Posted: Jan 04, 2007 03:12 am EST
2006 was a massive year in the world of exploration. In addition to the top expeditions and events listed in the ExWeb 2006 awards, much more was going on. Here a quick review of last year's main action, including a sneak preview of a promising 2007. We have to warn you though, even with this compilation of general events only (not including awards, special issues and specific expeditions and routes) the 2006 record is huge. Here goes:

A new South Pole marker, and a last thread spun by White Spider

At the South Pole station, after the previous had been stolen by an explorer; the new South Pole marker was moved 10 meters on January 1st, in order to compensate for the ice movements.

Austrian Heinrich Harrer died at age 93. His two books, the White Spider and Seven Years in Tibet, inspired an entire generation of climbers and explorers. On Makalu, the mountaineering world was shocked when Lafaille was lost on his solo winter attempt.

Colin Yeates brave mission to row around Antarctica lasted less then two days. On the Atlantic meanwhile, the Woodvale Atlantic Rowing challenge became a veritable thriller, when Digicel's Atlantic crew was rescued by a Spanish tanker after they had lost control over their rudder and capsized. The rescue mission was not even complete and another, solo, rower capsized. Next, two American women rowers were flipped over by a huge wave but found unharmed 16 hours later clinging to the hull of their overturned boat.

Hours earlier, another team was also forced to abandon ship after their leaking boat capsized. Al Howard and Nick Rowe nearly experienced a similar fate as their boat was hoisted into the air catapulting Al overboard, "When I surfaced, miraculously still wearing my glasses, the boat was up on its side at 90 degrees and overwhelmed with water,” reported Al. All this drama caused a sudden safety drive on board, some guys were spending most of their time outside with their life jackets on and strapped to their boat.

66 days adrift-survivor Bill Butler compiled an open letter to the Woodvale organizers, stressing seamanship and prior experience. After 99 days at sea, Roz Savage, the only single rower left in the race passed the official crossing line. The British woman's row was financed by her divorce settlement.

In other ocean news, British swimmer Lewis Gordon Pugh entered the record books as the first person to complete the Holy Grail of swimming: a long-distance swim in all of the world’s five oceans - the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic and Southern Oceans.

Meanwhile at Antarctica

Meanwhile at Antarctica, a Spanish trans-Antarctic team was in a non-stop race on the ice, covering up to 280 Km/day onboard their home-made 'ice-sailing raft'. Headed for a pick up point from where a helicopter would air-lift them to a Russian Ice Breaker, the three members had been riding their kite-sled in a mad charge over the ice, losing the ARGOS, satellite phone, solar panels, and food along the way.

“We had not eaten or slept for 24 hours,” they reported in the end. But the battle paid off: After covering a total distance of 4500Km in 63 days, the guys proved the utility of their kite-sled as an "innovative, clean mean of transportation".

Golden ice axe swinging wild

To the very end, the 2006 edition of the Piolet d'Or prize endured controversies. Only hours before the award, 76 year old Spanish Cesare Maestri, the legendary Ragno delle Dolomitti suddenly denied one of the candidates’ claims. The mixed team of Cerro Torre rebels Ermanno Salvaterro, Alessandro Beltrami and US Rolando Garibotti asked for their nomination to be withdrawn, stating that Piolet d’Or is a subjective award pitching climbers against each other. The previous year instead, American Steve House had criticized the prize for going to Russian Jannu North face climbers. When the new jury members, including Briton Stephen Venables - an alpine-style purist - finally cast their votes for House and climbing mate Vince Anderson, finalist Kazakh Denis Urubko commented: "Finally, the Piolet d'Or went to American climbers - very interesting. I was not surprised, and I'm happy that I climb for the sport only."

Birdman lost

Over Everest hang glider Angelo D’Arrigo died in an accident during an air show in Comiso, Italy as passenger in a small Sky Arrow plane. Only in January, ‘Birdman’ Angelo d'Arrigo had broken his own Everest altitude record in the Andean Cordillera. Once again towed by his team mate Richard Meredith, Angelo's Tupungato hang-flight reached 9100m (29,850 feet), in the same currents his condors used for their flight. Birdman's next plan had been to fly over Mt. Vinson, the highest peak on Antarctica in 2007.

Everest kick-off by Mary, 85

The Everest 2006 season was kicked off by British Mary Woodbridge, 85, and her dog Daisy who announced they would climb Everest via a direct route from the Base Camp to the Top, in pure alpine style and without oxygen. The new route ran straight via the vertical, avalanche-prone wall where an avalanche had buried 60 tents in 2005. ExWeb offered to monitor Mary's heart rate live online in collaboration with NASA, also suggesting that Apple and Wired mag could outfit Mary's walking stick with a special sensor to podcast the effects of Global warming.

