With all of the activity taking place in the Himalaya over the past month and half or more, it has been some time since we checked in on the progress of the Coldest Journey team. You may recall, this is the group of explorers who have set out to cross the Antarctic in the dead of winter, something that has never been done before. The members of the team knew that they were taking on an incredibly difficult task, but it seems that progress has been more challenging and slow than they ever imagined.

The expedition began back in late May with the team departing from Crown Bay along the Antarctic coast. The plan is to traverse the continent to the Ross Ice Shelf via the South Pole. Five members of the team are traveling on skis while others follow behind on tractors, which are fulling large sleds that serve as shelter from the harsh conditions and carry all of the team's fuel and food. This approach to traveling across the continent came about because of the complete lack of support the team would have along the way. Conditions are so bad there at the moment that no one would be able to provide a supply drop or come rescue them if they got into trouble.

And just how bad are the conditions? The team is routinely facing absolute temperatures of -50ºC/-58ºF. Wind chills have taken those temperatures closer to -70ºC/-94ºF however, which is almost unthinkably cold. Add in persistently snowy weather, the constant threat of crevasses and near-24 hour darkness and you begin to understand just what the men have been dealing with.

With that setting in mind, is it any wonder that they team has made very slow progress thus far? As of last Saturday, they were making their camp at S72 51′ 13.5″, E023 33′ 50.2″, which is still an awfully long way from the South Pole. Their ability to move forward has been hampered by blue ice, which is dangerous to cross, and the mechanical failure of one of the tractors. Repairs have been completed on the vehicle now, but they are still getting the expedition back on track.

All told, the journey is suppose to cover 2000 miles and take approximately six months to complete. That means that they aren't even to the half-way point, in terms of time or distance, just yet. That said, they will have to pick up the pace if they hope to finish the expedition on schedule and complete their stated goal of crossing the frozen continent during the winter. So far, not many things have gone their way and the finish line has to feel like it is an impossible goal right now.

You can follow the team's progress on their blog, through Facebook and Twitter. They post almost daily updates on their progress, which on some days is nearly non-existent. I'll bet these boys will be looking forward to some tropical weather once they have finished their mission.

It has been awhile since we checked in on the progress of the Coldest Journey team. You may recall that this group of five adventurers, which includes Brits Spencer Smirl, Ian Prickett, Rob Lambert, Richmond Dykes and Brian Newham, are attempting to cross Antarctica on foot in the dead of winter, something that has never been done before. Before setting out on March 21, the men knew they were facing a difficult challenge. Now, seven weeks later, they realize that it is far more demanding than they ever imagined.

The team initially set out from Crown Bay in late March and began heading south from there. The plan is to traverse the continent, eventually finishing on the Ross Ice Shelf, but not before visiting the South Pole first. The entire expedition was expected to take six months to complete and cover approximately 4000 km (2485 miles) along the way. That time estimate may be off however, as the team has been behind schedule almost from the start when a four-day long blizzard prevented them from setting out as planned.

Things haven't exactly gotten better after that either. Antarctic winter weather conditions area amongst the worst on the planet with heavy snows, high winds and whiteout conditions. They team has routinely faced temperatures below -40ºC/F. Those conditions have at times made it difficult for the men to make any significant progress and there have been days that have been so awful that they didn't move at all.

In order to make the Coldest Journey a reality, the expedition is supported by two tractors which pull large sleds loaded with supplies and a shelter behind them across the ice. Those tracked vehicles were selected specifically to help the skiers make progress on their journey, but lately they have been slowing them down. Over the past week or so the entire team has been moving through a vast field of blue ice, which is a danger zone for anyone traveling through an arctic region. The blue ice forms over large crevasses which are difficult to spot and can pull a tractor into a gaping hole just as easily as a person. In fact, a person might even be able to safely ski over some of these patches of ice, while the much heavier machinery will crack right through. The team is using ground penetrating radar to watch out for these crevasses, but progress slowed to a crawl while they made their way through this treacherous area.

Now it seems that they have passed through that region safely and are hoping to make up for some lost time. The radar shows that no crevasses along their current route, which is giving everyone renewed confidence. But the ground isn't fully cooperating either as the blue ice has now given way to a hard, smooth surface that has been difficult for the tractors to get traction on. So while they are safer now, progress is still incredibly slow.

You can read all about the expedition, including daily updates from the ice, at TheColdestJourney.org.

