Winter Climb Update: Over On Nanga Parbat

Faced with an already treacherous climb, and more bad weather in the forecast, mountaineers Simone Moro and Denis Urubko have decided to pull the plug on the Nanga Parbat expedition this winter. The two men have spent the last 51 days on this attempt, and had reached as high as 6600 meters (21,653 ft) on the mountain, but ultimately, the conditions are just not safe and the necessary weather window doesn't appear to be in the immediate forecast.

Simone and Denis will now wait the next few days for the snow to stop falling long enough for a team of porters to come gather their gear. They expect to be in Base Camp for another three or four days, then start the long journey home.

They had shared BC with a Polish team, which departed the mountain yesterday, and with the departure of the Russian squad from K2, Gasherbrum I is now the last of the 8000 meter peaks with an ongoing winter climb.

In announcing the end of their expedition, Moro and Urubko released the video below. They say that their weather reports indicate that as much as 100-50cm (3 -5 feet) of additional snow could fall on Nanga Parbat over the next week or so. With the danger from avalanches already high, it seems prudent that they go home and wait for another opportunity.

Winter Climb Update: Russians Off K2, Others Go Higher

It has been a busy few days in Pakistan, with plenty of activity over the weekend as the remaining teams continue to take advantage of what ever the weather will allow them. The big news is that the Russian team on K2 was evacuated late last week, as the weather cleared up long enough for three consecutive flights to and from Base Camp to retrieve the climbers, their gear, and of course the remains of Vitaly Gorelik, who succumbed to pneumonia last week. As of Friday, the entire squad was in Islamabad, and it is quite possible that they started their return journeys home over the weekend.

Over on Gasherbrum I, the teams took advantage of a weather window at the end of last week, and managed to fix lines up to C3. The Polish team reports reaching that point on Thursday, but were forced back down to BC by Saturday, as the forecast predicted bad weather for the next few days. It seems for now, they'll all sit and wait for an opportunity to go back up, although the climbers have been spending time at C2 as part of their normal acclimatization process. They also released the video clip below to show what life is life on a winter climb on GI.

Also on GI are Alex Txikon and Carlos Suarez, who are back in BC as well after taking a turn fixing the ropes high on the mountain. They report extremely cold temperatures, even at the lower altitudes, and after spending a day filming in, and around, Base Camp, it took some time to thaw out in their tent. Alex says that they spotted a wild fox near camp, and he was struck by the grace and beauty of that animal, whose tracks they see every day, but seldom do they spot the animal itself. The the Poles, Alex and Carlos are waiting out the weather, hoping to get a chance to continue their ascent.

Finally, the situation is much the same for Simone Moro and Denis Urubko on Nanga Parbat, where the snow continues to fall. They've had steady snow for the past few days, and it has only added to the amount of powder on the mountain, which is already unsafe at higher altitudes. Avalanches are a real concern for the duo, who are being both patient and smart in their approach. For now, they wait for another chance at a summit bid, but the forecast is not particularly good. There is the potential for a window to open later in the week, and if it does, these two men will try to make the most of it.

Video: Winter Climbing On Nanga Parbat

Earlier in the week we had a video from the winter climbs currently underway on Gasherbrum I and today we get one from Nanga Parbet, where Simone Moro and Denis Urubko are currently waiting out the weather to see if they'll ever get a crack at the summit. The forecast says that they can expect snow for the next week, which doesn't bode well for the success of the expedition, especially as there is already a high level of avalanche danger on the mountain.

This video was shot prior to the current round of bad weather, when Denis and Simone were preparing for a summit push. That attempt was ultimately turned back due to the snow, but we still get a great glimpse of what it is like on this Karakoram mountain in the harshest season of all.

Winter Climb Update: Details From K2

It continues to be along, challenging week in the Karakoram for the teams tackling 8000 meter peaks there. The weather has only improved marginally, but it has created a whole new set of problems for the climbers, who are struggling to get time at altitude and starting to watch the clock.