Most (but not all) in the climbing community knew it was a stunt - the big question was: Who was behind it? Turned out Mary was a campaign for Mammut sportswear, created by Swiss agency Spillmann/Felser/Leo Burnett. The campaign was a scoop - Mary made headlines all over the world. The scary part was that so many of mainstream media just bought into the evident bs - a very revealing fact behind the fame of some of the "great explorers" out there.

Tech, space and money

After 6 months of 24/7 programming, ExWeb proudly presented the brand new Contact 4.0 GEO. A customized system of multi-layer location maps in a one page user experience with seamless transitions - the integrated hardware/software solution is a smart, interactive communication system for explorers and other people on the move. Fast, easy and cheap to use over slow satellite connections, it also loads quickly on the internet.

While at it, ExWeb also got the scoop on the true Thuraya coverage; sorting out the confusion sprung from two different coverage maps in Asia. Almost simultaneously, the new BGANs and a range of coolest solar panels hit the virtual shelves of HumanEdgeTech.com.

Over in private space travel, media covering a high-rolling money game involving spaceports and Arab governments made a sharp dive for earth when XPrize member Japanese Takafumi Horie was arrested for allegedly spreading false information to inflate stock prices under fraudulent securities schemes.

Technology and exploration have always been close: Turned out the former Head of Procurement for the brand new Bgan from Inmarsat; Derek Webber now manages Spaceport Associates. These are the guys to approach if you are unsure from where to launch your rockets, how to avoid getting sued, and how to make your Universe business plan believable to other than your mother. Derek also keeps a number of useful email addresses: He is the man behind the "F/Z Survey of Demand for Space Tourism" involving interviews with 450 millionaires.

Mallory & Irvine to be continued, K2 hero making waves at last

Back on old Everest; researchers Pete Poston and Jochen Hemmleb continued their search for the truth about Mallory and Irvine's final climb. Pete Poston checked in with American Everest climber and researcher Conrad Anker to discuss the route, as Conrad attempted to free climb the second step in 1999. Tasmania researcher Phil Summers threw in a hefty paper to the debate.

In Pakistan, Greg Mortenson finally made some well-deserved waves when publishing Three Cups of Tea: A K2 climber's Mission to Fight Terrorism and Build Nations...One School at a Time. Since his 1993 climb on K2, Greg has quietly done over 30 trips to set up 55 schools in remote mountain villages of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Arctic Jackpot

On the Arctic Ocean, Thomas Ulrich was rescued after spending two days stranded on a drifting ice floe. When the choppers finally found him around midnight, the ice floe had shattered into pieces and Thomas had lost most of his gear. “It was Victor, who held Thomas by satellite phone in the last one and half hours before the evacuation and who gave him the urgently needed motivation for survival,” his home team dispatched in a thank you note to Russian outfitter Victor Boyarsky.

2006 panned out a jackpot to unsupported North Pole expeditions - at least from Canada: Four teams reached the pole unsupported for the first time in three years - and they did it in record speeds. However, after adding this year’s 14 brand new members, the list still only totals 40 people.

Charity climbs

As opposition blocked all roads in and out of Kathmandu; Everest climbers prepared for a brand new climbing season, many armed with website accounts for the latest rage: Charity climbs.

"Is it possible - ethical even - to tie a selfish act such as climbing Mount Everest to terminal diseases affecting children? And is it OK if some of the raised money goes to pay for your own expedition?," ExWeb asked and decided to check with one of the new 'charity climbers'.

The highest death lab in the world - the story continues

In spite of the fact that Henry Todd served time for manufacturing second rate LSD and now supplies life saving merchandise without disclosing even basic technical data, several large commercial expeditions are routinely among his customers.

In a follow-up to our 2005 Everest Oxygen series, ExplorersWeb therefore set out to give Todd a chance to respond to some simple technical questions about his supplementary oxygen. Our inquiries about point of sale, manufacturing, and other specs including a request to visit the factory were answered by an unpleasant mail from Henry's lawyer.

Everest climbers turned war correspondents

Everest climbers turned into war correspondents reporting live from Kathmandu: "Huge rally on now: 150,000 demonstrators surrounded the city on the Ring road, started to push into the main city, against the curfew," a desperate climber reported to ExWeb. "This is going to get very ugly. There are reports of 3 dead so far - only in first few minutes of the demonstrations."

Everest speed-record holder Pemba Dorje Sherpa, 28, was arrested, accused of being involved in a swindling scandal. Pemba Dorje accused the police inspector of forcing him to sign a confession at gunpoint.

