Winter Climbs 2018: Everest and K2 Winter Expeditions Come to an End

While I was away last week there were massive developments in the two major climbing expeditions that we've been following closely this winter, with one coming to an end and the other losing its strongest climber after he went AWOL on the mountain. Today, we also received news that the winter expedition to K2 is ending as well, all but bringing an end to the winter climbing season.

We'll start on Everest where Alex Txikon has pulled the plug on his winter attempt without the use of supplemental oxygen. When last we checked in, the Basque alpinist, along with climbing partner Muhammad Ali Sadpara and a strong team of Sherpa guides, was heading upwards to make a summit bid with a narrow weather window opening last weekend. But, that window slammed shut and the team was forced to return to Base Camp.

Unfortunately, their climbing permit expired on February 28, and while it would have been relatively easy to extend its deadline, Txikon decided to head home instead. Sadapara and one of the Sherpas were forced to return to Kathmandu and the weather in the days ahead didn't look promising. Alex said it was a tough decision to make, but ultimately he knew it was the right one. The entire squad has left the mountain now.

Meanwhile, over on K2 things have been equally eventful. This morning the Polish Ice Warriors team  have announced that they are ending their attempt at the first winter ascent of that mountain due to a number of factors. After looking at the weather forecasts, team leader Krzysztof Wielicki found poor conditions throughout the month of March with only one narrow weather window to take a shot at the summit. He also cited avalanche dangers and deep snow on the upper flanks of the mountain, as well as the high likelihood that Camps 1, 2, and 3 have been destroyed by the current weather pattern. With the safety of the climbers in question, he has decided to go home, leaving K2 unclimbed in winter once again.


This comes after what can only be described as a tumultuous few days last week. That's when climber Denis Urubko went rogue, leaving the team and setting out on a solo summit bid. Urubko has been highly critical of Wielicki and his tactics, and has taken shots at his teammates who he didn't feel were climbing fast enough. In his defense, Urubko was clearly the strongest person on the team, and fixed most of the ropes himself. This led to frustration on his part, which boiled over several times, before coming to a head last week.

Without saying a word to Wielicki, Urubko left Base Camp and headed up the mountain with the intent of reaching the summit completely on his own. He managed to climb above C3 before poor weather turned him back, He then returned to BC where he reportedly was unapologetic. He was banned from using the team's Internet, and then later left altogether on February 28. He has yet to share more details on his side of the story.

Finally, Lonnie Dupre has also called off his attempt on Mt. Hunter in Alaska. He was set to make a solo winter attempt on that difficult mountain but heavy snow is preventing that from happening. The forecast calls for more than 6 feet (2 meters) of snow in the next few days, making it a very dangerous climb. Dupre says he will now wait until next winter to make the attempt once again.

That pretty much wraps up the winter climbing season altogether at this point. These were the last three expeditions I was following and I'm not aware of any other major climbs that are currently underway. Of course, in a few weeks we'll start looking ahead to the spring climbing season, which promises to be as eventful as ever.

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Winter Climbs 2018: Summit Bid Begins on Everest

The moment we've all been waiting for has finally arrived on Everest. After months of planning and weeks of preparation on the mountain, Alex Txikon, Muhammad Ali Sadpara, and the rest of the team have launched a summit bid on Everest, and things are already going well. But, as with all things involving the highest mountain on the planet, it won't be an easy ascent.

The attempt on the summit – the first so far this season – got underway yesterday with the Alex and company reaching Camp 2 in a single push. They'll likely move up to C3 today and be in their final position tomorrow for a potential push to the top on Saturday or Sunday (February 24/25) of this week.

The forecast calls for a good weather window over the next few days. That is a relative forecast of course, this being winter in the Himalaya. Temperatures on the summit are expected to hover around -40ºF/C, with windchills approaching -80ºF/-62ºC. In other words, it will be brutally cold on the way up, and remember Alex is attempting this summit without the use of supplemental oxygen.