Following a delayed start, the Coldest Journey team got underway late last week and have been making solid progress during their first few days on the ice. The group is hoping to become the first expedition to complete a traverse of Antarctica during the winter, which means crossing more than 3800 km (2361 miles) of frozen ground while being battered by the coldest and harshest weather imaginable. 

The journey began at Crown Bay where the team first endured a four-day blizzard just prior to their departure. Since then they have been moving away from the coast, and slowly gaining altitude, which has resulted in a deterioration of the weather. In fact, it has gotten so bad that a whiteout has halted all progress today while the men sit in their "living caboose" and wait for things to improve. Considering how poor the weather can be in Antarctica this time of year, they could potentially be sitting their awhile.

The expedition is expected to take upwards of five months to complete with most of that spent in complete darkness. The Ice Team, which consists of Spencer Smirl, Ian Prickett, Rob Lambert, Richmond Dykes and Brian Newham, are traveling on skis the entire way, while the Train, consisting of two tractors, the living caboose and a supply trailer, follow along with all of their gear, supplies and shelter. When the weather is bad as it is currently, it is simply too unsafe for the team to proceed. 

You can follow along with their progress and get daily updates throughout the expedition at TheColdestJourney.org. 

Yesterday I posted a story on the start of the Coldest Journey, the five-month long, 4000 km (2485 mile) expedition to cross Antarctica in the dead of winter. The team was suppose to get underway late in the afternoon, but a four-day blizzard dumped quite a bit of snow on the area and they ended up spending most of the day cleaning up the support vehicles and getting their gear re-organized. With that work now behind them, they are planning to set off sometime today.

According to their latest dispatch all the prep work is now out of the way and things are looking good for the start later today. They are planning on a 12:00 GMT launch, although they may shuffle their schedule some based on a new weather front moving in. At the moment, the skies are reportedly clear and conditions are good, but in the Antarctic during the winter, those conditions can change very rapidly.

Ahead of this team sits a massive challenge. They'll now endure some of the most inhospitable environments on the planet as the attempt the last great polar challenge. A winter crossing of the Antarctic will include temperatures that drop to as low as -90ºC/-130ºF. They'll also face weeks of complete darkness as the sun retreats from the Southern Hemisphere. This will be a true test of their endurance, determination and skill. Following along over the next several months should prove very interesting.

Good luck to the entire team. Godspeed and be safe.

One of the most difficult and demanding expeditions we have seen in a very long time is set to get underway today as the members of the Coldest Journey team prepare to embark on their epic trek. As you probably recall, this is an attempt to traverse Antarctica, via the South Pole, in the dead of winter – something that has never been accomplished before. The men are preparing to face horrendous weather conditions, including extreme cold and incredibly high winds, as they get ready to embark. But true to form, Mother Nature isn't exactly cooperating, so they may have to delay their launch by a day or two.

For the past four days a blizzard has raged around the team, which is in place and ready to go. They'll begin at Crown Bay and plan to cover approximately 4000 km (2485 miles) before ending on the far side of the continent along the Ross Ice Shelf. They are predicting that it will take about 85 days to reach the South Pole and another 60 to get reach the finish line. That means nearly five months of travel in the harshest environment on the planet. Just how harsh? They expect temperatures to routinely hit -90ºC/-130ºF. Now that is cold. And if that wasn't bad enough, most of the expedition will take place in complete darkness as there isn't much light at the bottom of the world this time of year.

The members of the Ice Team, Spencer Smirl, Ian Prickett, Rob Lambert, Richmond Dykes and Brian Newham will be traveling on skis while motorized support vehicles follow along. Those vehicles will carry food, fuel and supplies for the journey, allowing the men to focus on simply moving forward. While this is a departure from what we're use to seeing out of Antarctic skiers, most of whom drag sleds behind them with their gear, the only way this team could get insured for the expedition was to bring more reliable support with them.



The best known and highest profile member of the team was suppose to be Sir Ranulph Fiennes, but he was forced to pull out of the expedition after contracting frostbite while training last month. Ran is now back home in the U.K. and facing possible surgery on his injured left hand, but he'll be following the expedition closely and providing advice for the five men who will carry on without him. Since having to leave Antarctica in late February, he has expressed his frustration with not being a part of the expedition.