We'll start today's update on K2, where the Russian squad is still waiting for extraction of the team and gear. You'll no doubt recall that they aborted their expedition earlier in the week when team member Vitaly Gorelik passed away in Base Camp. The team leaders didn't go into detail on what exactly happened, but ExWeb got the scoop and posted the story earlier.

Apparently, Vitaly was part of a three-man group that was fixing lines above 7000 meters (22,965 ft) from January 28-31. When the bad weather set in, the entire team was forced back to BC, where it was determined that he had suffered frostbite on both hands while working at high altitude. Later, he was also diagnosed with pneumonia, and a helicopter was called to retrieve him. Unfortunately, the incredibly bad weather made it impossible for the medics to fly in and evacuate the ailing climber, and after two days of waiting, Vitaly had to be put on a respirator. He was still on that respirator when he died.

It's a sad story and sobering reminder of just how challenging and dangerous K2 can be in any season. During the winter, the "Savage Mountain" becomes even more brutal however, which is why it remains unclimbed during that season. The entire team did a great job of giving it a go, but I think we can all understand why they elected to come home.

Meanwhile, Simone Moro and Denis Urubko continue to struggle on Nanga Parbat. After abandoning a summit bid earlier in the week, the duo are now worried about having to restart their acclimatization process after spending an extended stay in Base Camp. Worse yet, the heavy snow has covered their previous tracks, which means they'll be forced to break trail once again. To add insult to injury, more snow is projected over the next week, which will only add to the challenges. In fact, it has gotten so bad that the Polish team that they've been sharing BC with have decided to go home. It seems that they weren't able to even get much above Camp 1. We'll have to wait and see if Simone and Denis get a crack at the summit.

On Gasherbrum I, the weather has improved dramatically, which allowed the Polish team to go up to C1 yesterday, with Alex and Carlos following today. Alex claims that it is the warmest temperatures they've seen on the mountain yet, and they hope to take advantage of the break while they can. In fact, if they feel strong, they may continue up to Camp 2 tomorrow, as they continue their acclimatization process and shuttle gear up the hill.

It is starting to look pretty grim in the Karakoram. As usual, everything hinges on the weather.

Winter Climb Update: Summit Push Stalled On Nanga Parbat

While all the teams in the Karakoram deal with the news of the death of Vitaly Gorelik on K2, and the subsequent end to that expedition, most are continuing to go about the work necessary to give their expeditions a chance at claiming a winter summit.

Perhaps the hardest hit by the news of Vitaly's death was Denis Urubko, who was close friends with the Russian climber. Denis posted some thoughts on his fallen comrade on his blog today, which he had time to write thanks to an aborted summit push by him and climbing partner Simone Moro. The two men had hoped to begin the final stage of their climb yesterday, but they were unable to take advantage of a current weather window on Nanga Parbat due to deep snow and high levels of avalanche danger above Camp 1. Because of those conditions, the two have now descended back to Base Camp, where they'll wait for the snow to settle and another window to open.

Over on Gasherbrum I, Alex Txikon has aslo written about the loss of Vitaly and sent his condolences and respects along to the Russian team that is still there. He also reports extremely cold weather in GI Base Camp, with temperatures dropping below -30ºC/-22ºF. Winds are also extremely high and the generally poor weather conditions are keeping him, along with teammate Carlos Suarez, in BC at the moment. Presumably, the Polish team on that mountain is there as well, as they have not posted an update since last week.

Hopefully a break in the weather will come soon so these teams can get back to work and Denis and Simone can get a real crack at their summit. Stay tuned.

Winter Climb Update: Weather Thwarts Efforts In The Karakoram

These winter climbing updates are starting to sound a bit like a broken record. It comes as no surprise that the weather in the Karakoram is once again making life difficult on the teams there, and the forecast for the next few days doesn't look like it is going to improve any. High winds and cold temperatures have been the norm of course, but it looks like there may be more snow on the way as well, particularly at altitude. That will make things tough on the climbers, who are continuing to struggle with simply building their camps and fixing their lines at this point.

