions group is likewise heading up the mountain.
According to previous reports, the ropes have not been fixed above that camp, so the climbers either have to wait at least a day in camp or follow the rope fixers as they progress toward the summit tomorrow.
Text from Uta Ibrahimi’s tracker on Kangchenjunga today.
Ibrahimi was one of the climbers who hoped to climb Shisha Pangma this spring but had to change plans when China decided to keep the mountain closed.
Nepal’s Department of Tourism lists 30 foreign climbers with permits for Kangchenjunga, but some may not have yet arrived. One of those is Allie Pepper, who summited Makalu just last week.
Kangbachen
Near Kangchenjunga, at the foot of Kangbachen, Peter Hamor, Nives Meroi, and Romano Benet are waiting in Base Camp for better conditions before launching an alpine-style push.
“Conditions are bad due to blizzards, excess snow, and high avalanche risk,” Hamor’s home team reported. “Forecasts show conditions will not improve in the next few days.”
Left to right, Benet, Meroi, and Hamor in Kathmandu some weeks ago. Photo: Peter Hamor
Dhaulagiri winds
The sherpa team on Dhaulagiri could not finish fixing the ropes to the summit because of high winds. They turned around at 7,450m and are now back in Base Camp waiting for better conditions, Seven Summit Treks’ leader Makalu Lakpa reported.
Sherpas on a windy night on Dhaulagiri. Photo: Makalu Lakpa/Instagram
On Dhaulagiri, climbers include is a Russian group, Arjun Vajpay of India (also doing plan B after Shisha Pangma’s no-go), and Anna Tybor of Poland and Paul Lafaille of France, who intend to ski down from the summit.