Adventure Peaks witnessed a cross-fire between rebels and Army troops on the way to the Tibetan border, while Jamie McGuinness reported, "the people of Kathmandu are speaking by blocking streets off, burning tires and clashing with the police. This is the beginning of change, no matter how it is looked at, and the King should be nervous."

“Hidden away in his palace in the midst of a city in chaos, King Gyanendra of Nepal appeared desperate to cling to power,” reported NZ Herald, doubting the King’s controversial access to the throne, after most members of the royal family were murdered a few years back, reportedly by the Crown heir, who then shot himself.

Lorenzo Gariano dispatched, "A couple of large trucks came screaming down the street full of armed police officers. They jumped out of the vehicle, as if they were the A1 team." Kangchenjunga climbers bitterly paid €600 to the rebels, while Silvio Mondinelli's team was held hostage by the pool “Even us foreigners were asked to remain in our hotel, under threat of 30 days in jail," reported Silvio from Kathmandu before fleeing the city in a chartered helicopter.

The Ecuadorian team reported, “near a village where we had stopped for lunch we noticed troop's movement. Maneuvers, we thought, until a grenade exploded 500m from our car. Locals ran towards the car pleading for a hike to a safe place. We got all we could inside and on the roof of the car."

In Lukla the 7-summitClub team reported: "The soldiers close off the road with barb wire after 6 pm." Four Polish trekkers were reported to have been abducted by Maoists rebels, while Italian Makalu climbers settled their score with the Maoists in a soccer game.

Above it all, a solar eclipse wowed the Everest climbers. "It was really cool, happened a little after 4 p.m. and created that twilight effect, even though it was just partial," climbers in Kathmandu reported to ExWeb.

In the end, addressing the nation a late Friday evening, King Gyanendra returned the power to Nepal’s people and the Everest climbing season could begin.

Later that night, the worst snowstorm veterans have seen since 1996 wrapped the mountain. Strong winds howled on the north side, while heavy snow fall buried the Khumbu icefall on the south. The overloaded Everest icefall collapsed and killed three Sherpas in the biggest ice fall tragedy since 1982.

Back to normal

"So the question on everyone’s mind is 'are things normal in Kathmandu?'" "Well, I must remind you that Kathmandu has never been about 'normal', that’s why we have always loved it. Rudyard Kipling famously said, 'The wildest dreams of Kew…. Are the facts of Kathmandu…'" 20 year veteran Everest expedition leader Wally Berg arrived the capital and wrote up an interesting flashback about our - in spite of everything - favorite place.

Soon everything was back to normal. On Dhaulagiri, Carlos Soria fretted: “Forgetting my age (66) I hauled up two rolls of fixed ropes up to C1 yesterday. My mates say I shouldn’t be taking heavy loads but what can I do. I hired a Sherpa when I came here, but he literally took the money and ran… To the US,” he reported.

"What on Earth is a veteran with destroyed feet like me, doing inside a tent?” Juan Oiarzabal asked himself when his dream of climbing Yalung Kang – his first 8000+ meter peak since he got all toes amputated after a close call on K2 two years ago – was over. Juanito retreated to town and announced he was done with 8000m climbing. But then, in a cozy hotel in Kathmandu, he told a climbing friend, “Maybe I overreacted. The bad food, the cold… It was not just the heat of the moment – I meant it when I said I was quitting. But now, well, I can’t discard the possibility of climbing up to 8000m again.”

"Climbing mountains above 8000m at age 70 and at age 75 is not simply the difference of 5 years of aging...in high altitude, it is said that humans age double their physical age; that is, age of 75 in normal condition is boosted up to age 150," Emili Miura, Yuichiro's daughter, explained. Miura decided to end his summit bid at C2 on Shisha Pangma, as a test before his ultimate, anti-aging challenge for 2008 Olympic - when he plans to scale Everest at age 75. Yuichiro Miura, 73, became record holder as the oldest Everest summiteer in 2003 at the age of 70.

Carlos Pauner had a scare when his team's chopper crashed. "Suddenly the chopper started spinning in mid-air, then we dropped. In brief seconds, we hit the ground, and started slipping down the glacier, the chopper losing fuselage pieces and spilling fuel on the way. Finally it stopped right on the edge of a very steep slope. We jumped out and ran, expecting it to blow – which luckily didn’t happen.”

On Cho Oyu, the Friendship without Borders team including Nawang Sherpa (a trans-tibial amputee), called the expedition off. The local trekking company they had hired, came with cheap, broken tents, and “dangerous, maniac-like cooks” - the Sherpas were threatened with knives when they tried to enter the kitchen and prepare their own meals.

Everest super dog, Hyatt and space

On Everest, Shipton the Super-dog was upset. Making it all the way up the Khumbu icefall and the Western CWM, he was busted in C2 when helping himself on a stock of boiled eggs (he ate about 30). Sherpas promptly took him down all the way to BC.