On K2, the Russians have now climbed as high as 7200 meters (23,622 ft) in their efforts to fix their ropes. They had hoped to establish Camp 3 at about 7000 meters (22,965 ft), but they still need to carve out a platform in the snow and ice to set up tents there. As a result, they now have lines in place, but no shelters erected just yet. Meanwhile, they've also continued to shuttle gear up to Camp 1 in preparation for the big push to come, but their latest dispatch says that all team members are currently in BC due to the weather taking a turn for the worse.

That same dispatch says that climber Vitaly Gorelik has gotten frostbite on fingers on both hands and is currently being treated for the condition by the team doctor. Expedition leader Victor Kozlov has called in an evacuation helicopter to pick him up, but the weather is currently not allowing for flights in or out of Base Camp. This is the second member of the team to suffer from frostbite that has needed to be evacuated from the mountain.

Meanwhile, Denis Urubko and Simone Moro have had to put their summit plans on halt on Nanga Parbat.  The weather forecast calls for very few days of good weather in the week ahead, and they need at least four or five days to make a legitimate summit bid in a safe fashion. The men are now in BC and waiting for their opportunity to go up, but in the days ahead the prediction is that winds above 8000 meters will be in excess of 140km/h (87 mph), which is obviously not safe for an approach to the summit. The boys did have cause for celebration however, as one year ago today they completed the first ever successful winter ascent in the Karakoram by topping out on Gasherbrum II. (Also, be sure to read ExWeb's interview with Denis found here.)

The Polish team on Gasherbrum I are hoping for similar success this year, and as of yesterday they've managed to establish their Camp 2 without any major problems. The climbers are currently taking turns in their acclimatization rotation, Surprisingly, they are reporting that the trek up to C2 is actually easier than going to Camp 1 at the moment. They expected to have all the climbers back in BC today however, as the bad weather sets in on their mountain as well. They expect the conditions to stay bad through the 7th or 8th of the month.

Finally, Alex Txikon and Carlos Suarez are basically in the same boat, since they are sharing BC with the Poles. They report going up as high as 6100 meters (20,013 ft) a few days back, but bad weather has now forced them down as well, so they sit and wait for an opportunity to keep working the route.

More to come soon, but for now, it seems that the weather will keep everyone stationary into next week.

Winter Climb Update: Denis and Simone In C3 On Nanga Parbat

There hasn't been much in the way of updates from Pakistan the past few days. We can only assume that work is progressing as needed on K2 and Gasherbrum I, where teams are hoping to make the first winter ascent of those giants of the Karakoram. We did receive word from Simone Moro and Denis Urubko yesterday however, and things are progressing nicely for them on Nanga Parbat.

After spending a few days resting in Base Camp, Simone and Denis started up the mountain a few days back amidst high winds and blowing snow. But now, the weather has taken a turn for the better and they have continued to go higher to take advantage of the window that has come their way. Yesterday, the two men climbed to Camp 3 at 6600 meters (21,653 ft), where they spent the night as part of their regular acclimatization process. They also noted that if the weather held today they hoped to climb up to 7100 meters (23,293 ft), or higher, before proceeding back to BC to rest. If they hit that mark, they'll pretty much have completed the acclimatization phase and they may start to look for a weather window that will allow them to go to the summit.

If the men are feeling strong and rested, and the weather affords them the opportunity, they could conceivably start the summit push sometime next week. That seems ambitious, but possible at this point and it will all come down to how strong they feel after completing this rotation. They may decide to do one more acclimatization round first, but as we all know, winter weather windows in the Karakoram are few and far between, so as usual, the weather will likely dictate what happens.