In a post on Facebook Alex has called this the "first and last chance to get to the summit of Everest," indicating that he expects this to be their only real chance at topping out this winter. With about a month to go yet before the end of the season, I would have expected the team to at least consider a second summit bid should they not make it this time. But, it has been a long couple of months on the mountain and the entire squad is probably ready to get the expedition over with. Hopefully that means they'll come home with their mission completed.
Meanwhile, over on K2 the Polish Ice Warriors have posted a short and sweet message about their current status. The entire team is now in Base Camp where they are resting and recovering from recent efforts. The group has now gone as high as 7200 meters (23,622 ft) in their acclimatization and gear shuttling efforts. They'll now spend a few days regaining some strength before launching the next phase of the expedition, which looks to make the first winter ascent of the mountain.

Finally, fresh off of his failed-attempt on Mt. Lucania with Pascale Marceau, Lonnie Dupre has announced he is about to embark on a late winter solo attempt on Mt. Hunter in Alaska. The peak was first climbed in winter back in 1980, but no one has managed to solo it during that season just yet. Dupre himself made an attempt last year, but was turned back on that expedition too. Now, he's returning to the 4441-meter (14,573-ft) peak to give it another go.

Hunter is considered one of the more challenging and technically demanding 14ers in North America.  This is especially true during the winter when high winds, deep snow, and brutally cold temperatures add to the equation. Durpre says he'll head to the mountain in the final week of February and will begin by first shuttling gear up the first 450 meters (1500 feet) to create and advanced base camp not he mountain. When the forecast gives him a good window, he'll launch a week-long, ultra-light push to the top. No doubt the plan is to sleep in snow caves like he did on his solo summit of Denali a few years back.

The entire expedition, which is dubbed "Cold Hunter One," is expected to take just 15 days to complete.

We'll of course keep an eye on all of these climbs as they continue to unfold.

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Winter Climbs 2018: Camp 3 on Everest, K2 Team in Skardu

The tragic events on Nanga Parbat have dominated the mountaineering news cycle over the past few days, leaving most of us on the edge of our seat as we watched those events unfold. With the outcome now revealed, it is time to get back to climbing and we have updates from the major expeditions currently underway.

We'll start on Everest, where Alex Txikon and Muhammad Ali Sadpara reveal that they were also following the events on Nanga Parbat closely. Txikon had climbed with Tomak in the past and is no doubt feeling the loss deeply. But, he still has things that he needs to accomplish on the highest mountain on the planet, and the team continues to make good progress there.

Alex and company have now established Camp 3 on the mountain and spent last night in C2 as part of their acclimatization efforts. Today, they'll shuttle more gear up to Camp 3 and will spend the night there as well. After that, it will be back to Base Camp to rest and recuperate before deciding their next move. If a weather window comes, and the team is feeling strong, it is possible they could start to talk about summit bids. Alternatively, they could also look to establish Camp 4 before even thinking about going any higher. They still have plenty of time left in winter and there is no major rush, although they will have to take advantage of any weather windows that come their way. For now, the plan will be to wait and see what Everest offers them.

The members of the Polish team that assisted in the rescue operations on Nanga Parbat are preparing to head back to K2 to resume their own expedition there. After helping get Elisabeth Revol down the mountain and back to Islamabad, the squad has now gathered in Skardu where they are waiting for the weather to improve before going back to Base Camp. That could take a few days but they are committed to resuming their attempt to become the first to summit K2 in winter, despite the effort they just put in as part of the search and rescue team.

Finally, Lonnie Dupre and Pascale Marceau are finding it tough going on Mt. Lucania in Canada. The duo have been tentbound for the past two days with high winds preventing them from climbing higher up the mountain. They are currently camped at 12,000 feet (3673 meters) while 40 mph (64km/h) winds whip outside their shelter. Wind chills have dropped the temperature to roughly -42ºF/C, making it dangerous to be outside in those condition.

