In spite of the stormy weather yesterday, all is going according to plan on Shishapangma. Climbers are at 7,100m and ready to go for the top. Yet conditions may force a delay.
Viridiana Alvarez reported that the route yesterday to Camp 2 at 6,900m was difficult.
“We got trapped in a storm and were only able to pitch two tents,” she wrote over InReach. “There were five of us in each tent. [It was] part of the challenge.”
Alvarez added that the weather had improved this morning, and they had reached their “lower Camp 3” by afternoon. On their previous acclimatization round, they were unable to reach Camp 3’s usual location at 7,300m, so they stopped and set up an alternative Camp 3 some 200 meters below.
File image of a Spanish expedition on their way to the end of the flatter area where Camp 3 is usually located. Photo: Edurne Pasaban
Alvarez’s mentioned a team of 10, which suggested that everyone who set off from Nepal is on the mountain: Kristin Harila, Viridiana Alvarez, Sophie Lavaud, Matias Myklebust, Pemba Tenjin Sherpa, Pemba Tenjing Sherpa, Chhiring Wanchu Sherpa, Ngima Rita Sherpa, Tenjen Sherpa, and leader Mingma Sherpa.
At midnight Nepal time (2 am Tibet time), Alvarez’s tracker still placed her at lower Camp 3, at some 7,100m. She has not shared any new messages over InReach.
As noted previously, they should be able to launch their summit push from here, since at least part of the team will likely use supplementary oxygen. We don’t know whether the final push will begin tonight, but we will continue to update when there is news.
