Continued high winds and coming snow have killed the last hopes for David Goettler and Herve Barmasse on Dhaulagiri. They hoped for a weather window long enough to summit in a single alpine-style push. But the wind shows no sign of diminishing, and now they have to leave before heavy snowfall traps them in Base Camp.
Forecast shown by David Goettler on social media, by Mountain-forecast.com
“We have decided to stop this time,” Goettler wrote. “Nevertheless, we have learned a lot and I am [still] convinced that it is possible to climb an 8,000’er alpine style in winter.”
Herve Barmasse (in red) and David Goettler (in yellow) at the French Pass, with Dhaulagiri in the background.
That’s winter
The two climbers were attempting an extremely difficult feat: an 8,000m peak in winter, alpine style, by a two-man team. They had planned to wait in Base Camp until the end of January, but the weather has not given them a chance.
In a recent ExWeb interview with ace Polish winter climber Adam Bielecki (to be posted soon), he smiled and said regarding the pair’s Dhaulagiri experience: “That is exactly what winter is about!”
Goettler (right) and crew in the team’s Base Camp, facing the rocky cliff known as the “Little Eiger.” Photo: Herve Barmasse
