Posted: Oct 06, 2008 02:23 am EDT
(Mounteverest.net/Madrid) A yet uncertain number of climbers topped out Manaslu on Saturday and Sunday – it is to be confirmed who reached the main summit and who stopped on the secondary top. Tragedy struck on Cho Oyu, where two climbers have been confirmed dead and several accidents are reported.

Vikings reached Kangchenjunga’s BC, Dare to Dream American team members are heading for Annapurna I, and Jesús Calleja has called it quits on Makalu.

Manaslu: Summits – and foresummits?

Edurne’s team set off from higher camp on Sunday at 3.00am, topped out at about 9.00, and were back in BC by 9:00pm, after retrieving their C3 on the way down. Edurne noted there is a rather technical section from the secondary summit to the main one, and thus some climbers stopped before the actual highest point on Saturday. She states it was her Al Filo team who finally fixed some rope on the previously mentioned section between both summits. Together with Edurne, who has bagged her 11th, 8000er, Alex Txicon, Asier Izaguirre, Mikel Zabalza, Ester Sabadell, Ferrán Latorre and Juanjo Garra also topped out.

According to Spanish media, Pasaban might be moving to Tibet, in order to attempt Shisha Pangma.

“All ten members of the expedition succesfully climbed the summit, and they are now returning to C3,” Serbian team leader Dragan Jacimovic reported in his latest update on Saturday.

Altitude Junkies/Project-Himalaya team members reached C4 on Saturday. While further reports on their summit attempt on Sunday are still expected, leader Phil Crampton reported on a sick climber being carried down by Sherpas on Friday, and a number of climbers stopping at Manaslu’s foresummit on Saturday.”There have been numerous summits of the central summit but at the time of this dispatch the only true summits we are aware of are two Italian climbers,” Phil stated.

“At 0600 GMT 4th October 2008, Adele Pennington, Leader of the Jagged Globe Manaslu Expedition called by satellite telephone from Camp 3 (c7,400m),” JG’s home team reported. “Along with Mingma Tshiri (Nepali, 13 Everest Summits) plus one New Zealander, one American, four more Brits, and 5 Sherpas, she had climbed the world’s eighth highest mountain.” It is yet to be confirmed whether the climbers actually reached the peak’s main summit.

A tough descent for Mexican summiteers

Mexicans Laura González del Castillo and Yuri Contreras reportedly summited on Sunday, 10:30am. Alter a moment on top, they started what turned out an exhausting descent.

“The way down back to BC was horrible, with strong wind, loose snow and very heavy backpacks,” Yuri told his home team. “There were lots of dangerous situations on the technical sections between C3 and C2. Laura and I were weakened after having fed only on energy bars and chappatis for days – what was supposed to be a simple descent turned into a nightmare. I even ate snow – I know it’s unhealthy, but I was dying of hunger and thirst. Laura was wasted too, and still has numb fingers – but otherwise is recovering well. The Sherpas reached BC also exhausted and rather angry – they had been demanded to carry down excessively heavy loads.”

HiMex team member Adrian Ballinger reported to have summited Manaslu together with four Sherpa and 4 clients.

Cho Oyu: Guy and Miha lost - accidents reported

”It is now confirmed that Guy Leveille has perished on the descent,” reported FTA's HQ in Australia. “Guy and Stu Remensnyder, the team leader and head guide, were involved in what sounds to have been an epic descent after Stu summitted and then turned Guy around just 60m from the top at 3:45pm on Saturday. They were then caught up above 7500m for nearly 40 hours. Guy had weakened considerably during the long climb down, and at an as yet unknown point fell and slid away from Stu. Stu has then managed to stumble back into high camp alone and seemingly only just making it himself. It is also now confirmed that all members have returned safely to BC.”

“There were several dramas unfolding high on the hill during Friday and Saturday nights, involving multiple teams including that of the SummitClimb group,” Dave Hancock added. “Another climber had to be resuscitated with CPR after collapsing, and other climbers who resulted injured in long and dangerous falls have been evacuated.”

