Alex Txikon’s group summited Ama Dablam this weekend and is now relaxing in a cold but sunny Khumbu. Simone Moro has just joined them, while Jost Kobusch is in a tent near the summit of Lobuche. Waldemar Kowalewski, not keen to return to civilization, summited Ama Dablam again today for the third time this season.
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Kowalewski on top again
After Txikon’s party finished, Waldemar Kowalewski used the empty ropes for his third summit this month. The Polish climber left Camp 2 at 2 am local time today and topped out around noon.
“I am very serious about winter Annapurna, and I want to get there in the best possible state of acclimatization,” Kowalewski told ExplorersWeb. Kowalewski ignored his previous insistence that he would not go up Ama Dablam again for some time because of serac danger.
Kowalewski will now fly to Pokhara to rest for a few days. He told ExplorersWeb that he plans to cycle the Annapurna circuit for six days with Sajid Sadpara.
Waldemar Kowalewski in Ama Dablam’s Base Camp. Photo: Waldemar Kowalewski
A mild pre-winter
Sajid Sadpara is still in the Khumbu but is heading back to Kathmandu shortly. Today, he met Simone Moro, Nima Rinji Sherpa, and Oswald Rodrigo Pereira in Monjo, a village at the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park. The threesome is in the Khumbu for some altitude before attempting an alpine-style push on winter Manaslu.
The young Sadpara summited Ama Dalbam last Saturday (December 14) in “clear blue skies.” Chhepal Sherpa and two unnamed members of Alex Txikon’s group also summited.
Sajid Sadpara, second from left, two Spanish team members, and Chhepal Sherpa, right, celebrate their Ama Dablam summit back in Base Camp.
Mattia Conte attempted the summit but eventually turned around. Txikon had been in Camps 1 and 2 all last week, but there is no news about whether he has summited.
Kobusch altitude stay
Meanwhile, Jost Kobusch has been in the Khumbu for nearly a month, but he is not mingling with other winter teams. He is acclimatizing by climbing trekking peaks, one after the other. On his most recent one, Lobuche, he has remained near the summit. He pitched his tent at 6,000m and will remain there for another two days.
For all these teams, the real work begins on Saturday, December 21, with the solstice and the official start of winter.
Jost Kobusch’s tent from the summit of Lobuche. Photo: Jost Kobusch