While the start of the journey was delayed due to the weather, the latest update from the team says that the skies are clearing and conditions are improving. It now looks like the delay will be a brief one and they may still get underway today or tomorrow.

Expect to hear a lot about this expedition in the coming weeks. It is going to be an incredibly challenging excursion to say the least. This team hopes to make history, but ahead of them sits 4000 km of open, desolate landscapes and unforgiving conditions. Add in the fact that they won't be able to call for a rescue and there is the potential for some serious drama here. Lets all with them some luck and hope all goes well.

The Polish team that made history on Broad Peak last week is turning for home this week. Over the weekend they said goodbye to their fallen comrades and began the arduous task of breaking down their camps. In a lot  of ways it was a successful winter season on BP and yet it ends with sadness.

Over the weekend, team leader Krzysztof Wielicki released a direct statement regarding the tragedy on the expedition's website. That dispatch read as follows:

Considering all the circumstances, conditions, my experience, history of Himalayan mountaineering, knowledge regarding physiology and high-altitude medicine as well as consultations with doctors and co-organizers of the expedition in Poland, I have to declare Maciej Berbeka and Tomasz Kowalski dead.

Taking into account the time that has passed since the last contact, altitude where it took place, their condition, current weather conditions and all other factors, I have to claim openly that both climbers are dead. 

The expedition has come to an end. We are packing the base camp and start to descend. March via the Baltoro Glacier will take approximately 5 days. We will come back to Poland on approximately 20th March. Due to lack of electricity, we will not have any possibilities to maintain contact via telephones or e-mails and thus, the will not be any information about us till approximately 15th March.

Krzysztof Wielicki
Leader of the winter expedition of Polish Mountaineering Association to Broad Peak

By now, the entire team should be descending the Baltoro Glacier and making their way back home. As you can tell from the timeline that Krzysztof shared in his note, that is a process in and of itself, and while I'm sure they are all eager to get home, they undoubtedly leave the mountain with heavy hearts.


Despite their losses, the team did manage to put up the first winter ascent of Broad Peak, which is no small achievement. That leaves just two 8000-meter peaks yet to be climbed in winter – Nanga Parbat and K2. Both of those mountains are formidable challenges and while I'm sure we'll see attempts on both in the future, it could be some time before either is successfully climbed in the winter.

This wraps up another winter climbing season in Pakistan. We'll have a very short respite on the mountaineering front before the spring Himalayan season begins to ramp up in just a few weeks time. As I write this, climbers from all over the globe are hurriedly getting their gear together and preparing for the trip to Kathmandu. By the end of the month, they will begin arriving there and a host of new challenges will begin.

German mountain biking company Radon came up with a unique way to promote their new 29" mountain bike the Slide. They sent riders Andreas Sieber and Julian Gerhardt out in the snow to put the bike through its paces, but when that wasn't challenging enough, the two men decided to take the bikes down a bobsled run as well. It's all set-up for this promotional campaign of course, but it is great fun watching them fly through the bobsled tube. Actually, the snowy trail ride looks great too.

Thanks to The Goat for sharing this.

It has been a long and tumultuous week on Broad Peak for the Polish team that triumphantly made the first winter ascent of that mountain on Tuesday, but saw their spirits crushed when two members of the summit team went missing the following day. Now, as several more days have passed and the weather has taken a turn for the worse, hope that their companions can possibly be found alive has faded and the team begins to prepare to come home.

On Tuesday, four members of the squad – Maciej Berbeka, Adam Bielecki, Tomasz Kowalski and Artur Małek – completed the climb to the summit which took months to plan and weeks to set up. It was another big moment in the history of Polish winter mountaineering and a cause for celebration in the climbing community. But that celebration was short lived when the four men struggled to get back down the mountain after expending most of their energy getting to the top.

Bielecki and Małek managed to stumble into Camp 4, where they took shelter in their tents and rested for the night. But their companions were too exhausted to follow and ended up spending the night above 7900 meters (25,918 ft) without a tent. Kowalski spoke to the support team in Base Camp early Wednesday morning but didn't have the strength to move down to C4. He stopped responding to the radio soon there after. Berbeka was seen crossing a crevasse at 7900 meters, but went missing shortly there after. For some reason he wasn't carrying a radio with him at the time.

