There is no question that Ueli Steck's solo ascent of Annapurna is the boldest climb of the year. News of his amazing feat has captivated the mountaineering community for the past few weeks as we've all waited to hear more about the expedition. Now that he is back home, Ueli sat down with the folks from EpicTV for an interview to discuss his latest adventure in the Himalaya. Part 1 of that interview can be found below, where you'll learn – amongst other things – that Steck feels a bit "empty" following his return from Annapurna.

The 2013 fall climbing season in the Himalaya just seems to keep on going, despite the fact we keep wanting to declare it finished. Heavy snow across the region has made it a difficult year, particularly in the latter stages. But a few teams are still plugging away and holding out hope for late season summits.

Perhaps the most surprising expedition that is still on going is the Korean team's attempt to climb Lhotse. ExWeb is reporting today that the squad is still on the mountain and has launched their summit bid at last. The team moved up to Camp 3 today and are expected to go to C4 tomorrow with the push to the top to follow shortly thereafter. The report says that the Korean climbers attempted to shuttle gear to Camp 4 a few days back but were turned away by excessive snow. If that is the case, I would expect the upper slopes to be very difficult, making the way to the summit a real challenge. If all goes according to plan, it looks like they'll make the final push this weekend. Lets hope it is a safe climb up and back down.

ExWeb is also reporting news from several expeditions to smaller mountains in Nepal as well. A French team is attempting the 7031 meter (23,067 ft) Saipal in the western party of the country, while another French squad has wrapped up a new route on Gauri Shankar, a 7314 meter (23,996 ft) peak on the border of Tibet. British climbers Mick Fowler and Paul Ramsden were also able to make the first ascent of Kishtwar Kailash a few weeks back. You can read details of their ascent of that 6451 meter (21,164 ft) mountain by clicking here.

Finally, we're all still awaiting word from Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb on their attempt to make a first ascent of Lunag-Ri. It has been ten days since we received the last dispatch and at that time the boys were prepping for a summit push that was to begin on October 25 and should have taken roughly 4-5 days to complete. Given that they expected quite a bit of snow up near the summit, it is possible they are still working the route or making their descent. Hopefully we'll get news from them soon. At 6895 meters (22,621 ft) it is the tallest unclimbed peak in Nepal. Chad and David aren't the only ones attempting the mountain this fall either. There was another team in BC that was a day or two ahead of them in acclimatization and launching their own summit bid.

That's it for now. Hopefully we'll hear more about these last few expeditions in the next day or two. It seems the season will truly wrap up in the next week or so.

Last Friday ExWeb broke the news that a team of French climbers had successfully climbed Annapurna along the very difficult South Face. As we all know, any summit of Annapurna is always an impressive one, but this one was especially so thanks to the heavy snows that have fallen in the Himalaya following Cyclone Phailin making landfall a few weeks back. At the time, we knew very few details of the climb other than that Yannick Graziani and Stephane Benoist were able to top out after spending  a week on the mountain. We were also waiting for news on their successful descent, which still hadn't happened the last time we had an update.

Yesterday, ExWeb reported that Yannick and Stephane actually had to be evacuated from Annapurna after suffering frostbite on the descent. The details still remain scant but it appears that they struggled on the way back down but were able to reach Base Camp. Once there, it was determined that they would need medical attention and the duo were flown back to Kathmandu, where they are reportedly being treated now.

ExWeb speculates that the injuries weren't particularly serious, although it is sometimes difficult to tell with frostbite, particularly early on. Hopefully Yannick and Stephane won't be losing any digits and they'll be back in the mountain soon. Considering how dangerous Annapurna can be, they should feel fortunate they got away with just a little frostbite.

They are due to return to France sometime in the next couple of days.

In the summer of 2008 the mountaineering world was shocked at the events that unfolded on K2, the second tallest mountain in the world at 8611 meters (28,251 ft). Over the course of a few days, running from July 31 to August 2, a total of 11 people died on the mountain, most following a successful summit bid. In the months that followed, many stories of heroism and survival followed, as did a bit of controversy, as the climbers, along with the rest of the world, attempted to figure out just what happened.

The events that took place on K2 during that fateful season are the subject of a new film entitled The Summit, which as been in theaters for the past week. Over the weekend I finally got the opportunity to catch this powerful documentary and although I went into it knowing most of what happened, I still found it to be extremely tense and enthralling.

For those who aren't familiar with the story, on July 31, 2008 a large group of climbers moved up K2 amidst great weather on a summit bid. Over the course of the following days, a series of events led to the worst tragedy that the mountain has ever seen. Everything from logistical errors to late summits conspired to put the climbers in danger, but the situation was made all the worse when a large serac hanging over a portion of the mountain known as the Bottleneck, collapsed down the face, sweeping away the fixed ropes that the teams would need to descend. Some managed to down-climb without the ropes, others fell to their death. By the time the dust had settled, 11 people were killed and several more were injured or suffering from exposure.