Expeditions remembered the 1996 tragedy, but much had changed since. Such as climbers chartering helicopters near Everest Base Camp for a few days of rest at the Hyatt in Kathmandu. "Everyone is maximizing our rest here by having massages, steam baths, and hanging out at the pool,” reported a team.

In the midst of Everest high season, parts of team ExWeb took off for LA, to cover the big National Space Society conference. Rubbing shoulders with heads of NASA missions, Astronauts, moonwalkers, Burt Rutan, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Space Adventures, Virgin Galactic and tons of others - we ran stories such as the Seven Summits of Space, science Alpine style, Solar panels, Google maps, space travel and the Gold, War and huge Ego that will take us there.

Everest action

Late May, in an international frenzy of triumphs and disasters, emails flew around the globe, relaying the latest worry and joy on Everest. ExWeb spent a sleepless week, covering 24 hours.

It was a massive week of Everest summits. The first Turkish woman, a Polish cover girl, a couple approaching the peak from the Dead Sea, the youngest, the oldest...by May 20, waves of summiteers were reported from everywhere. People traversed the mountain right and left, there was a speed record and a few summits without oxygen. Apa Sherpa nailed his summit no 16, and Filipino climbers offered a national-first drama as three reached the top within three days of each other - with a fourth later claiming he had been the first.

But as usual - all the action was on the two normal routes. The announced Fantasy and West ridge attempts both fell through.

Accidents

One who did try a different route, Viking skier Tomas Olsson fell to his death in the Norton couloir, when rappelling down a 150 ft rock cliff at around 8500 meters. He had tried to complete a first ski-descent on Everest north face, previously made in parts by Hans Kammerlander. Kammerlander meanwhile lost his climbing mate Alois Brugger on the unclimbed Jasemba peak. Alois fell to his death while descending from 7100m.

On Everest south side, several high altitude rescues took place including of a lady Korean climber who was saved after falling 1000 feet at 8600 meters.

On Everest north side, an increasing number of accidents raised questions as Chinese Everest officials lost count. "With only 2 years left to the Olympic Games and a potential passing of the Olympic torch over the summit of Everest, the China Tibet Mountaineering Association is embarrassingly out of control (read interest) at Mount Everest," wrote ExplorersWeb in an editorial.

"Commercial budget expeditions are signing up clients by the dozen and BC has a bar and a mobile brothel. Individual climbers are robbed in high camps, which this year has contributed to at least one climber's death," we wrote and compiled a list of all confirmed deaths.

And then it was over

American Lance Trumbull witnessed his 4 year old dream come true in a multi-racial/religions summit made by his Everest Peace Project. Armed with the latest BGAN and Contact 4.0, Lance worked his butt off in hotel rooms and base camps, and did the best cyber updates including the first summit video from Everest this year. But it had not all been sweet; in a 36 hour rescue effort Jamie McGuinness and 2 Sherpas managed to walk a member down all the way from the summit and save the climber's life.

Others on the peak were less fortunate. "Everest and Himalaya are tough places and people die there, but this season the biggest debate was not about that. This year, Everest displayed a weakness much more dangerous than death to mankind: Lack of compassion, selfish ambition, and silence," wrote ExplorersWeb in relation to David Sharp and other incidents (Check the 2006 Best of ExplorersWeb Award). As we published "Tales from the grave," about rescues at Altitude - Aussie climber Lincoln Hall was waking up from the dead.

Only one day after Lincoln's rescue, his close friend Aussie climber Sue Fear, 43, fell into a crevasse on Manaslu and perished.

And then it was over. The late season's good weather brought a record number of around 500 summits on Everest. 11 fatal accidents were confirmed, compared to the record spring season of 1996 when 12 people lost their lives.

Touching the world

It seemed that the events on Everest touched the entire world. In the month of May only, a million visitors from 139 countries had flooded ExplorersWeb in an avalanche of emails. "Message from the death zone: Let me tell you what it feels like on 8500 meters," editorial by one of the founders of ExplorersWeb became the most clicked story.

People were still writing songs and poems when with the oncoming Monsoon; Everest was once again deserted and soft snow began to fall, blanketing the climbers who weren't coming home.

On Kangchenjunga, Gerlinde bagged her world female record 8000er summit number 9, and Joos did his number 13.

But who won the war? "Well, seems we are back to square one," wrote ExWeb in a Nepal politics update report, about the loose ends in a Maoist-democracy joint future. Sticky issues: How to disarm the 'ex-rebels' and what to do with the King.

Pakistan

The dust from Everest season had barely settled before a brand new climbing year began in Pakistan.