Hancock also wanted to express gratitude towards IMG. “Stu made the comment they were the only people who responded when the initial emergency calls went out on the radios at 2am, that included a plea for oxygen to be brought up.”

The following Field Touring team members reached the summit: Lahkpa Sherpa (Nepal), Stu Remensnyder (USA), Italo Mazza (Italy), Rob Baker (Australia), Ryan Castel (Australia), Justin Moody (UK), and Guy Higgot (Canada).

A second victim - Further reports expected

As for IMG’s team, they’ve made no comments on rescues or losses, but a short update with their Team 2’s summiteers. They are climbers Karel, Nate, Chris, Louis, Ted and Paul; guides Mike Hamill and Greg Vernovage; and Sherpas Mingma Dorje, Karma Rita, Chhewang Lendu, Dasona, Phunuru, Tashi Tshering and Tseten Gyurme.

SummitClimb team leader Dan Mazur latest dispatched on Saturday. “Four of our team members just reached the summit: Kurt Blair, Max Kausch, Erik Petersen, and Pasang Sherpa,“ Dan wrote. “Apparently some climbers from another team fell from around 7600 metres on Cho Oyu on 2 or 3 October - we just wanted to extend our condolences to their families, friends and colleagues.” There is no mention of SC team members injured, although updates are expected since Sunday.

Slovenian Media reported on Miha Valic perishing while on descent from the summit. Valic, 30, was a seasoned alpine climber and UIAGM guide. Miha's blog is currently unavailable.

Annapurna: Americans from IV to I

“Brad and Tonya called via satellite phone from 22,000 feet on October 5th to announce their descent of Annapurna IV,” Dare to Dream home team reported. “They weren’t able to summit due to weather, tricky terrain, and health risks. They will be moving over to begin from base camp of Annapurna I within the next week.”

Kangchenjunga: Vikings in BC

“Finally we have reached the Kangchenjunga Base Camp and it was not a walk in the park to get there,” Fredrik Eriksson reported. The group had to deal with rain and leeches in the jungle, then heavy snow fall on the upper stages, which added to difficulties crossing the Yalung glacier’s moraine. Jörgen stayed for two days at 3,700m nursing a cold – but then caught up with his mate in BC. "Now we are getting very excited to take out the skis and head up to the snow," they said.

Makalu: It’s over for Calleja

“I’ve made a sad decision – we’re going back home,” Spanish Jesús Calleja reported. “The Sherpas sent to check our camps have confirmed it is impossible to launch a summit bid in the current conditions: Excess of snow is constantly avalanching down the route.”

Links to Himalaya fall 2008 teams:

Everest

News on Korean Park’s SW face expedition on Donga
Skydive Everest

Kangchenjunga

Fredrik Eriksson’s dispatches

Annapurna

Jean Troillet’s updates
American Dare to Dream expedition’s updates

Manaslu

Nives & Romano’s updates
Edurne's blog on Diario Vasco
Serbian expedition’s website
Stephan Keck’s website
Rosa Fernández’s website
Amical Alpin
Altitude Junkies/Project-Himalaya team’s dispatches
Kari Kobler’s team reports
Jagged-Globe
Yuri Contreras and Laura
Adrian Ballinger's blog (climbing with HiMex)
Kinga Baranowska
Friendship Beyond borders

Makalu

House's posts on Patagonia's blog
Vince Anderson's blog
Jesus Calleja’s blog
Bachinepally Shekhar Babu's website

Cho Oyu

Spanish Extremadura team’s posts
Italian From the Appennino Reggiano to the Himalaya
Field Touring Alpine’s team blog
IMG Expedition’s website
Summit Climb Expedition’s website

Pumori

PeakFreaks' updates
Fabrizio Zangrilli's blog

Annapurna II

Croatian expedition's blog

Baruntse

Alpine Ascents - Dave Morton's live dispatches
Adventure consultants' live dispatches
(AC team member) Louis Kosztelny's live dispatches

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