The film does a good job of blending actual footage from the 2008 season with scenes that were reenacted for dramatic effect. Director Nick Ryan fills time between those scenes with interviews with the actual survivors, each of whom shares their own very personal experiences from those difficult days on the mountain.


Over the course of the film's 1 hour, 40 minute run time, the tale unfolds in stilted fashion. At times the main focus is on what exactly happened on those disastrous few days but numerous flashbacks to weeks – and in some cases years - earlier help to fill in some gaps. Much of that information provides context and history on the mountain and the climbers, but there were times when it felt shoehorned in to add padding. This was especially true of the scenes that featured legendary Italian climber Walter Bonatti, who was there to discuss the first successful climb of the mountain in 1954. But because his tale isn't told very well, his presence in the film probably left some audience members wondering exactly why he was in the film.

Because I wrote extensively about the tragedy back when it happened, I had a good idea of what went down before I ever set foot in the theater. Still, The Summit did put everything into perspective as the story more-or-less unfolded in chronological order. It helps to put the perspective exactly what happened, which essentially can be broken down to being a series of unfortunate events. There wasn't one or two big mistakes that you could point to that led to the disaster, but instead it was several small choices and decisions that were eventually exasperated by the collapse of the serac.

If you have followed the story over the years, you probably know that some controversy erupted after the fact due to shifting stories by Italian climber Marco Confortola. One of the casualties on the mountain that day was Ger McDonnell, an Irish climber who was much loved in the mountaineering community. In the aftermath of the K2 disaster, Confortola said he and McDonnell attempted to help injured Korean climbers down the mountain but due to exhaustion and the lack of fixed lines, they were unable to help. Marco then claimed that he tried to get Ger to go down together, but he instead inexplicably turned back up the mountain, where he died. McDonnell's friends and family don't believe that is the case however, as they have asserted that the Irishman would have stayed to help the injured climbers. They suspect that he was there, with the Koreans, and that Confortola abandoned him and went down on his own. It was later reported that McDonnell was seen being swept up in another ice collapse.

What really happened that day will remain a mystery, as Confortola is sticking with his story – at least for now. But the film seems to have two agendas, the first is to tell the story of the tragedy and the second is to clear McDonnell's name. It succeeds to a degree in both areas.

So, is The Summit worth seeing in the theater? If you're a mountaineering junkie, then I'd say without a doubt. It puts into context the events that took place on K2 five years ago and fills in some gaps of the story. It also allows us to see the mountaineers that were there in a very real, human light. Watching Ceclia Skog talk about the final moments of her husbands life was incredible moving for example.

I do think the film does a good job of explaining most things for non-climbers to absorb what is happening as well, although it probably won't shed any clarity on why mountaineers go to these big, dangerous mountains in the first place.

It is difficult to say that you actually "like" a film like this one. After all, it is about the real life deaths of 11 climbers. Still, it is easy to recognize that it is a well made documentary that treats the subject matter with respect and reverence. It is a also a powerful film that will stay with you after you've left the theater, which is exactly what it is meant to do I suppose.

Find out more at the film's official website, including where it is showing near you.

It seems I've been a little quick to write off the fall climbing season in the Himalaya. The arrival of Cyclone Phailin a couple of weeks back brought copious amounts of snow to the region and effectively put an end to several expeditions on the big mountains. But apparently not everyone gave up their climbs when the heavy snows arrived as ExWeb is reporting that there has been a pair of successful summits on Annapurna and once again they came from the difficult South Face.

According to the story, climbers Yannick Graziani and Stephane Benoist topped out yesterday morning local time after spending approximately a week on their summit push. The duo arrived in Nepal in late September and spent some time acclimatizing on smaller peaks nearby before heading over to Annapurna Base Camp. They arrived on the mountain late last week and almost immediately launched their attempt. They had expected to make the push in four days time, but it ended up taking them the entire week instead, although they were finally able to reach the top yesterday.

There is no word yet on whether or not they have gotten back down safely and we all know that is a big question mark on Annapurna. The mountain is known for being very difficult and prone to avalanches. Considering the amount of snow that has been dumped on the Himalaya recently, lets keep our fingers crossed that Yannick and Stephane get back to Base Camp safely.

This was the second attempt on Annapurna for this team. They made a previous go at climbing the mountain back in the fall of 2010. That attempt was thwarted by bad weather and excessive snow on the upper slopes of the mountain.