While Lino Lacedelli and Achile Compagnony were celebrated as national heroes; a furious Walter Bonatti accused the two summiteers to have abandoned him in the death zone. 50 years after the 1954 K2 expedition a very old Lino Lacedelli - who had remained silent all this time - couldn’t face to take the truth with him to the grave. In a book, he confessed what really happened on K2, thus changing the course of history. Lino also called Bonatti to apologize, but the climber would have none of it. "It's too late," he said.

The Chitral Valley in northern Pakistan was closed to foreigners for security reasons and local authorities refused climbing permits in the region. With the highest peaks of the Hindu Kush range, the area became famous in 2001 as the hiding place of terrorist Osama Bin Laden. Also peaks situated close to the Siachen Glacier war zone were denied climbing permits.

On Nanga Parbat, Jose Antonio Delgado died after climbing the summit alone. The weather deteriorated on descent and he had to bivouac at around 7.800m. A few days later, Jose told BC that he would try to reach C3 from C4 by his own means, and asked his team mate Edgar to say goodbye to his wife and kids for him. That was the last word from the climber, whose legacy later was published in a children's book: "Seek excellence and the most amazing landscapes."

In all, Pakistan mountains kept 8 climbers this summer - all except one - on the 8000+ peaks. Four died on K2, one on Broad Peak, two on Nanga Parbat and one on Spantik. On K2, an avalanche swept away four Russian climbers. On Nanga, another climber became lost between camp 2 and 3. On Broad Peak, a young climber died of exposure on descent from the summit, and on Spantik a lady climber also died of exposure on descent from summit.

78 applicants were granted climbing permits, including 10 applicants obtaining permits to climb 2 peaks each. Out of 88 expeditions attempting 22 peaks, 40 expeditions succeeded in putting 199 climbers on the summit of 8 Peaks.

Here goes the 2007 Pakistan climbing rates:
- 05% royalty fee on all Peaks during winter season (December-February).
- Zero royalty fees for Peaks up to 6500-M during 2007.
- 10% royalty fee on mountains situated in Chitral, Gilgit, and Ghizer except on Spantik/Golden Peak.
- 50% discounted royalty fee on all other peaks to continue during 2007.

French website BlankontheMap also compiled an overview of exploration few know about - Karakorum's great ski traverses.

Everest back in spotlight

Everest came back in spotlight when the Todd/Tinker Everest manslaughter charges were dropped. A family brought the case to civil court already in 2003 driven by the lack of information surrounding their son's death. Although the charged outfit and oxygen supplier were a strictly commercial business, the London judge ruled that the law should not inhibit adventure and referred to Eric Shipton.

Almost instantly, a British Mountaineering Council journalist attempted to slander ExplorersWeb in UK media. The reporter pointed out (by name) ExWeb's founders as "influential enemies" of Henry Todd, adding personal opinions about the website and its founders.

No less than 4 climbers in different interviews with ExWeb left reports pointing to serious negligence and passivity on Dutch mountain guide Harry Kikstra's part when his client, disabled Thomas Weber died on Everest. "In the end, Thomas himself is responsible for his death," Kikstra replied. In an interview, Russian Alex Abramov was questioned by ExWeb about the unusual large number of deaths in his outfit. Basically sharing Kikstra's opinion, Abramov however said he had learned his lesson.

Roby Piantoni who was accused to have passed by Lincoln Hall and Dan Mazur told ExWeb he had not been asked to help. Eric Simonson told ExWeb that the attempt to self-regulate commercial expeditions in the IGO 8000 organization fell through because "members were too different from each other."

An article in the British Medical Journal stating that the death rate on Everest remains alarmingly high, fairly unchanged, with about one death for every 10 successful ascents was disproved by statistics, showing that in the last six years the Everest summit/fatality rate is less than 2% - or 1 death in 50 successful ascents - only a fraction of the risk before 1990. British Doctor Andrew Sutherland elaborated that 8300+ altitude is to blame for many veteran climbers' death on Everest; but his opinion was challenged by yet another set of Himalayan statistics showing that most lower 8000ers are deadlier than Everest.

The number of climbing expeditions on Everest’s north side will be limited in preparation for the 2008 Olympic Flame ceremony according to CTMA who stated there will be a trial run of the torch ceremony on the mountain this spring. The new fees will be applied to each individual climber; in addition, Sherpa expenses will be higher.

The increasing role of commercial (guided) expeditions on Everest led many people to think Everest is a private play-ground for powerful outfitters and their clients. Stats however showed a different reality. 50% of the non-Sherpa climbers that summited Everest in spring 2006 from Nepal were unguided - the numbers showing Everest is still an option for free climbing.