The past few days, some of the Pakistani support climbers have gone up to Camp 3 to watch the upper slopes and lend assistance where they could, but there has been now sign of the missing men. With bad weather moving back in, the chances of survival are quite slim, particularly during the winter and at the altitudes they are last known to have been at. Team leader Krzysztof Wielicki said as much in this interview in which he is quoted as saying "there is no longer any chance."

There is obviously a lot of inherent risk that comes along with a major climb in the winter. These men knew that before they ever set foot on the mountain. Unfortunately, climbing in the Karakoram and Himalaya during the winter these past few years has proven to be very costly indeed.

My condolences to the friends and family of Maciej and Tomasz. They will be missed.

It has been 24-hours since I posted my last update on the Polish winter ascent of Broad Peak and since then the news continues to be grim. On Tuesday of this week, four members of the team managed to make the summit but since then it has been very difficult for all who are involved. Two members of the team have managed to stumble back to Base Camp, complete exhausted from their ordeal, while two more remain missing as the weather begins to shift for the worse.

According to their latest dispatch, Artur Małek and Adam Bielecki have returned to BC after a couple of very long days. We're told that they are physically fine and not suffering from frostbite. Summit day took its toll o them however and they no doubt remain completely spent from their efforts. The duo spent a night at Camp 4, located at 7400 meters (24,278 ft) before descending the rest of the way yesterday.

Maciej Berbeka and Tomasz Kowalski, their companions on the summit bid, remain missing on the mountain however. Berbeka and Kowalski were trailing behind their companions and ended up having to spend a night above 7900 meters (25,918 ft) without a tent. The support team heard from Tomasz over their radio at one point but that has been two days ago now and the whereabouts of the climbers now remains a mystery.

Two Pakistani climbers,  Shaheen Baig and Amin Ullah, have now climbed up to Camp 3 to watch the upper slopes for any kind of movement. They'll stand by to assist Maciej or Tomasz should they appear. Camp 4 has also been left in place in case either of the two men finds their way down, which is not out of the question but remains a long shot at this point. 

The weather forecast is calling for a shift in conditions starting today however and it isn't looking good. High winds, colder temperatures and snow are heading for BP, which will of course thwart search efforts and cause more problems for the missing climbers if they are still alive high on the mountain. The team always knew that this weather window was a short one, but now it is closing at the worst possible time.

I'd ask that you keep the friends and family of the two missing climbers in your thoughts today. I'm sure that they are going through hell while they wait for news. Typically I'd also say keep your fingers crossed (or prayers coming) too, but unfortunately these stories don't tend to end well. 

It is another sad day in the mountains. 

Yesterday I noted that history was being made on Broad Peak where the Polish team made the first winter ascent of that mountain. Four members of the squad, Maciej Berbeka, Adam Bielecki, Tomasz Kowalski and Artur Małek managed to top out between 5:30 and 6:00 PM local time. It was a moment of triumph and happiness for a team that has struggled long and hard to get that one opportunity to stand at the 8051 meter (26,414 ft) summit. Unfortunately, that feeling wouldn't last.

I also said in yesterday's report that the summit was only the halfway point and we all needed to keep our fingers crossed that everyone got off the mountain safely. In the latest dispatch from the team, Artur Małek and Adam Bielecki had made it into Camp 4 and were resting there for the night following a very long day on the upper slopes. Meanwhile, we were told that Tomasz Kowalski and Maciej Berbeka bivouacking 7900 meters (25,918 ft), presumably because they were too exhausted to continue further down. That same report claimed that Shaheen Baig and Amin Ullah were headed up the mountain to assist the climbers down.

Since that dispatch was sent, ExWeb has reported that Tomasz and Maciej may be missing on the  mountain. As is common when trying to coordinate communications from such remote places, stories are a bit conflicting. It seems that Maciej may still be descending after spending the night bivouacked at 7900 meters but Tomasz may not be with him. Exactly where either of the men are at the moment remains a mystery. We do know that the entire team is complete exhausted and in need of assistance, which is why the high altitude porters are on their way up to help.

It may be another day or so before we hear definitive word on the condition and location of the four climbers. Lets continue to think positive and hope they get down in one piece. Winter in the Karakoram is a harsh season and this weather window was always expected to be a narrow one. Hopefully the conditions will hold up a little longer to allow them to get back to BC safely.

Fingers crossed once again.

History was made in the Karakoram this morning when the Polish team on Broad Peak completed the first ascent of that 8047 meter (26,400 ft) peak. The team pushed up to Camp 4 yesterday in order to take advantage of a weather window today and when that window opened the made a bold move for the top.