This is of course the second time this fall that climbers have successfully negotiated the South Face of Annapurna. Swiss climber Ueli Steck made his epic solo summit, in just 28-hours no less - a few weeks back along the same route. Conditions were a bit different then however as Ueli's summit took place before the arrival the cyclone.

Congratulations to the French climbers on a successful expedition. Well done! Now get home safe.

If you're a fan of the Rest of Everest video podcast and have been following this season's climb on Broad Peak and K2, the moment you've no doubt been waiting for is here. In the latest episode, available below, the climbers leave Broad Peak behind at last and head to the "mountaineer's mountain." K2 is arguably the toughest climb in the world, and the show will now shift to that peak as we follow the climbers on the second phase of their expedition.

Heavy snow, generally poor weather and a waning climbing season in the Himalaya have brought an end to most of the expeditions this fall. Most of the big mountains have been abandoned now with the majority of teams now long gone. But there are a few smaller climbs still taking place in Nepal, where not everyone has completed their adventures just yet.

Yesterday I posted an update from Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb who are attempting to make the first ascent of Lunag-Ri, the tallest unclimbed peak in Nepal. If all goes as planned, they'll launch their bid later this week. It won't be an easy climb however, as they report heavy snow now on the mountain with more than 4 feet (1.2 meters) falling in the past week alone.

Over on Lhotse, the last of the 8000-meter peaks to see action this fall, we're still waiting on word from the Korean team. The last update indicated that they were headed up to Camp 2 on that mountain, but the amount of snow that was on the Western Cwm this season, even before the arrival of Cyclone Phailin, was daunting. There is no word on whether or not they are still attempting to summit or are planning on heading home.

ExWeb has shared a couple of other expeditions that are still ongoing as well. For instance, a team of French climbers arrived in country last week and are en route to Saipal now. Their travel has been delayed more than once due to poor weather, but they should arrive in Base Camp soon. Located in extreme Northwest Nepal, Saipal is a seldom climbed peak with an altitude of 7031 meters (23,067 ft).

Ama Dablam is also seeing some late season action. The popular climbing peak is 6856 meters (22,493 ft) in height and is often seen as a good tune-up for other climbs in the Himalaya. Himex has a team there now and a Pakistani group led by Shaheen Baig is also on the mountain. Aussie climber Chris Jensen Burke is also hoping to wrap up a busy year in the Himalaya with one final climb on Ama Dablam too.

While these few remaining expeditions aren't as big and sexy as some of the attempts on the 8000 meter peaks, they are still solid challenges, especially when you factor in the late season weather. It should be interesting to see how much success these teams find in the next week or so. These smaller mountains don't take nearly as long to climb and I suspect most of these remaining expeditions will wrap up by the first week of November.

Stay tuned for more updates.

As mentioned previously in my updates on the fall climbing season in the Himalaya, things are definitely winding down across the region. The majority of the expeditions have returned home although a few are still there and attempting to make summit bids on various mountains. Heavy snows are not making it easy however as teams continue to dig out from the massive cyclone that dumped impressive amounts of powder on the mountains last week.

Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb have checked in from Lunag-Ri, the target of their efforts this fall. As you may recall, the mountain holds the distinction of being the tallest unclimbed peak in Nepal with an altitude of 6895 meter (22,621 ft). When last we heard from the boys, they were on there way to Base Camp after just setting out from Namche Bazaar. The trek to BC was relatively uneventful and duo arrived on the mountain where they were greeted by two other climbers hoping to make the first ascent of Lunag-Ri as well. That team had already established Advanced Base Camp further up the slope and were in the process of wrapping up their acclimatization efforts.

All of this happened early last week before the cyclone made landfall, bringing heavy snows along with it. The forecast indicated that the storm could dump fresh powder on the Himalaya for several days, so Chad, David and their companions all settled into their tents to wait. Before long, a full fledged blizzard was hitting the mountain, burying everything in sight, including the tents they were staying in. It was an uphill battle keeping them from collapsing under the weight, but they managed to make it through relatively unscathed. By the time the snow stopped falling it had deposited 4 feet (1.2 meters) on the ground, which has made things difficult to say the least.

Over the weekend the team started shuttling gear up the mountain towards ABC. They made a cache halfway to that point and plan on going all the way up today. They'll build their campsite there, then drop down to fetch the cache tomorrow. After that, it'll be back to BC for a brief rest and then they'll launch their attempt on the summit. Chad estimates that it will take them roughly four days to make the climb. That ascent could start late this week.

It sounds like conditions will be tough all the way to the top, as the boys will be forced to break trail much of the way. They are particularly concerned about how much snow will be on the summit ridge as they approach the top, provided they even get a chance to reach that point. The weather forecast looks much improved for now however, so it seems they'll at least have a shot at topping out.

