Just when we’re about to call an end to the Himalaya climbing season, the expeditions continue to pop up on are radar. November is just a few days off, and the big commercial squads have left Nepal weeks ago, but some of the more interesting climbs are still warming up, including an attempt on Annapurna.
Slovenian climbers Luka Stražar and Nejc Marčič are making an alpine style ascent of the West Face of Annapurna, and have reportedly climbed above 6000 meters (19,685 ft) as part of the acclimatization process. The duo is sharing infrequent updates on their progress, but will be keeping an eye out for any dispatches in the days to come. According to Alan Arnette, they arrived in Nepal in mid-September, and have been preparing for the ascent ever since. That should indicate that the two men will be making a summit bid soon, but we’ll just have to wait to see if they are successful in that endeavor.
Hans Kammerlander is just starting to ramp up his expedition to Manaslu. When last we checked in he was just getting ready to leave Kathmandu, and should now be en route to the mountain. If you’ve read any of the previous coverage of the expedition, you already know how personal this journey will be for the Italian alpinist. This is his first return to Manaslu since 1992, when he lost two close friends on an expedition there. A documentary team is in tow to make a film about Kammerlander’s life, and he has made it a special mission to summit this peak at long last.
The other major expedition we’re waiting an update on is the attempt on Lhotse’s South Face by Sung Taek Hong and Jorge Egocheaga Rodriguez. There have been no recent updates on their progress, although that has been the norm all season long as they conserve battery life on their satellite phones. But, it was revealed last week that they hoped to make a summit bid around the end of October, which means they could be on their way up right now. Hopefully we’ll get an update on their progress over the next few days, as they look to complete a route that has only been done once in the past.
That’s about all for now. As you can see, there are still some major expeditions to keep our eyes on in the days ahead. Hopefully we’ll hear more about all of these projects soon. I’ll post updates when I know more.
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Hi ! Hans Kammerlander is a German-speaking Italian national, not German.
Thanks for the correction!