Posted: Nov 27, 2008 04:39 pm EST
(K2Climb.net) Before Italian Simone Moro; all first winter accents in Himalaya had been made by Polish climbers in Calendar winter, from Everest in 1980 to Lhotse in 1988. In 2005, Simone Moro and Piotr Morawski bagged number 8 - Shisha Pangma - on January 14.

While in Karakoram none of the 8000ers have been winter climbed, only one now remains in Nepal Himalaya: Makalu - and that's where Simone is headed next.

Simone and Denis back together

Simone always stated winter climbs are a spiritual experience to him; hence he wants to be alone on his attempts, without the company (and competition) of others.

Following two straight years of winter attempts on Broad Peak with Pakistan Shaheen Baig and Qudrat Ali; Simone is handing Karakoram over to the Polish this year. Artur Hajzer will lead Robert Szymczak and (Canadian) Don Bowie for a winter attempt there; while a second Polish team led by Jacek Teler will attempt Nanga Parbat.

Simone will attempt Makalu with old time friend Denis Urubko. Simone and Denis go a long way back: the two did a number of spectacular climbs and humanitarian efforts in the Himalayas together, split up for a while, before joining up again this winter for the upcoming expedition.

A small world on high altitude

The upcoming Broad and Makalu winter attempts share much history. Not only did Urubko frequently climb with Simone Moro in the past, last winter he attempted Makalu exactly with fellow Kazakh climbers Serguey Samoilov, Eugeny Shutov and Gennady Durov - alongside Moro's national mates Italian Nives Meroi, Romano Benet and Luca Vuerich.

Urubko, Szymczak and Bowie in addition all were part of the rescue attempt on Annapurna for Spanish Inaki Ochoa last spring. Inaki in turn was a close friend of Nives and Romano and told ExWeb before his untimely death he hoped to climb Makalu together with the Italian couple.

Before the Kazakh/Italian combo, the last winter attempt on Makalu was done in 2005 by French Jean Christophe Lafaille; also sharing some past with Simone and the Polish - on Shisha Pangma.

While the Italian/Polish intentions were clearly advertised; Jean Christophe summited Shisha fall 2004, in a climb that was a bit more secretive. The solo mountaineer reported his success only after he topped out by mid December, claiming a winter first weeks before the beginning of Calendar winter and shortly before the rival team's arrival in BC.

Winter climbers such as Spanish Fernando Garrido and Krzysztof Wielicki spoke out in favor of Simone. "I think Jean Christophe has enjoyed excellent autumn weather conditions," Krzysztof said, and Shisha's first winter ascent went to the later climbers, summiting Shisha January 14, 2005.

Jean Christophe returned to Himalaya the following year - for Makalu’s first winter ascent. This time, there was no controversy. Jean Christophe Lafaille sadly vanished on the peak - in January 2006.

Makalu winter history

The first winter attempt on Makalu was done in 1980 by Renato Casarotto and Mario Curnis who reached 7400 meters. In 1985/86, Reinhold Messner managed to get to the couloir leading to Makalu La pass. The expedition was filmed and subject to controversy after a French mountaineer died and his body was pushed into a crevasse.

In 1987/88, six Polish and two American climbers led by Andrzej Machnik walked for two weeks to the mountain with four porters. Setting up BC on December 10, bad weather aborted also this expedition at 7400 meters on January 28, 1988.

Ten years later, in 1998, Polish Krzysztof Wielicki arrived with Anna Czerwiñska, Ryszard Pawlowski and Belgian Ingrid Bayens. Wielicki's famous resume included winter ascents of Mount Everest, Kangchenjunga and Lhotse, including 24-hour new routes base to top on the Himalayan giants.

"We aimed really high," Wielicki said,"we thought that everything was possible, even a four-person winter attack of such a big and windy mountain."

"We chose the classic route through Makalu La, which appeared difficult due to its length. We got lost in a blizzard, and mid-January we had enough of it. It was however a great school in Himalaya climbing."

Wielicki made another failed winter attempt on Makalu in 2000/2001 - the last before Jean-Christophe Lafaille's ill-fated 2005/06 climb and the 2007/08 Kazakh/Italian attempt which ended February 3d this year.

Simone, "my best wishes to BP and Manaslu

"It will be a very difficult and extreme project for sure," Simone told ExWeb this morning after announcing his Makalu winter expedition, "but it follows the 'exploration philosophy' too often missing in modern 8000+ alpinism."

The team will leave around Christmas and the route will be set pending conditions. "I like the Kukuczka route but let’s see how it is. The normal route is another option," Simone says. The climb will go in super light style, without Sherpa, oxygen and limited rope. Expect daily HD video and dispatches. The North Face is official sponsor, Cho Oyu Trekking with leader Nima Nuru Sherpa is local trekking agency and organizer.

Simone, who was stopped short at 7840 meters on Broad Peak last winter finally added in his message, "I also want to send my best wishes and good luck to the Polish guys on Broad Peak. One part of my heart will be with them. Greetings and best wishes also to the Czech winter expedition on Manaslu."

UIAGM Mountain Guide; lieutenant in the Italian Mountain Army, doctor of sport science with a degree in 'Extreme altitude climbs'; instructor for the Italian Swimming Federation and North Face athlete: all-round alpinist Simone Moro is equally skilled on rock, ice, mixed and altitude. Known for his drive, humility and love of life; Simone's passion for exploration has led him from his playground in the Italian Dolomites to the highest places on our earth.

Moro, 41, has done a total of 40 expeditions during the last 16 years. Some of his high altitude achievements include the first winter ascent of Shisha Pangma (8027m); a traverse of Everest (8848m) south-to-north side, with summit at 3.15 am and descent to base camp in only 5 hours; a number of new lines such as on the north face of Baruntse; a number of winter ascents and speed climbs on major mountaineering peaks. A difficult attempt on an Everest-Lhotse traverse together with Denis Urubko ended in the successful rescue of a young climber gaining Simone a number of awards for true, climbing spirit.

Simone last did the first ascent of Beka Brakai Chhok 6940 m (Pakistan) this past summer, in pure alpine style and a 43 hours roundtrip.

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