The plan is to wait out the storm, and drop down to a safer location before reevaluating the situation and planning their approach to the summit. At 17,257 feet (5259 meters) in height, Lucania doesn't push climbers with its altitude. Instead, it offers technical challenges and difficult weather instead, which is exactly what Lonnie and Pascale are feeling at the moment.

That's all for today. I'll post more updates when there is news to share.

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Winter Climbs 2018: Camp 2 on Everest, Stalled Out on K2

The major mountaineering expeditions that we're following this winter seem to have updates on an almost daily basis at the moment. That's a bit unusual considering the weather can often cause them to stall out for extended periods of time. But, there is news on several fronts with progress being made.

On K2, the Polish team reports that two of the members of the team have now gone up to 5900 meters (19,356 ft) and returned safely to Base Camp. Their jaunt up the mountain was meant to scout the route, and they discovered that there was little protection from the elements to be had in their intended spot for Camp 1, so instead they will set things up at 6200 meters (20,341 ft) instead.

The plan is to start shuttling gear to that spot in the coming days, but high winds are expected to hit the mountain soon, which will leave them tentbound in BC while they wait for things to improve. After that, they'll continue their acclimatization and gear shuttling efforts.

While the Poles sit and wait for the weather to improve, Alex Txikon continues to make good progress over on Everest. After spending the night at Camp 1 on Sunday, the following day he and one of the Sherpas made their first foray up to Camp 2 at 6500 meters (21,325 ft). Right now, the expedition is running well ahead of schedule, shaving off several days from the timetable that was used last year.

Alex, climbing partner Ali Sadpara, and the Sherpa support team have taken advantage of a good weather window to get plenty of work done on the mountain, including shuttling 600 meters of rope up to C2. They are currently back in Base Camp and resting up, with the Basque mountaineer reporting that high winds hit Everest while they were on their descent, so it could be a few days before they head back up again.


Finally, after a few delays due to poor weather conditions, Lonnie Dupre and Pascale Marceau should be ready to fly out to their starting point today. They've set their sights on Mt. Lucania, located in the St. Elias Range in a remote area of the Canadian Yukon. At 5240 meters (17,192 ft) in height, it is the third highest peak in Canada. What makes it so intriguing is the extreme cold they'll face on the way to the top.

High winds and cold temperatures kept the duo's flight grounded for the past few days, but conditions have improved enough to allow them to get started today. The'll be dropped off at a safe landing zone, then ski to the mountain, pulling sleds filled with gear behind them as they go. Those sleds will have about 100 pounds (45 kg) of supplies and gear to help get them through this expedition.

Stay tuned for more updates as the season continues to unfold.

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Winter Climbs 2018: Teams Reach Camp 1 on Everest and K2

Despite the fact that the winter climbing season is really just getting underway in the Himalaya and Karakoram, good progress is already being made by the teams on both Everest and K2. The squads on those mountains have taken advantage of good conditions and have spent little time in Base Camp before heading up to Camp 1.

Alex Txikon, Ali Sadpara, and their support team have already been very busy on Everest. Not only did they shuttle their first gear loads up to C1 by Thursday of last week but today they'll be spending the night at that spot as they truly begin their acclimatization process. It took the team just four days to finish the route through the Khumbu Icefall, which is a pretty impressive accomplishment to say the least. Remember, during the spring climbing season on Everest, there is a whole team of Sherpas who handle those duties.

So far, Alex and his crew are ahead of last year's schedule. It has taken a lot of work for each man to carry loads as heavy as 35 kilos (77 pounds) up the slopes to the C1 campsite, but as of now they have finished that process about five days faster than they did last year. There is obviously still a lot of work to be done for the Basque mountaineer to claim his no-oxygen winter ascent, but things are definitely off to a good start.