Stay tuned for updates.

Over the past week or so, we've all been astounded by the news and details of Ueli Steck's solo summit of Annapurna along the South Face. You've no doubt heard me and others use a host of superlatives in an attempt to convey just how impressive this climb is. But to truly get a sense of what Ueli accomplished you'll want to watch the video below. It is a 55-minute long documentary from 1970 that tells the tale of the first ascent of the mountain along this route. The team that accomplished this feat is filled with climbing legends from the U.K., including Sir Chris Bonington, Dougal Haston, Don Whilians and more. The film is a real slice of mountaineering history and well worth your time if you have an  hour to kill. It'll give you an appreciation of what this team accomplished and provide more insight into what Ueli faced as well.

While most of the attention in the climbing community has been centered on the Himalaya once again this fall, there have been other bold climbing adventures taking place in other parts of the world as well. For example, a team of four big wall climbers traveled to a remote region along the border of China and Kyrgyzstan in search of new challenges to test their skills. They found that challenge in the form of a mountain called Kyzyl Asker, a 5842 meter (19,166 ft) tower with a 1220 meter (4000 ft) race that required two weeks to complete.

In late August,  Sean Villanueva O'Driscoll, Nicolas Favresse, Stéphane Hanssens and Evrard Wendenbaum gathered in China with no specific climbing objective in mind. They had read about a region in the Tien Shan Mountain Range that offered excellent opportunities to tackle unclimbed routes across a wild, rugged region that is seldom visited by outsiders.

After clearing some logistical hurdles and gathering what they though were the right permits, they set out for their destination using camels to shuttle their gear. After setting up Base Camp, they surveyed he area and settled on Kyzl Asker as their target. But they soon discovered that the permit they had been issued was meant for trekking only and not climbing. It also had a number of other restrictions that were problematic to the expedition as well. Luckily they had a Chinese liaison officer with them who helped get the issues resolved so they could proceed.

Once the team had its objective picked out, they began moving their gear to Advanced Base Camp so they could being the ascent. Of course, these types of climbs are never easy and there are always unexpected challenges along the way. The four men had to deal with altitude, cold temperatures, constantly changing weather, illness and a host of other issues. Eventually they did climb the wall, but it took them 14 days to do so, topping out on September 22.


You can read a full account of the China Jam Expedition, as it has come to be known, on the Petzl blog. Evrad also wrote extensively about the climb as well, posting updates to his blog too. Those are in French however, so if that isn't a language you're proficient in, you'll need to run the reports through Google Translate first. I think it'll be worth your effort however, as this sounds like it was quite an experience.

Finally, check out the video below to see how the expedition not only got its name but also what the boys did to pass the time while suspended on Kyzyl Asker's big wall. These guys have quite a career ahead of them when they're done climbing.


China Jam - Portaledge Song from Evrard Wendenbaum on Vimeo.

What do you do when you're a world-class climber coming off a disappointing season in the Himalaya where you were caught up in one of the biggest Everest stories in recent memory? If you're Ueli Steck, you look for new challenges in your own backyard. In this case, that means speed-climbing the longest and toughest ridge in the Alps in impressive fashion.

Last week, Ueli set his sights on the Intégrale de Peuterey, a very long and difficult ridge that culminates at the summit of Mont Blanc du Courmayuer. This route features a vertical gain of 4500 meters (14,764 ft) and typically takes about 2-3 days for most climbers to complete. But most climbers aren't Ueli Steck, a man who has made a career out of going light and ver fast in the Alps. This time out he managed to knock of the entire climb – both up and down – in a little over 16 hours.

The ascent began well before dawn on August 12. With his camp located an additional 1000 meters (3280 ft) below the Intégrale de Peuterey, Ueli set off in running shoes traveling as quickly as he could. He covered that first 1000 meters in about an hour and then moved out onto the ridge itself. His pack was filled with only the bare essentials including a light down jacket, 60 meters or rope and assorted other climbing gear. He chewed through the early stages of the ascent in typical fashion – which is to say very fast – and switched over to his climbing shoes as he transitioned off the trail and onto the mixed rock, snow and ice that would be the crux of the challenge.

Traveling solo, Ueli was able to go at his own pace and made great progress, even when he encountered a pair of other climbers making the same ascent. He gave them a wide berth so as to not kick rocks back down upon them as he went by, leaving those climbers to wonder who was the speed demon that just left them in the dust.