Everest fall season

Despite 3000+ summits and considerable evolution in gear, weather forecasting and infrastructure, Everest off-season expeditions are still rare and the technically more challenging climbs have almost vanished - from 26% between 1953-1980, down to 5% in the 90s and 1% during the millennium. This year however, Everest had several post-monsoon visit - and on both sides, too!

“This is how we like to climb, according to our understanding of mountaineering,” Alberto Iñurrategi said about his small team going completely alone for an alpine style ascent via the Hornbein Couloir on Everest’s north face in fall 2006. “There are over 15 ways to reach the summit of Everest but most often only two of them are used – we are taking one of the forgotten ones,” added Juan Vallejo. The climbers came high but had to descend without summit.

On the south side instead, the Berg Adventures stellar team of Sherpas and American climbers pulled of the first autumn South side summit since 2000, and skied down parts of the route. This after fixing the entire route also for a Korean Lhotse team, who offered a steaming pot of snails and 4 Sherpas in return. Kit DesLauriers' reported about her Everest ski descent: “I developed a mantra during the descent that came to me from somewhere unknown…before each turn I would say to myself 'like your life depends upon it' and then make a turn. “Like your life depends upon it”, turn. All the while we kept tabs on each other knowing that if anyone made a single mistake, they would be unrecognizable at the bottom of the Lhotse Face."

More hope for climbing: An unusual number of new routes were made on Himalayan 7000+ peaks, many with exciting debriefs at ExWeb.

Other fall Himalaya

A helicopter with 24 passengers went down in East Nepal, killing Minister Rai and media including international officials from the World Wild Life Fund (WWF) attending a function marking the handing over of the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area to the local community.

On Shisha Pangma, after sustaining injury in a fall and a failed rescue attempt, Greg Bello, climbing with Monterosa trekking, was left out in the open in a sleeping bag on the glacier near camp 1 on Shisha's normal route. In a TV interview, the climber's sister said that her brother called home on his satellite phone on his second night out and said he couldn't move his legs. "It's been 28 hours now and nothing has happened. He's just lying there all alone," the frantic sister told the TV network. Rescue messages went out to all Shisha Pangma expeditions and the climber was saved.

An avalanche on Ama Dablam swept an entire camp killing six climbers and sparking a safety debate among veteran mountaineers.

Mexican Everest summiteers Alfonso de la Parra and Andres Delgado died on Changabang (6,864m), in Indian Himalaya. An avalanche hit a Japanese team on Annapurna; a snow slide swept the expedition’s C2, killing the team’s Sirdar: Lakpa Rita Sherpa, 25. Portuguese Bruno Carvalho perished on Shisha Pangma.

On Cho Oyu, Tibetan refugees were shot by Chinese border patrols before the eyes of a large number of climbers on summit push. The incident renewed the Everest ethical debate and highlighted also the silent Genocide: Before the Chinese came in and took over Tibet (July 1949), Tibet had 5 million people and was a sovereign state independent of China. One million Tibetans have since been killed, and 6,000 monasteries have been ruined. Today the Tibetan people are a minority in their own country. All the better jobs go to the Chinese people living in Tibet. A few thousand Tibetans escape each year in search of religious freedom and a better life.

Slovenian climber Pavle Kozjek was the one to submit the first images of the shootings - effectively killing the Chinese official statements that nothing had happened. But he also opened a new route on the SW face of Cho Oyu, in a 14,5 hour single-push ascent from ABC to the top - the only climb outside the normal route this season, and perhaps the first new route on an 8000er climbed in just on day.

French climbers Stefan Cieslar, Jean-Baptiste Moreau, Raphael Perrissin and Vincent Villieu died in an avalanche on Paldor peak - the alert came when the missing climbers didn’t show up in Kathmandu to meet their friends.

Maoists’ extortion continued in Nepal, with Maoists staying at different hotels in large groups without paying a single penny. In addition, the Maoists collected fees from climbers in the Khumbu valley, openly smiling for the camera of a climber dispatching live over Contact 4.0.

Antarctica and Mars logistics, Himalaya smart phones

Before the 2006 Antarctica season, ExWeb ran a series of interviews and specials about Antarctic logistics, including questions to ALE on why independent, unsupported SP teams are charged a much higher fee than guided, supported teams. ALCI, the Cape Town company using Russian base runway in Queen Maud Land (northern Antarctica) provided updated prices and flight schedules from Cape Town. Ticket prices are 6000+ Euro one way; however you'll also have to work out insurance and other safety issues.

Alexander Orlov from Polus and Victor Boyarsky from Vicaar sent ExWeb an open letter addressed to the polar community. The North Pole ice runway outfitters announced increased prices and Vicaar the exclusive seller for all Borneo programs, offering simple transfers of money and strict terms and conditions of payments.