Meanwhile, the Poles are also making good headway in their efforts on K2. As of today, they have not only established Base Camp on that mountain, but they have also set up their communications systems to share progress with the rest of the world too. Apparently they haven't been resting on their laurels since arriving in BC last week either, as they have already climbed as high as 5700 meters (18,700 ft) while scouting the route and acclimatizing. Tomorrow they will make their first foray up to 5900 meters (19,356 ft) to begin shuttle gear to create Camp 1 at that point as well.

Finally, Lonnie Dupre and climbing partner Pascale Marceau have delayed the start of their climb on Mt. Lucania in Canada after the weather took a turn for the worse. The mountain is currently experiencing temperatures that are hovering around -40ºC/F with the windchill and windspeed in the 45+ km/h (27 mph) range. Those speeds are down from as much as 110 km/h (68 mph) over the weekend, but things should improve further over the next few days. They hope to get a good window for their flight to the mountain where they can finally get underway.

Stay tuned for more updates as the season continues to unfold.

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Winter Climbs 2018: Teams Reach Camp 1 on Everest and K2

Despite the fact that the winter climbing season is really just getting underway in the Himalaya and Karakoram, good progress is already being made by the teams on both Everest and K2. The squads on those mountains have taken advantage of good conditions and have spent little time in Base Camp before heading up to Camp 1.

Alex Txikon, Ali Sadpara, and their support team have already been very busy on Everest. Not only did they shuttle their first gear loads up to C1 by Thursday of last week but today they'll be spending the night at that spot as they truly begin their acclimatization process. It took the team just four days to finish the route through the Khumbu Icefall, which is a pretty impressive accomplishment to say the least. Remember, during the spring climbing season on Everest, there is a whole team of Sherpas who handle those duties.

So far, Alex and his crew are ahead of last year's schedule. It has taken a lot of work for each man to carry loads as heavy as 35 kilos (77 pounds) up the slopes to the C1 campsite, but as of now they have finished that process bout five days faster than they did last year. There is obviously still a lot of work to be done for the Basque mountaineer to claim his no-oxygen winter ascent, but things are definitely off to a good start.

Meanwhile, the Poles are also making good headway in their efforts on K2. As of today, they have not only established Base Camp on that mountain, but they have also set up their communications systems to share progress with the rest of the world too. Apparently they haven't been resting on their laurels since arriving in BC last week either, as they have already climbed as high as 5700 meters (18,700 ft) while scouting the route and acclimatizing. Tomorrow they will make their first foray up to 5900 meters (19,356 ft) to begin shuttle gear to create Camp 1 at that point as well.

Finally, Lonnie Dupre and climbing partner Pascale Marceau have delayed the start of their climb on Mt. Lucania in Canada after the weather took a turn for the worse. The mountain is currently experiencing temperatures that are hovering around -40ºC/F with the windchill and windspeed in the 45+ km/h (27 mph) range. Those speeds are down from as much as 110 km/h (68 mph) over the weekend, but things should improve further over the next few days. They hope to get a good window for their flight to the mountain where they can finally get underway.

Stay tuned for more updates as the season continues to unfold.

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Winter Climbs 2018: Txikon in EBC, Poles Trekking to K2

The winter climbing season on the big mountains is just getting underway and we'll be following some of the major expeditions very closely in the weeks ahead. Chief among them is the no-oxygen attempt on Everest by Alex Txikon and the attempt at a first winter ascent of K2 by the Polish team. While both expeditions are just now entering their early stages, we still have updates on progress.

Txikon has arrived in Base Camp on Everest after spending just 8 days trekking to the South Side in Nepal. The team arrived two days sooner than they did last year when the Basque climber made his first winter attempt on Everest, which was ended by poor weather conditions high on the mountain.

Alex, along with his climbing partner Muhammad Ali Sadpara of Pakistan, and their support crew are just now getting settled in BC, which they have established at 5300 meters (17,388 ft.). That's a bit higher than where they placed the camp last year, but the new spot provides more sunshine and warmth during the day and is located closer to the Khumbu Icefall, saving time and energy when shuttling gear up to the higher camps.