Stay tuned. I'm sure we'll get further updates from K2 and GI next week.

Winter Climb Update: Evacuation On K2, C2 On Nanga Parbat

It has been a busy couple of days in Pakistan for the teams making winter ascents on the big peaks there. As is always the case, it is the weather that decides how much progress they can make and how much they'll suffer while doing it. For the teams on K2 and Nanga Parbat, it has now been a month since they arrived on the mountain, while over on Gasherbrum I, the teams are just starting to settle in.

The Russians on K2 were forced to evacuate a teammate yesterday when a helicopter dropped by BC to pick up Vladimir Belous, who was suffering from frostbite on several fingers. The team had hoped to send Belous out sooner, but bad weather prevented the helicopter from landing for a number of days, and as a result, Vladimir's fingers had to be treated on site. He has now been flown back to Skardu and will make his way to Islamabad, and then home to Moscow.

Meanwhile, the rest of his teammates have continued to work the route. Several climbers were above Camp 2 yesterday fixing ropes, but high winds forced them to retreat all the way back down to Base Camp. The skies have cleared there however, which brought some sun at last, but the high winds and cold temperatures are expected to continue. The mercury has been hovering around -37ºC/-34ºF for the past few days.

On Nanga Parbat, Denis Urubko and Simone Moro have resumed climbing and went up to Camp 2, located at 5000 meters (16,404 ft) yesterday. After taking three days of rest, the two men are feeling re-engergized and ready to climb, and while they were accompanied by three others on their way up to C1, they are now in Camp 2 all by themselves. No word yet if they'll go any higher or if this is just the next round of their acclimatization process.

The Polish Team on Gasherbrum I is getting settled in and preparing to move up the mountain. They arrived in BC over the weekend, and have been busy getting their camp established ever since.  They did find time to post an excellent image gallery online, which you can check out here. The photos give you a good sense of what life is like in Base Camp on one of these big mountains. Look for the team to start working their way up to Camp 1 in the next day or two.

Finally, Alex Txikon and Carlos Suarez are also in BC on GI and have reportedly started working the route themselves. The two men took their turn fixing the lines yesterday, so progress has started towards C1, and it appears that there is a good sense of cooperation between them and the Poles. Alex and Carlos are also working hard to establish their Internet connection from the mountain as well, as they have plenty of photos, and hopefully video, to share with the rest of us following along back home.

Good luck to all of the climbers as they continue to challenge these monsters of the Karakoram in the days and weeks ahead.

Winter Climb Update: Teams Reach Gasherbrum BC

The weekend was a busy one for the major winter climbs in the Karakoram, with two teams reaching Base Camp on their mountain, while two others continued to work the routes on their peaks.

We'll start on K2, where the Russians now say that they have completely repaired the damage to their Camps 1 and 2. You may recall that last week the mountain was hit with hurricane force winds, which tore up BC and the higher camps. C1 was hit the worst, but the entire mountain felt the wrath of that storm. As a result, it took a few days to get everything back to they way that they wanted it, but now they seem to be back on track and returning to fixing the ropes up to Camp 3.

The weather hasn't been great since their arrival, and yesterday the team saw the sun for the first time in ten days. It didn't last however, and after just 30 minutes, the clouds returned and conditions took a turn for the worse. Despite the cold, high winds, and snow, the team diligently goes about its work however, knowing they have no chance of success unless they simply get on with it.

Over on Nanga Parbat, Denis Urubko and Simone Moro elected to take a few days of rest after learning about the death of their friend Mario Merelli, who perished while climbing in the Dolomites last week. They haven't posted any updates to their status since last week, which should lead us to believe that they are still in BC and planning their next move. They are joined on that mountain by a Polish squad, who had also been working the route and had completed their first round of acclimatization by building Camp 1 as well.