The Swiss climber reached the summit of the Mont Blanc du Courmayuer just before 3:00 PM local time. That meant he had gone from his tent to the summit in under 11 hours. He took a few moments o enjoy the accomplishment before starting back down, crossing over to Mont Blanc proper and heading to the Dome de Gouter before descending into the Chamonix valley. By the time he passed the church in the village of Les Houches he had been on the move for just over 16 hours. He arrived back at his tent a short time later and immediately climbed into his sleeping bag for a much deserved nap. It had been a good day to climb in the Alps.

For more details on the climb, read Ueli's account on his website or a translated version here.

Energizer is a company that is well known for making batteries that power everything from watches to cars. Their power cells are amongst the best in the business and help keep our gadgets up and running when we need them most. But Energizer also makes a line of outstanding lighting products that are durable, bright and perform extremely well even in harsh conditions. They also happen to be extremely affordable, providing an excellent alternative to some of the more well known brands that typically cost twice as much.

Outdoor enthusiasts will be especially interested in the Energizer Ultimate headlamp. This light was built with extreme adventure in mind and was designed for use in harsh conditions. It's case is built out of an aluminum alloy that is rugged enough to stand up any abuse you dish out while continuing to provide plenty of light. It features a single lamp that is capable of putting out a constant beam of 100 lumens which comes in handy when flying down a dark trail on a mountain bike but is probably brighter than most people will need. But just in case you do need a little extra light, a "boost" button on the side of the housing will temporarily amp it up to 130 lumens, at the expense of battery life of course.

Other modes include low and medium settings which give off 25 and 50 lumens respectively. There is also a flashing strobe mode to signal in an emergency and a night vision option that emits a red light that is easier on the eyes when in a dark space. Battery life varies depending on the level of brightness of course. On the highest setting the batteries will last 10 hours but drop the brightness down to low and   that time increases to an impressive 40+. The fact that the Ultimate headlamp uses three replaceable AA batteries (Energizers preferred of course!) means that it is easy to swap out a fresh set when needed.


Other nice touches include a comfortable strap, a pivoting head that allows you to change the direction of the light and a focus ring that allows you tighten up the beam for greater distance. There is also a blinking green light on the back of the battery pack that make it a breeze to find the headlamp in the dark or when it's found its way the bottom of your pack. That can certainly come in handy when you're fumbling around in a tent during the wee hours of the morning.

Energizer had built the Ultimate headlamp to resist the elements and as such it is designed to be weatherproof. While it isn't exactly meant to be immersed in water, it can survive a sudden rainstorm without missing a beat. Better yet, this light is rated for use in extreme temperatures as well. Energizer says that it will operate in a range from -40ºF (-40ºC) to 140ºF (60ºC). That means you can take this light into some pretty remote places and expect it to continue burning bright.

All of these features added up to a great headlamp that is surprisingly versatile and efficient. But what kicks the Energizer Ultimate headlamp into a category all its own is the price. The light carries an MSRP of $44.99, which is a bargain for a piece of gear that performs as well as this one. Even better, you can find the Ultimate at discounted prices online making it an even better bargain. For instance, Amazon has it for just $34.01, which makes it nearly impossible to pass up.

This headlamp is an excellent choice for anyone who needs a quality light. But mountaineers, backpackers, winter campers and other outdoor athletes will really appreciate everything it brings to the table. If you need an affordable headlamp that happens to also be very durable for your next adventure, then look no further. This is the one for you.

Remember the Challenge21 initiative? It was the ambitious project by climber/photographer Jake Norton to summit the three highest peaks on each of the seven continents in an effort to raise awareness of the importance of safe, clean drinking water in developing countries across the world. The project was launched a couple of years back and the team behind it have been diligently working away towards their goals while facing an uphill struggle to find funding and link their message to their efforts in the mountains. That hasn't been an easy task and it looks like Challenge 21 is going through a bit of a refocusing phase as Jake and company search to find new ways to spread the word on how important having a source of clean drinking water really is.

In a recent post to the Challenge21 blog, Jake talks openly about these struggles while also pointing out that the project has been a great success. Since its start, Challenge21 has reached more than 1 million people and raised over $260,000 for Water For People. But at the same time he feels the organization can do more and that he needs to broaden the appeal of the project and cast a wider net in spreading the message that he had originally intended. With that in mind, Jake and his team will continue climbing, but he is finding new ways to link the story he wants to tell with the natural spaces that he visits.

The blog post also included the announcement of an upcoming expedition which will see Jake joined by Pete McBride and David Morton as they travel to India to make the first ascent of Chaukhumba IV a 6885 meter (22,589 ft) at the headwaters of the Ganges River. After they've summited that peak, the team intends to then travel source-to-sea, documenting life on the Ganges, which is one of the most important rivers in the world, but culturally and environmentally. It also happens to be one of the most polluted in the world. The dichotomy of these things will be part of the story that they tell as we follow these three men down a river that is considered sacred to hundreds of millions of people.

