Everest and Annapurna Updates


It hasn’t quieted down on Everest just yet, as more climbers continue to summit, and the weather remains good enought to climb, meanwhile, over on Annapurna, the teams are moving up, getting ready for their own summit pushes.

Alan is reporting that more than 70 people topped out on Evereest over the weekend, with a few notable climbs to mention. Dave Hahn from GreatOutdoors.com managed to summit, along with his Sherpa guide Punjo Dorje, as did Canadian Meagan McGrath. Word from the HiMex Team that they managed to put eight climbers on the summit and six Sherpas as well. Amongst those climbers was Tim Medvetz, the biker and fan favorite, from last season’s Everest: Beyond The Limit television show.

The scariest story of the day comes from Gavin Bates, an experienced and strong climber who was attempting a traverse from the North side without Oxygen. As he got higher on the mountain however, Gavin decided to use the O2, only to have his mask malfunction. Gavin began to suffer the effects of pulmonary edema at about 8700m and was forced to abandon his climb to return to ABC before his lungs filled with fluid. We can now report that he is safely back to ABC, thanks to the help of the Sherpas accompanying him, despite taking a fall on the descent.

On Annapurna teams have moved up to C4 according to a report on MountEverest.net. All the climbers on the North Face giong up the German Route have decided to climb together in one massive push.

Word is that Spaniard Iñaki Ochoa and Romanian Horia Colibasanu are moving up from C2 to join the others at C4, and have volunteered to break trail above that camp. The two climbers were on Dhaulagiri while fixed lines were set down, and camps were established, but now feel rested enough to contribute to cause on the upper slopes. Summit attempts should come in the next day or two.

Good luck boys. Climb safe. Annapurna can be a harsh mistress.

Kraig Becker

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