The details haven't fully been revealed yet, and the team still has to be make its way back down, but we do know that Maciej Berbeka and Adam Bielecki were the lead team this morning, followed closely by Artur Małek and Tomasz Kowalski. Whether or not all four men made it to the summit and how far apart they were from one another remains to be seen.

One of the biggest obstacles that prevented a previous summit bids from succeeding was a nasty crevasse located at 7900 meters (25,918 ft). The climbers were able to negotiate past that hurdle on their way up this morning, which was a major relief for all involved. They'll have to pass it again on thew ay back down, but it seems that was an easier prospect than it has been in the past.

As we all know, the summit is just the halfway point, so lets keep our fingers crossed that everyone gets back down safely. Weather reportedly remains good, but conditions have been fickle all season long and things can change rapidly. Hopefully the descent will go smoothly and they'll be back in BC by tomorrow.

Congratulations to the entire team on a job well done. They have once again shown how dedicated and talented the Polish climbers are, particularly on these tough winter ascents. Well done!

Elsewhere in the Karakoram, a Russian team that had been attempting a winter ascent of Amin Brakk, otherwise known as the Great Tower, were forced to abandon their expedition over the weekend. The 5800 meter (19,028 ft) rock spire proved to be tough in the hard winter conditions, although the final straw was an avalanche that buried the team's gear, gas and food that was cached up on the mountain. That was the fatal blow to their chances, so the climbers picked up what gear they had left and headed for home.

Thanks to Zeeshan Nawaz Kahn for the tip on this one.

This past weekend was a tense one in Base Camp on Broad Peak as the Polish team waited, watched the skies and sifted through weather forecasts. All signs point to a weather window opening up in the next 24 hours, which will grant access to the summit for a very brief time. But the climbers have to be patient and cautious in their approach if they hope to take advantage of this opportunity, which is shaping up to be the last one before the season ends on March 21.

As of Saturday, the entire team was still in BC and waiting to go up. There haven't been any updates since then, although a dispatch on that day indicated that high winds at 7000 meters (22,965 ft) was preventing anyone from going up the mountain. That same dispatch gave us a glimpse into their schedule however, which would have them reaching Camp 4 today and going for the summit tomorrow, March 5.

Obviously we'll be watching this one closely over the next few days, not only as the team heads up to the summit, but hopefully gets back down safely as well. This squad has been on BP for weeks now and I'm sure the cold temperatures and bad weather are taking their toll. They have been resting in BC for two weeks however and since they are fully acclimatized at this point, they are definitely eager to be on the move once again.

I'll post updates as we have them over the next few days. Keep your fingers crossed that the team gets up and down safely.

Just a brief update from the Karakoram today as we head into what could be a busy weekend on Broad Peak. As we learned earlier in the week, a weather window is now expected to open in the next few days, which could grant access to the Polish squad that has been so patiently waiting a crack at the summit. After more than a week and half in Base Camp, the team is now chomping at the bit to go back  up the mountain, which they should do either today or tomorrow.

There haven't been updates posted yet on the team's progress but we do know that they were expecting to be back on the move soon. The forecast now says that the weather window could extend from March 4 - 6, which is a little longer than initially thought. It could be that with the window widening slightly, the men have elected to hold off one extra day before starting the climb. But considering how long they've been stuck in BC, my guess is that they're on the move if they can be.

If they do start to climb up today, and the window opens as expected, it should put at least some of the climbers in position to make a summit bid on Monday. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, and for now all we can do is wait for more specifics directly from the team itself.

Good luck to everyone on the team. Climb safe and may the winds blow in your favor.

For the past week and a half the Polish team on Broad Peak has been stuck in Base Camp, waiting for an opportunity to go back up the mountain. The weather has been less than favorable, so while they waited for a turn they had to find time to occupy themselves. The video below gives you a sense of what life in BC is like during these downtime, which mostly consists of resting, eating and finding ways to pass the hours. Apparently that includes jumping over large fires.

The team received good news yesterday in the form of an updated weather forecast that indicates a window may be opening early next week. To take advantage of that window they'll likely start back up the mountain tomorrow. This could be there final chance at nabbing the first winter summit of BP. We'll just have to wait to see if it happens.