Stay tuned for more information on this expedition as it gets underway later this year. It should be well documented and feature some great stories both from the mountains of India and the river that plays such a significant role in that country's identity.

The climbing season in Pakistan is now officially over, but not before it claimed the life of yet another respected alpinist. On Monday it was revealed that Zdenek Hruby, the President of the Czech Mountaineering Federation died on Gasherbrum I after attempting to open a new route to the summit along the Southwest Face. He was 57 years old.

Apparently Zdenek was climbing with is partner Marek Holecek along the new route when they ran into difficult high on the mountain. They decided to abandon their attempt and return to Base Camp but on the descent Hruby slipped and fell a thousand feet, dying instantly. The members of his team gathered in Camp 1 to claim the body, which was then lowered into a crevasse as per his families wishes.

An experienced and talented climber, Zdenek had eight of the fourteen 8000-meter peaks on his resume, including ascents of both Gasherbrum I and II as well as Nanga Parbat. Recently, he and Marek had launched a new climbing project that hey had dubbed "Never Stop Exploring." Their first climb was the successful first ascent of the North Face on Talung Peak, a 7349 meter (24,110 ft) mountain located in the Eastern Himalaya of India. The new route on Gasherbrum I was first attempted in 2009 and they had hoped to take care of unfinished business this year. Unfortunately, the expedition has ended in tragedy.

I think it is safe to say that the entire mountaineering community will be happy to put the summer season in Pakistan behind us. It has been an incredibly tough year in the Himalaya and Karakoram. We were all shocked when 11 people were killed by armed gunmen in BC on Nanga Parbat. Later we said goodbye to Polish climbing legend Artur Hajzer, who perished on Gasherbrum I as well, only to lose Marty and Denali Schmidt on K2 a few weeks later. Add Zdenek to the list and this has been an incredibly costly season indeed.

My condolences to Zdenek's family and friends in this time of need.

Following a brief hiatus, The Rest of Everest video podcast has returned this week taking us back to Broad Peak where the expedition is ongoing. This week we get invited to a party in Base Camp, which turns to a raucous affair, before the teams start heading back up the mountain at last. As always, the video is a great look at life on the mountain, both while climbing and while waiting for an opportunity to press ahead.

August isn't typically the time of year that get much news on Everest. After all, the spring climbing season is well behind us and the much quieter fall season hasn't begun yet. But today we have a couple of Everest-centric stories worth noting and considering the rather large shadow the mountain casts over the mountaineering world, they are both worth sharing.

First up, Alan Arnette has weighed in with his thoughts on the new regulations that Nepal will be instituting next year. Those regulations include a permanent government presence in Base Camp, a ban on the use of helicopters in the region and a requirement that all attempts at setting a record on the mountain be declared ahead of time. Alan notes that while it is good to see Nepal making any kind of effort to bring a bit of order to Everest, he has his doubts as to whether or not these rules will actually accomplish anything or will even be enforced at all.

One of the more troubling aspect about the news that more regulations are coming to the world's tallest mountain is that aside from a BBC article on the changes, there has been little other information on the topic. The Nepali government hasn't even issued a press release or sent out any written confirmation of the rules changes. Worse yet, Alan says that none of the new regulations do anything to address the biggest challenge - overcrowding.

I have to say that I agree with Alan's assessment of the situation and had my own reservations about the new rules when they were announced. Nepal isn't all that well known for following through with their government oversight to begin with and adding yet more bureaucracy  probably isn't the answer. The fact that these new rules don't help in controlling the crowds leads me to believe that officials there are simply burying their heads in the sand so as to not disrupt the the cash cow that Everest has become for them. More people on the mountain means more permits sold, which of course leads to more cash in the country's coffers.

Meanwhile, Outside magazine has an interview with a Sherpa who was on Everest this past spring and was a witness to the incidents that led to a brawl between other Sherpas and European climbers Ueli Steck, Simone Moro and Jonathan Griffith. The conflict began up near Camp 3 at 23,000 feet (7010 meters) when the well-known trio attempted to cross the ropes that were being fixed at the time. Reportedly they dislodged a piece of ice that struck a Sherpa working below. This of course angered the other members of the rope-fixing team who had warned the three westerners to stay off the ropes. The lead Sherpa pulled the team off the job and ordered them to go down to Camp 2. When Simone, Ueli and Jonathan arrived back at that point a few hours later, all hell broke loose.