The other mountain receiving plenty of attention is Gasherbrum I, where two teams arrived in Base Camp over the weekend. The first was a Polish Team who reported that there is about a half-meter of snow in BC when they arrived on Saturday. They noted that they would spend the first few days establishing their camp, which is located at 5030 meters (16,502 ft), before they start heading up the mountain, and they reiterated that they will be on GI for the next two months.

Also reaching Base Camp on Gasherbrum I was Alex Txikon and Carlos Suarez. Reportedly conditions on the final trek to BC were good, and the weather was actually cooperative, but temperatures are extremely cold and there is plenty of snow higher up the mountain. Much like their Polish counterparts, Alex and Carlos will spend a few days getting organized and making their camp comfortable before they being their ascent.

Winter Climb Updates: COLD!

It has been another trying week in the Karakoram, where the winter weather continues to test the strength and patience of the climbers there. Cold temperatures, high winds, and snow are the norm this time of year, and unending days with those conditions can take their toll on anyone. Still, the teams that have traveled to those remote mountains knew this would be the case ahead of time, and so they go about their work as best they can.

On K2, the Russians have rebuilt their Camp 1 after it was demolished by hurricane force winds earlier in the week. They've also spent the past few days shuttling gear back up the mountain, and now have supplies in both C1 and C2. They report that their Camp 2 didn't suffer nearly as much damage as they feared, and as a result, they've already gone back to work fixing lines when they can.

The weather report for the next few days doesn't look very promising, particularly at altitude. Summit winds on K2 are predicted to exceed 100 kph/62 mph, but fortunately none of the team will be coming anywhere close to the summit anytime soon. Instead, they'll take the weather windows where they can get them, and methodically go about the work of fixing lines to Camp 3.

Just how bad is the weather on K2? Check out a video the team posted yesterday by clicking here. About a minute it you'll get a glimpse of what it was like in Base Camp when the high winds hit a few days back.

On Nanga Parbat, Denis Urubko and Simone Moro are also reporting very cold temperatures, but despite those conditions, they know they still have to move up the mountain. With that in mind, they carried gear up to 5800m (19,028 ft) and worked on acclimatizing a few days back, but were stunned to learn of the loss of their friend and climbing partner Mario Merelli, who fell while climbing back in Italy. With that news hitting them hard, the duo elected to descend back to BC and rest for a few days while mourning their friend.

Finally, the Polish Team making its way to Gasherbrum I is still on the trekking route, as is Alex Txikon who is headed to the same mountain. Both squads are about halfway through the trek and expect to reach Base Camp next week, where they'll organize their gear, get established, and start acclimatizing to the peak. Expect more news on their progress once they start fixing lines and moving up.

Winter Climb Updates: Hurricane On K2

The winter climbs in the Karakoram are now in full swing, with the teams either already in Base Camp or en route to their respective mountains. It is the dead of winter in Pakistan, and the weather there is starting to reflect that season, and while these climbers know what they are in for, that doesn't mean that they'll be suffering any less.

On K2, the Russian squad has now felt the full force of the winds on that mountain. The team has now established Camp 2 at 6350 meters (20,833 ft) and even begun to fix lines above that point, but yesterday they were hit by high winds (120km/h/75mph) that destroyed BC and more than likely shredded C1 and 2 as well. The entire group was safely in Base Camp at the time, and the plan is for them to begin heading back up the mountain today to rebuild their camps – that is if the weather allows it. The forecast says that the week ahead should be better, with winds dying off and little snowfall. Hopefully that will provide the weather window they need to continue their work.

On Nanga Parbat they're dealing with weather of a different kind. Denis Urubko reports in that it is a foggy and dark day on the mountain today and that they received 15cm (6 inches) of new snow in BC over night. That was enough to keep him and Simone Moro in BC for the day out of fear of avalanches higher up, but the Polish team that is in Base Camp with them decided to go up the mountain as they begin their acclimatization rotations.

