Kristine Harila has reached Advanced Base Camp, according to her tracker. She summited 8,463m Makalu at 10:40 am this morning, together with Dawa Wongchu Sherpa and Pasdawa Sherpa. Halung Dorchi, also on the summit team, eventually turned around because of problems with his high-altitude boots.
Pasdawa and Dawa Wongchu Sherpa have supported Harila on all her summits this season. So the two guides share the record of summiting six 8,000’ers in 29 days.
Kristin Harila and Pasdawa Sherpa, on the summit of Dhaulagiri some days ago. Photo: Dawa Wongchu Sherpa
The team, outfitted by 8K Expeditions, consisted of Harila and Nepalese woman Purnima Shrestha, plus four Sherpas. Theirs was the only group to leave Camp 4 yesterday night. Preliminary forecasts predicted light snow, but in fact, it snowed heavily.
Despite this, other climbers are preparing to leave or have already set off toward the summit. It is currently night in Nepal. This includes Adrianna Brownlee and Gelje Sherpa, who aim to summit tomorrow. The pair reached Camp 4 today. According to their plan, they would have left at 9 pm Nepal time. So they are just underway.
Adrianna Brownlee’s IG story today, shared by STT’s Chhang Dawa Sherpa
The Pioneer Adventure team is also preparing for their final push. Mingma Dorchi Sherpa and Sanu Sherpa will lead Khai Van Nguyen and Savita Kanswal. Pasang Lamu Sherpa Akita is also in the summit team.
UPDATE: At 8 am on May 28, the Imagine Nepal group led by Mingma G summited Makalu. It included Sirbaz Khan, who summited without oxygen and is now the only Pakistani climber to complete 11 of the 8,000m peaks. Mingma Gjalje Sherpa also summited no-O2 and is now the only Nepali to complete 13 8,000’ers without O2. Jill Wheatley of Canada and Dong Hongjuan of China also topped out, along with Dawa Gjalye Sherpa, Tamting Sherpa, and Pasang Namgel Sherpa.