Tashi Sherpa, who works for International Mountain Guides and was the subject of this interview, paints a similar story from what we've heard in the past but with a few key differences. For instance, he claims that the crowd that approached Simone and Ueli in Camp 2 was nowhere near 100 people as many reports have indicated. He also says that Simone in particular was confrontational and abusive with the Sherpas involved. His actions, according to Tashi, directly led to increased tension between the parties involved.

The interview is a good one and comes across as being honest and forthright. The Sherpa, spoke to a reporter in Kathmandu and talked openly about a growing resentment amongst Sherpas towards western climbers. This is a result of them doing most of the work on Everest and getting little credit for the role they play. As the Nepali climbers have gotten more educated and self assured, they are now starting to ask why the stories about their climbs aren't included with news of westerners summiting the mountain. After all, without the Sherpas, very few people would actually be able to climb Everest.

I found the interview to be very interesting and credible. it is good to get the story from the perspective of the Sherpas involved – a story that has mostly gone untold until now. The person in Outside's interview, says that no foreign journalists or bloggers who were there in BC bothered to talk with the Sherpas involved to get their side of the story. Not even the Nepalese government liaisons approached them. This interview gets at least part of their story out to the public.

If you're a fan of all-things Everest, you'll certainly want to read both of these stories.

Climbing an 8000-meter peaks is always a significant challenge. It requires skill, dedication and a considerable amount of luck as well. There are 14 mountains on our planet that reach above that lofty height and to date only 31 people have managed to summit them all. Most of those who have climbed these difficult mountains have taken several years to accomplish that feat. Now, once climber hopes to do all of them in just two years time.

47-year old Nick Cienski has announced Mission 14, which he has dubbed "the World's Toughest Expedition." Beginning in 2014 he will launch his attempt to climb all of those big peaks in just 24-months, including Everest, K2 and the always tricky Annapurna. He will begin his quest next winter, although which mountain he'll start with remains to be seen. Nick will  climb using supplemental oxygen and he hopes to set several records along the way, including a new speed record on Everest, which currently stands at 8 hours, 10 minutes and was set by Permba Dorje Sherpa in 2004.

The expedition will be of a truly epic scale. The budge is in excess of $5.6 million and 3780 porters will be used to carry gear, establish camps and fix ropes so that Nick can climb these mountains. No one has ever topped out on more than five 8000-meter peaks in a year. He'll have to do that twice!

Cienski is launching this undertaking not just for setting records however. His goal is to raise awareness of human trafficking in places like Nicaragua and take steps to stamp out that awful activity. He hopes to raise funds for nonprofits that combat the illegal slavery trade.

So, what do you think? Can he do it? It seems like an extremely ambitious expedition, particularly when you have to rely on the always-fickle weather that we find in the Himalaya and Karakoram. One bad storm could put an end to Nick's plans. Considering how temperamental conditions have been on a number of the 8000-meter peaks in the past few years, I'd say he has quite a struggle on his hands.

Stay tuned for more on Mission 14 in the months ahead. If things go according to plan, we should be hearing Nick's name a lot over the next two years. 

While the climbing season in Pakistan is winding down it won't be too long before the fall season in the Himalaya begins to pick up. Soon the seasonal monsoon will begin to dissipate and mountains that have been off limits for the past few months will suddenly become quite popular once again. This fall we'll get the opportunity to follow one expedition in particular very closely as our friend Alan Arnette has announced that he will climb Manaslu this fall. 

Standing 8163 meters (26,781 ft) in height, Manaslu is the fifth tallest mountain in the world. It is located inside Nepal,  approximately 65 km (40 miles) east of Annapurna and is one of the lesser climbed 8000 meter peaks. First climbed by a Japanese team back in 1956, Manaslu's most popular route to the summit follows its Northeast Ridge and requires the establishment of four camps on the way to the top. Alan notes that the biggest obstacles to success include heavy snow and avalanches that occur on the upper slopes.

This will be Alan's eighth expedition to an 8000 meter peak. He has attempted Everest four times, successfully topping out once, and also has experience on Broad Peak, Cho Oyu and Shishapangma. As usual, he'll be climbing with the Altitude Junkies and if all goes according to plan, they'll be eyeing a summit bid sometime in early-October. The expedition will also be used to raise funds for the Cure Alzheimer's Fund, which holds a particular significance to Alan who lost his mother to that horrible disease and prompted him to launch his Memories Are Everything campaign.

If you are familiar with Alan's blog you know that he covers the mountaineering scene very well and writes from a place of experience. His posts are always interesting and extremely well done and that includes when he sends dispatches back from his own climbs. That means that later this year we should get a very good narrative about what it is like to climb on Manaslu. I have no doubt that he'll keep us well informed about every step of the journey and make us feel like we're on the mountain with him. I know that I am already looking forward to following the climb in the weeks ahead.

