After bagging a record number of six no-O2 8,000m summits in exactly one year and two days between summer 2018 and summer 2019, Sergi Mingote is now hoping to tick off the remaining 8,000m peaks. More precisely, he plans to complete all 14 without supplementary oxygen in less than 1,000 days.
“I have about 600 days left to complete the challenge, because the counter started with Broad Peak on July 16, 2018,” the 48-year-old Mingote told ExplorersWeb. “Climbing without bottled oxygen is essential for the project.”
Mingote on top of Nanga Parbat in July. Photo: Sergi Mingote
With such a tight calendar, the Catalan climber can’t afford to waste the current post-monsoon season. He’s flying to Nepal next week and heading for Dhaulagiri with partners Jesus Cordelles and Agustin Abanades. In Base Camp, he will join Moesses Fiamoncini — who summited Lhotse, Nanga Parbat and K2 this year, all without O2 — and Juan Pablo Mohr, who notched this spring’s only no-O2 Lhotse-Everest double-header.
The five-man team will share the mountain with groups that include Carlos Soria and Sophie Lavaud, who is going for her 12th 8000’er.
Mingote next plans to climb Annapurna and Kangchenjunga in spring 2020, Hidden Peak next summer, Shishapangma and Cho Oyu in fall and finally, Makalu and Everest in spring 2021.
In addition to the objective difficulties of the climb, Mingote may have to grapple with possible restrictions by Chinese authorities on Shishapangma and Cho Oyu and the (sadly) usual crowds on Everest in spring.
Sergi Mingote (centre) unveils his project today.
“Permit restrictions are, of course, beyond my control, so I guess we’ll see when the time approaches,” said Mingote. “As for Everest, I plan to climb from the north side, a route I know very well.” Before his current project, Mingote had summited Everest twice, once from the north side in 2001 and once from the south side in 2003.
Through his new project, Mingote will promote Barcelona-Pirineus’s bid for the 2030 Winter Olympic games.
Sergi Mingote explains how his climbing career has developed, and how he is equally motivated by helping disabled people to discover mountaineering and the outdoors. Video: Sergi Mingote/14x1000Catalonia Project.
Related story:
Sergi Mingote on Nanga Parbat, Nirmal Purja, and What’s Next
