Himalaya Spring 2009 Update: Lhotse-Everest Traverse, Tibet To Reopen?

BN3739 12 FB%7EMt Everest Mt Lhotse and Mt Nuptse at Sunset from Kala Pattar Nepal Posters
It was a busy weekend in Kathmandu, as the major teams are now arriving on the scene. Alan Arnette is reporting that the IMG Team has landed, while Billi Bierling reports that Himex is in Nepal as well. Billi will be climbing with Himex on the South Side of Everest this spring, and quite naturally, she was happy to see her team. Billi says that there are 28 clients on the climbing permit, along with 7 guides, 30 Sherpas, 10 base camp staff, a doctor, and two cooks. They’re not staying long in the capital however, as they’re leaving tomorrow for Lukla, where they’ll begin the ten day trek to BC. Billi, being a native to Nepal, will follow them on the 8th of April.

In other news, Alan also reports on his Everest 2009 page that a Kazakh team has set off for Nepal with the intention of completing a Lhotse-Everest traverse. The plan will be to climb Lhotse, then proceed down the connecting ridge between it and Everest, cross over to the South Col route, summit the Big Hill, then go back down from there. It’s never been done before, and who is leading the team? Well, none other than Maxut Zhumayev, and Vassily Pivtsov, two names well known in the HImalaya for their bold, and fast climbing. They’ll be joined by Serguey Samoilv and Eugeny Shutov, two very strong and accomplished climbers in their own right.

Also, word has begun to leak out that China is preparing to re-open the borders of Tibet, allowing foreigners in once again. I’ve heard the date ranging from anywhere from the 1st of April to the 5th (Alan reports the 4th), but no matter what the date, it’s good news for the teams that have been hoping to go to the North Side. It’s still going to be pretty quiet up there, but it’s good to see their patience possibly rewarded. It seems that March was quiet, as far as we can tell, in Tibet, which is helping to speed up the lifting of the travel bans.

More soon from the HImalaya I’m sure.

Kraig Becker

6 thoughts on “Himalaya Spring 2009 Update: Lhotse-Everest Traverse, Tibet To Reopen?”

  1. I just now saw this as well and was watching the Lukla arrival video when you posted. Great stuff, and definitely worth a post. Thanks! 🙂

  2. ●藤原紀香フルヌ ード入 浴画像・露 天風呂セ クシー映 像

    藤原紀香の話題になったフルヌ.ード入.浴CM。
    そしてオ.ッパイが透けてるドレス姿。

    http://norikarikon123.blogspot.com/

    あの大物芸能人との旅行先で撮.られたとされた露.天風呂セ.クシー映.像。

    http://norikarikon123.blogspot.com/

    エ.ロさ満開の映.像をどうぞご覧ください。

  3. Interesting, about China, but I say that climbers should boycott climbing that face due to the Tibet situation. The Tibetans should be able to open their borders on their own will.

  4. Agreed on the thoughts that Tibet should be able to decide it’s own border situation. It’s ridiculous in the 21st century that we’re still dealing with this stuff.

    There are hardly any teams going to the North Side at this point. Maybe four or five total. It’s so bad that the China-Tibet Mountaineering Association is going to handle the ropes themselves. Definitely going to be quiet there.

    A boycott might sound like a good idea, but in the long run, it mostly ends up hurting the Tibetans who make a living off the climbers and trekkers in the area. The Chinese certainly wouldn’t care much, sadly.

Comments are closed.