Posted: Feb 26, 2008 12:58 pm EST
(MountEverest.net) Yes it's that time of the year again! Here goes the first edition of the brand new 2008 Everest and Himalaya list of expeditions.

This spring, all eyes are on the north side of Everest where the Chinese torch ceremony is certain to illuminate more than Olympic ideals.

Maoists are already stirring things up also on the south side where the April 10 election is likely to add to climbers' altitude headaches.

Everest 53; other Himalaya 16

Last year, 60 expeditions were listed in the final update on April 4. This year already 53 expeditions are listed on Everest up until now (February 25).

While Mount Everest still remains the world's greatest adventure, it's not necessarily the best mountaineering experience. Virtually all top high altitude names are found on the other 8000ers this spring, where only 16 expeditions are listed up until now.

New climbers seem to choose Everest's normal routes, while skilled mountaineers seem to avoid the peak altogether.

To break it up:

Everest 2008 (vs. 2007):

South side 31 (29)
North side 22 (31)

Other Himalaya

16 (22)

In 2007, "other Himalaya" listed 27 expeditions but that included Cho Oyu (5); the only 8000er yet to be listed this spring season.

Everest highlights

The most notable Everest expedition this spring is the Kazakh Lhotse-Everest traverse.

Other highlights include Brazilian Paulo and Helena Coelho on their 12th attempt, sticking to their climbing principles of no oxygen, and no high-altitude Sherpas. Alongside Helena also Daniela Teixeira plans a female no 02 attempt. Andrew Brash, Myles Osborne and Dan Mazur are coming back for the summit, which they gave up last to save Lincoln Hall. Marc Batard and Joby Ogwyn will both try speed attempts; Marc without O2.

A Finnish team is en route; judging from their stellar (unsupported) expedition to the North Pole a few years back they should come well prepared. Kenton Cool will help Ranulph Fiennes give the peak a second shot, and two all-women teams (Singapore and Nepal) are expected on each side of the mountain.

The peak will also decide how old is too old; at 77 years Nepali Min Bahadur Sherchan leads this race vs Japanese Yuichiro Miura, 74 and Russian Boris Koshunov, 73.

Other Himalaya

Although the list is still tentative; other Himalaya shows names familiar to the high altitude community. Many climbers here have lots of 8000ers under their belts already such as Joao Garcia, Andrew Lock and Waldemar Niclevicz headed for Makalu; Artur Hayzer, Ryszard Pawlowski, Radek Jaros and Ivan Vallejo for Dhaulagiri; Piotr Pustelnik, Peter Morawski, Peter Hamor and (probably) Inaki Ochoa for Annapurna. A last minute addition is Colombian Fernando-Gonzalez Rubio who is heading for Makalu and Dhaulagiri (before a summer G1 and G2 double-header in Pakistan).

Americans will want to keep a special watch on the west face of Makalu this spring, and on Annapurna.

Go to the brand new list for details. Godspeed climbers!

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