The team hopes to have camp established today and begin scouting their route through the icefall in the next few days. From there they'll start the acclimatization process by moving up the mountain as the weather permits.

Meanwhile, the Polish Ice Warriors team is now trekking to K2 to begin their attempt on that mountain. As the only 8000-meter peak that remains to be climbed in winter, K2 marks a major undertaking and the squad is eager to reach Base Camp and begin scouting potential routes. The launched their trek on December 29, and typically it takes about a week of tough hiking to reach the starting point of the climb. That means they should be arriving sometime in the next few days and hopefully we'll get regular updates on their progress after that.

Tomek Mackiewicz and Elisabeth Revol are already on Nanga Parbat, where they have started their acclimatization process. The duo haven't shared a lot of details from their expedition just yet, but they have now climbed above 6000 meters (19,685 ft.) as they begin to acclimate to the thinner, colder air. Tomek and Elisabeth arrived in BC last week and have slowly been assembling their camp and scouting the area. A part from a few support crew members in camp, they will be climbing in alpine style this winter.

Finally, Lonnie Dupre and his climbing partner Pascale Marceau have set their sights on a first winter ascent in the Canadian Yukon. They'll take a crack at the 5226-meter (17,146 ft.) Mount Lucania, which is seldom visited in the first place and has yet to be cracked during the winter months. They are expecting -50ºF/-45ºC temperatures, gale force winds, multi-day storms, and all of the other wonderful obstacles that come along with climbing in the winter. They will be getting underway shortly as well.

That's all for now. More updates as the season progresses.

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Lonnie Dupre Announces Next Adventure - Exploring Greenland in 2019

Mountaineer and polar explorer Lonnie Dupre has announced plans for his next major expedition, and as usual it will be a tough, cold journey. The man who once made a solo ascent of Denali in January has set his sights on Greenland, where he and a team of fellow adventurers will explore history, culture, and the impact of climate change.

Dubbed the Pulling for the Planet expedition, the project isn't set to get underway until January of 2019. The team's objective is to travel more than 1000 miles (1609 km) by dogsled starting in the northernmost community of the world – Qaanaaq. From there, the squad will head north, traveling across the legendary Warming Lands, which consist of a series of fjords which remain mostly unexplored and unvisited by man. They'll also go in search of a cairn reportedly built by Robert Peary himself back in the early 1900's, before pressing on further into the unknown.

Additionally, the Dupre and his team will use the expedition as an opportunity to test new gear in some of the harshest and coldest conditions on the planet, while also collecting samples of the ice and snow, as well as local fauna, to search for pollutants and to research the impact of climate change. They'll even take samples from the local inhabitants to determine if they remain healthy and fit.

The expedition is expected to take 100 days to complete, with the group traveling through Greenland during the most difficult time of year. January in this part of the world is incredibly cold and demanding, and should push their equipment and resolve to the limit.

The start of the journey is still more than a year off at this point, but it should certainly be an interesting one to follow. Find out more at Lonnie Dupre's official website.

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Video: Talking Tents with Explorer/Mountaineer Lonnie Dupre

Want to know what to look for in a tent when embarking on an extreme expedition? Who better to ask than a guy like Lonnie Dupre, who managed to make a solo summit of Denali last January. In this video Lonnie sits down with Petra Hilleberg to talk about the tents he uses on his various adventures, and what he looks for in a shelter in extreme locations.

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Video: Lonnie Dupre Approches Base Camp on Mt. Hunter

One of the winter climbs that we'll be following closely in the days ahead is Lonnie Dupre's attempt to summit Mt. Hunter in Alaska. Yesterday, he arrived in Base Camp, having been delivered there by bush plane. He also posted this video of the approach so you can get an idea of what he'll be facing in the days ahead. Hunter is a technically difficult mountain to climb, and as you can see there is plenty of snow to contend with too. This isn't going to be easy, but that's why he's doing it. More updates to come soon.

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