Good luck Alan! Climb safely!

It has been a very long and difficult climbing season in Pakistan punctuated with several tragic accidents and the brutal murders of eleven people in Base Camp on Nanga Parbat. Those events have only made an already difficult year for the mountaineering community even tougher and I'm sure many are eager to put 2013 behind them. While I was away at Outdoor Retailer last week, most of the teams that remained in the Karakoram were busy packing up their gear and making the trek back to Askole where they could catch a ride to Skardu. But not everyone had wrapped up their expeditions for the season and some were still attempting to top out. Now it seems that the season truly is finished as the last of the holdouts pull the plug on their expeditions as well.

Most of the remaining climbing attempts were taking place on Gasherbrum I and II where several teams were hoping to make late summit attempts. Amongst them was Jon Kedrowski, whose team was hoping to top out on GII sometime in the next few days. It turns out that won't be possible as warm conditions have led to unstable snow, while high winds have managed to shut off access to the upper slopes. In his latest dispatch, Jon says that he and his teammates were the only ones left on the mountain but it is too unsafe to make any more attempts, so they will now depart Gasherbrum II without summiting.

According to ExWeb a Czech team was attempting to summit GI last week but there is no word yet on whether or not they were successful. Part of the team was going up the standard route while another group were taking on a new route on the Southwest Face. Whether or not they are still on the mountain remains to be seen, but considering how late in the season we are, it seems likely that they'll be packing for home soon as well.

ExWeb also indicates that there has been some success on Pakistani mountains that aren't above 8000 meters in height as well. For instance, Rafał Sławiński and Ian Welsted managed to top out on K6, a 7040 meter (23,097 ft) peak located in the Masherbrum Range. It is the first ascent of that mountain since it was first climbed by an Austrian team back in 1970. Also, Denis Veretenin and Eugeny Bashkirtsev have managed to scale Nameless Tower, which is part of the very difficult Trango Towers, in a single 1.5 day push The Towers are high altitude rock climbing at its most difficult as they stretch some 6329 meters (20,764 ft) into the air.

That should just about wrap up the Pakistan climbing season for another summer. Once again, K2 went unclimbed this year while too many good men and women payed the ultimate sacrifice in pursuit of the high places of our planet. Lets hope we don't see another year like this one for a very long time.

This past spring was a tumultuous one on Everest where we once again saw concerns with overcrowding and several deaths. Add into that a crazy scene involving three high-profile European climbers getting into a fight with a mob of Sherpas and you can understand why the Nepalese government would want to take steps to reign things in. That is exactly what they did last week with the announcement of new measures to improve safety, security and the environment on the world's tallest mountain.

The biggest adjustment for climbers will be a permanent presence in Base Camp by government officials. A team of government selected staffers will be assigned to BC to provide oversight of regulations and to help coordinate any rescue operations that may need to be conducted. They'll also help facilitate communications to and from the mountain, although their primary duty will be ensure that everyone is following the rules and conducting themselves in a proper manner. Each of the expeditions is already assigned a liaison officer, but most of them never leave Kathmandu. This new "Integrated Service Center," as it is being called, will essentially be the eyes and ears of the Nepali government on Everest.

That isn't the only change however as there are several other shifts in policy as well. For instance, helicopter flights to other peaks in the Khumbu region will be prohibited unless they are used for conducting a rescue. This will prevent some climbers from using that mode of transportation to hop from one mountain to another while undergoing their acclimatization process. The helicopters can make the snow on the upper slopes of Everest unstable, bringing about avalanches. By limiting the amount of helicopter traffic, the hope is that the mountain will become safer all around.

The government has also announced that all attempts to set a record on Everest must be announced prior to starting a climb. The hope is that this new rule will cut down on some of the arbitrary or outlandish "records" that people come to Everest to set. That kind of behavior has contributed to the Everest climbing season being seen as a bit of a three-ring circus at times and Nepal would like to see some dignity restored to a mountain that they view as sacred.

Finally, there will be further enforcement on the regulations regarding the removal of trash from Everest. As we all know, over the years trash has accumulated in certain areas of the mountain and it is having an adverse effect on the environment there. Teams are required to take all of their waste materials with them when the season ends, but that is not always as strictly enforced as it should be. The government has warned that there will be increased crackdowns in this area to help clean up Everest.

All in all, these are some good steps towards bringing further oversight to Everest. Whether or not they'll make things safer remains to be seen. The Nepalese government has been criticized for not taking a more active role and this seems to be an attempt to squelch some of that criticism. They'll now have to follow through with the enforcement, which has often been the part that they would stumble on. I guess we'll find out more next spring.