A second Polish squad has set its sights on climbing Gasherbum I this winter and they have been busy preparing for that climb. They sent word over the weekend that they would leave Skardu for Askole by jeep yesterday and expected to start their trek to BC today. That should take roughly a week or so to complete, depending on trail conditions. Joining them in GI Base Camp will be Alex Txikon and Carls Suarez, who should be en route to that mountain today as well.

The GI Polish team also released a video update from Skardu which you can check out below.

Winter Climb Update: Images From K2

While things begin to wind down in the Antarctic, they're just getting started in the Karakoram. The teams in Pakistan know that they have a lot of work ahead, and while the odds are most definitely stacked agains them, they're gearing up for potentially historic climbs.

There hasn't been much word from K2 the past few days, where the Russian Team continues to work the route. If all went according to schedule, they should have established Camp 2 a few days back and are now fixing lines above that point. The team did manage to share some images from the expedition thus far, and you can check out that very impressive gallery by clicking here.

Over on Nanga Parbat, Simone Moro and Denis Urubko took advantage of the good weather over the past few days and spent some time exploring the mountain and the surrounding area. They have already built Camp 1 and spent a night there, but a few days ago they descended back to BC as part of their acclimatization process. Today the weather has taken a bit of a turn however, with fog and snow settling in at altitude. They'll watch those conditions over the weekend and decide how best to proceed from there.

Two teams are now en route to Gasherbrum I as well, as they look to make the first winter ascent of that peak. The Polish squad hasn't shared many details of their journey yet, but they do note that they hope to leave Skardu for Base Camp tomorrow. Meanwhile, Alex Txikon and Carlos Suarez left Spain a few days ago, and have already arrived in Skardu as well. They plan to start the nine day trek to BC soon as well, and hope to be in place on the mountain by next weekend.

Stay tuned for more. Most of the teams are still getting settled and prepping for the real climb ahead. The weather situation will be what dictates the pace at which they'll be able to climb however.

Winter Climb Update: Progress On K2 and Nanga Parbat

The winter attempt on Denali may be over for Lonnie Dupre, who was picked-up from Base Camp on Monday, but in the Karakoram, things are just getting started. Several teams have now settled into place and are working their routes in hopes of success during the coldest, harshest season of them all.

On K2, the Russians are methodically sticking to their plan, and going about their work, in a professional and straightforward fashion. The weather has been less than cooperative so far, but that was to be expected on the world's most challenging mountain, but despite high winds and -75ºF/-59ºC temperatures, the talented team continues to make progress.

Working in teams of two and three, they have been focused on fixing ropes above Camp 1, and according to updates on their website, C2 could be established as early as tomorrow. The climbers have taken turns installing the lines and sleeping at altitude in order to not only acclimatize, but also stay well rested for the challenges ahead. All team members and gear are now on the mountain, and many of their supplies have also been shuttled up to C1. Progress has been slow, but steady, but the real difficulties will set in above Camp 2, where the winds and heavy snows of K2 will really start to become a problem.

Meanwhile, two teams are getting settled in over on Nanga Parbet, which also remains unclimbed in the winter. Denis Urubko and Simone Moro were the first to arrive and after getting settled in Base Camp, they began their ascent. The duo has already established Camp 1 at 5100 meters (16,732 ft) and spent a night their acclimatizing, but unstable snow conditions above that point have prevented them from going higher.

Upon returning to BC, Denis and Simone discovered they had company. The Polish team that has also set its sights on Nanga this season was in camp and getting set-up as well. The two teams will no doubt share the work load of fixing the lines, although you know that they each want to be the first to claim the summit.

Denis and Simone are also releasing video dispatches of their journey, the first of which can be seen below. The excellent video shows the men as they leave Italy and make their way to Pakistan, where they organize gear and put the finishing touches on their planning, before heading out to Base Camp. Pay special attention to all the bags they have with them. It'll give you a sense of how much gear is required for one of these expeditions. Can't wait for more of these dispatches! Great stuff!