ExWeb team headed to Washington DC for the Mars Society conference, where the National Space Society handed out Mars maps, Elon Musk briefed on different rocket designs, and various speakers presented ideas on the usual expedition topics such as what to eat and wear, what gear to choose, how long the trip, how big the budget and how to minimize the risks in Mars travel.

The new generation of adventure smart phones was introduced ahead of its full commercial launch by HumanEdgeTech. The world's smallest Satellite phone, the new Thuraya has GPS with altitude built into it and automatic download intervals, a 65,000 color display and a fast and popular OS used on the Mars Rover. HumanEdgeTech also offered a customized charger to power the unit straight from a solar panel.

Other adventure news

After 55 days and 3,450 nautical miles, French Anne Quéméré completed her 55 day Kite crossing of the North Atlantic, while San Diego Diver Mike Bear scuba dived on the ‘once top secret’ World War II plane wreck known as “P-38” off the coast of Southern California.

At 51, Susan Butcher, four-time champion of the Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race finally lost her battle against cancer, and passed away on August 5.

“God, this is… wow! I don’t know what to say – It's flattering, my name in golden letters… and it's also sort of scary at the same time,” Josune Bereciartu told ExplorersWeb after she was selected the ‘best rock climber ever’ by an international jury during the XXth edition of the Arco Rock master climbing competition.

A Chilean team led by Pablo Besser made the first complete winter crossing of the Northern Patagaonia Ice Cap.

A new Vinson Massif & The Sentinel Range 1:50,0000 topographical map was created by Damien Gildea and Camilo Rada from the Omega Foundation, in co-operation with the USGS.

After 60 days at sea, French Raphaëla le Gouvello made the first solo, unsupported 6,300 km (about 3,400 mile) wind sail crossing of the Indian Ocean.

Valeri Rozov made the first ever BASE jump off the Grandes Jorasses (French Alps), after climbing its legendary north face in a four day long climb on the Croz Spur. One of the hardest issues was to find a minimally safe launch off point from the face.

American Sue Nott (36) and Canadian resident Karen McNeill (37) died on Mt. Foraker (17,400 ft) when attempting Infinite Spur. Searchers found the lady-climbers' footprints within 1,000 feet of the summit and some of Nott’s gear among avalanche debris.

Mountaineer and extreme skier Doug Coombs from Jackson Hole, Wyo., died in the off-piste region of La Grave, the French Alps. He slipped and fell over a cliff while trying to aid certified AMGA ski guide Chad VanderHam who had plunged over the same precipice and also died.

American Todd Skinner, one of Yosemite’s free-climbing pioneers, fell to his death after his old harness broke while he rappelled down the Leaning Tower.

Car dealer Byron Smith filed a lawsuit against the American Alpine Club. He wanted the club to remove the footnote "disputed" on his May 2000 Mount Everest climb in the Himalayan database, claiming he lost car sales because of it.

Steve Fossett broke the world record for the longest flight traveling 26,389.3 miles in flight duration of 76 hours 45 minutes. Steve reported a mayday over Hampshire because he had lost electrical power and was urgently diverted to Bournemouth, where he added to the drama by bursting two tires on landing.

Banff Mountain Film Festival 2006 prizes: Of tiger and men. A sign of times perhaps; this year the Banff film festival awarded human interest topics rather than classic climbing tales.

S/Y Stary and S/Y Nekton successfully passed the Northwest Passage from Greenland (Ilulissat) to Bering Strait via Gjoa Haven, Cambridge Bay, Tuktoyaktuk and Point Barrow.

Last year, former Vietnam veteran Captain Phil took parts of team ExWeb on an unforgettable Amazon river adventure, which actually also included a scary capsize. Last month, the Amazon Queen sank altogether. “Whatever the reason, culpability for her loss, rest with me, stated the ship’s Captain and reviewed all repairs the ship now will have to undergo. But he also recalled past adventures, present difficulties and future dreams - to become reality on board the Queen, and the mighty Amazon River.

American star climbers Charlie Fowler and Christine Boskoff perished while climbing in China. Fowlers body has been found, indicating avalanche as cause of accident.

Ice climbing world champion Harald Berger died when a massive, 150 tons block of ice fell upon him whilst training in the Icecapelle ice cave, Austria. Three other people escaped unharmed.

More tech and Space

ExWeb visited Wired's NextFest 2006 on Manhattan, and came away pretty awed. Even the toughest verdicts, those coming from jaded teenagers, delivered good news; "Dude this is actually cool." ExWeb made a special report from the world of robots, inventions and oh-so-cool new tech.

When Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated on re-entry February 1, 2003, killing all seven astronauts aboard, UA Alum Don Pettit was one of the three crewmembers aboard the International Space Station. Further shuttle flights were cancelled, and Don - scheduled to return to Earth the following month - realized his ride home had been scrubbed. This fall, ExWeb met with Don Pettit at NASA in Houston - to deliver a Contact 4.0 kit for Don's meteor hunt expedition at Antarctica. In an instant, we learned how space smells, where weather ends on Everest and why a Velcro chess board is a great idea.

“Containers flied banners explaining various events. Models of rockets, planes, engines, and lunar landscapes spread out between exhibitors pitching their versions of space technology,” reported crew ExWeb from the XPrizeCup in Las Cruces, New Mexico. “Robots crawled around and in the distance - big rockets pointed to the sky… Resembling an interstellar trading post; the place was packed with rookie engineers mingling with 'real' NASA folks.”

HumanEdgeTech presented Contact 4.0 GEO Antarctica; the first online Antarctica maps with positions available - we used stereographic projections to accommodate longitudes merging at the poles. The truly interactive polar maps allow automated positioning made by the expedition on the ice, while the audience can zoom in on camp and positions, follow the route and switch on and off different layers of information.

Global warming

Eiger's east face came crumbling down, and news of rain at the North Pole reached ExWeb, confirming polar skier Robert Swan's 1989 report of rain on his Arctic expedition. Back then, people didn't really believe him - in spite of Robert even showing a video of the down pour.

This year again, Global warming was on everyone’s mind: "This is not the Arctic I saw 20 years ago," Canadian Richard Weber told ExWeb. "In my opinion, Antarctica is the home of 20 million penguins," Iranian Ali Samsam Bakhtiari - the member of a group of international experts said - adding that if oil prices reach $US200 per barrel, drilling in Antarctica could become profitable and if that happens, no international treaty will protect the frozen continent from petrol-thirsty governments.

Ongoing 2007

Wintering the Big White: Tara's 2007-2008 Arctic Voyage has begun. The aluminum hulled boat sits locked in sea ice, drifting towards the North Pole - and the 2007 Polar Year.

In addition to slashed climbing fees, The Pakistan Goverment has announced 2007 the Visit Pakistan Year. To attract even more foreign visitors, Pakistan has eased its visa policy for another 24 countries allowing for faster airport transits. Authorities will also provide Skardu airport with a GPS navigation system to solve the landing problem of an aircraft during bad weather.

Sharpening the Piolet d’Or: Nominees, to be awarded January, 26 in Grenoble, France are: Kazakh Denis Urubko and Sergey Samoilov, for the new route opened in alpine style on Manaslu’s NE face; Slovenian Pavle Kozjek who led a new route on Cho Oyu last fall, alone and in less that 15 hours (and submitted the first images from the Nangpa La killings); Slovenian Marko Prezelj and Boris Lorencic, for the first ascent on Chomolhari’s NW pillar; Ukrainians Igor Chaplinsky, Andrey Rodiontsev and Orest Verbitsky, selected for a first ascent on the north ridge of Shingu Charpa, and Brits Ian Parnell and Tim Emmett, who climbed the SE Pillar of Kedarnath Dome (Kedar Dome).

American Alpine Journal wants your route report! The 2007 edition closes January, so you need to get your stuff together before deadline. You'll get your place in history and will also help others to plan and estimate their future climbs.

At Antarctica, still en route to the South Pole: John Wilton-Davies, father of two from Exeter, UK, with no previous polar experience to become only the 8th person in history to have completed this journey alone and unsupported. Antarctica Team 2ni and the UK Marines, on a return trip after dining at the SP with the Indian Navy and British new speed record holder Hannah MacKeand.

The Polish ice warriors led by Krzysztof Wielicki decided to give Nanga Parbat a shot this winter, and they asked you - the world's mountaineers - to help in the expedition planning! Currently taking on any mountaineer's ultimate nightmare - a winter climb on a Pakistan 8000er - the team members add up not only many years of experience, but also an amazing number of 8000ers summited, including winter first ascents.

Out for a Broad Peak - and K2 perhaps - winter attempt, Simone More is currently warming up with the Nanga Parbat climbers.

Only 12 men and no woman have summited all 14 8000ers in the world. Norbert Joos could be the “lucky thirteenth” among the seven climbers who have 13. With only Everest left to go, Norbert confirmed to ExWeb he'll lead an expedition there next spring. Second in line is Italian Silvio Mondinelli, who only has Broad Peak to go - next summer.

Nepal politics: The war is - officially – over. Nepal’s government and the Maoists have finally buried the hatchet, after 10 years of armed conflict and over 13,000 lives lost. On November 21, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist chairman Prachanda signed the so-called Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) 2006, in which the armed insurgency is officially declared over, and both parties promise a "peaceful and democratic new Nepal”.

Happy New 2007 guys!

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