Latest news from the Himalaya and Karakoram

Saturday 28 February 2009

Is the Yeti really out there?

Last night when watching Friday Night with Jonathan Ross I was surprised when one of his guests, Sir David Attenborough, made a comment that there was "very convincing" evidence that Yetis exist. He went on to say that "I'm baffled by the Abominable Snowman - very convincing footprints have been found at 19,000ft. No-one does that for a joke. I think it's unanswered."

One of the areas where it is believed Yetis might live is in the remote and heavily forested Makalu - Barun National Park in eastern Nepal. I am visiting this region in a few weeks time while trekking into Makalu Base Camp so will keep a look out just in case!

Roland Hunter

Friday 27 February 2009

Former Nepalese royal place reopens as a museum

The former royal place in Kathmandu, known as Narayanhiti, opened as a public museum today. Hopefully The Mountain Company will incorporate visits to the Narayanhiti as part of sightseeing tours in Kathmandu before/after our treks.

For more information please take a look at the BBC website



Roland Hunter
www.themountaincompany.co.uk

Thursday 26 February 2009

UK Celebrities attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for Red Nose Day 2009

Photo: Kilimanjaro

UK celebrities including Chris Moyles, Cheryl Cole, Alesha Dixon, Fearne Cotton, Gary Barlow and Ronan Keating are attempting to climb Mount Climb Kilimanjaro to raise £1 million for Red Nose Day 2009. Money raised will be used to purchase malarial nets as well as fund other good causes in Africa and UK. They have an eight day trek to get to the summit of Kilimanjaro at 5,895m.
Good luck to them all!

Roland Hunter
www.themountaincompany.co.uk

Wednesday 25 February 2009

Everest climbing season 2009

Everest climbing season 2009 is fast approaching with most teams planning to arrive in Kathmandu towards the end of March. If you are interested in following the events on Everest then I suggest you take a look at Alan Arnette's website. Another good source of mountaineering news is MountainEverest.net, this website posts regular updates on all 8,000m expeditions in the Himalayas and Karakoram. 
Roland Hunter 
www.themountaincompany.co.uk

Friday 20 February 2009

World record attempt for staying on the summit of Mt Everest

Photo: Everest summit

In May brothers Pemba Dorje Sherpa, Nima Gyalzen and Phurba Tenzing will attempt to break the world record for staying on top of Mount Everest. The current record is held by the late Babu Chiri Sherpa at 20 hours. They are all very experienced Sherpas having between them made 16 Everest summits and Pemba currently holds the speed record for ascending to the summit in an amazing 8 hours and 10 minutes!

Thursday 19 February 2009

Winter Broad Peak expedition back in Base Camp after summit attempt

Since December Artur Hajzer, Don Bowie and Robert Szymczak have been on a winter expedition to Broad Peak in Pakistan. The team have just got back to Base Camp after a summit attempt where they reached Camp 3. You can see the brutal condtitions they are experiencing on the video uploaded to Don's website and another video by Robert on HiMountain.

Roland Hunter

Tuesday 10 February 2009

First winter ascent of Makalu!


Yesterday Simon Moro and Denis Urubko made the first successful winter ascent of Mt Makalu in Nepal at 8,462m. This is an amazing achievement as climbing at 8,000m in winter is incredibly difficult and of course very, very cold!

Makalu is the last 8,000m peak in Nepal to be climbed in winter, however none of the five 8,000ers in Pakistan have yet to be summitted in winter (although Simone has twice attempted Broad Peak in winter).

It is interesting how the mainstream media have missed this landmark climb in the Himalayas, probably because it is not another "first" by a tourist climber on Everest. I have copied Denis Urubko's description below of his attempt last year to climb Makalu in winter:

"In conditions like these, the route becomes a death trap. It's possible to try and reach the top over Makalu Col, but if the wind increases you won’t make it back. The wild funnel reaches up to 200 kilometers per hour making human survival impossible. The western storm will carry your frozen soul towards Lhasa; to soar over Tibet in search of the eternal beauty you couldn't find in your life.

Life in BC: crazy tunes from above. Even life in BC is a mental test. Only those who have experienced it can fully understand the terrible conditions of Makalu BC in winter. Lakes are frozen over by deep frost into a surface similar to pineapple peel. The tent never stops rattling over your head. The ropes scream and the wind incessantly deposits handfuls of snow and sand inside your shelter.

The
fragility of life is also underlined by a furious rumble from the summit high up above. She sings mad tunes; she cries out, "poor suckers," at us for not braving her slopes. She mourns and she threats, a mute question of "when?" sounding in each high pitch."

The Mountain Company