Yesterday I posted an update from Broad Peak that was mostly doom and gloom for the Polish team waiting to make their summit attempt there. At that time the weather forecasts indicated a prolonged period of high winds and snow on the  mountain, keeping the team in Base Camp until March 11 or so. But today there has been a major shift in that forecast and it now looks like a weather window could open next week.

According to reports, this new opportunity will present itself on March 4 or 5, which means the team is already preparing themselves to move up. In order to be in position on those dates, the climbers will need to set off on the 1st or 2nd of the month. That means on Friday or Saturday of this week they'll pick up their gear and begin heading back up the mountain for the first time in nearly two weeks.

News of this weather window came as a very pleasant surprise for the team who have been sitting in BC for nine days now. The men were beginning to worry that they would never get a chance to make the first winter ascent and this shift in the weather patterns has given them a much needed ray of hope. When word hit that they would be on the move again in just a few days, the mood in the camp lightened dramatically. As Tmasz Kowalski says in the latest report from Base Camp:

Yesterday, to our great surprise, we were informed that clouds open up and the wind speed decreases dramatically. A light appeared at the end of the tunnel: there is hope for the summit attempt on 4th-5th March! Suddenly, all of us are in good mood and we have forgotten about the stagnation in the base camp. We started to talk about ways to warm up feet, someone began to sharpen crampons and all of us felt motivated to wash our socks. We came back to life. It is not a secret that we have started to lose hope and the leader has not intended to wait till spring to attempt the summit. He said that “ice warriors have to be prepared for cold and wind”. And we are prepared for it! More than ever. We are just waiting for the command “Attack!”. All the best to all people that support us and to the ones that only sometimes read about our progress.

So there you go!  Finally some good news out of the Karakoram. Stay tuned for more updates in the next few days and keep your fingers crossed for a safe climb for these tough and dedicated mountaineers.

For the past week, the Polish Broad Peak team has been taking shelter in Base Camp while they wait for a weather window to give them an opportunity to head back up the mountain. On their last rotation they established Camp 4 and even attempted the summit, reaching as high as 7820 meters (25,656 ft) before turning back. But then the conditions shifted dramatically with high winds, heavy snows and cold temperatures moving settling in over the region. The team had hoped that they could make their next summit bid sometime this week, but a shifting forecast is now pushing that attempt well into March.

According to a dispatch from the team today their weather forecasts now say that the current weather pattern will persist until March 11 which means they are essentially locked in place for another week and a half. After that, they'll have to climb back up the mountain, assess the damage done to their high camps and proceed from there. That is assuming that a weather window opens at all, as the forecasts could very well shift again before the 11th, forcing them to adjust their plans as they go. Remember, in order for them to bag the first winter ascent of BP they'll need to reach the summit by March 21. It is starting to look like they may only get one more opportunity to do just that.

Meanwhile, the team sits and waits, passing the time by reading books, playing chess and chatting. After being confined to BC for several days they recently decided to take a hike over to K2 Base Camp which is typically just an hour walk away. In the winter months, with plenty of snow on the ground, the walk extended to 90 minutes while the climbers avoided a number of pitfalls including deep snow and hidden crevasses. While on K2 the boys took some time to locate the monuments built to fallen climbers there. Those monuments and cairns reminded them of their brothers who were lost in the Karakoram and just how challenging it can be to climb in that mountain range.

For now, the waiting continues.

One of the biggest upcoming expeditions that I have been anticipating is the first-ever winter crossing of Antarctica led by Sir Ranulph Fiennes. The 3200km (2000 mile) journey would test even the heartiest of explorers, exposing them to temperatures as cold as -90ºC/-130ºF as they battled incredibly high winds and massive snow storms in what some consider the most challenging polar adventure left to do. Today we learned however that Fiennes has now been forced to pull out of the expedition after contracting severe frostbite while training.

Fiennes and his teammates have been in the Antarctic for several weeks now, putting the final touches on their preparations to launch their trans-continental trek. He and his companions were on a training exercise when Fiennes took a spill, damaging his ski bindings in the process. The famous explorer than proceeded to remove his gloves to fix the bindings in -30ºC/-22ºF temperatures which caused the frostbite. He is now waiting evacuation from the Antarctic to return to South Africa to receive treatment.

This isn't the first time that Fiennes has had to deal with frostbite. The veteran polar explorer has contracted it in the past on his numerous expeditions to the cold regions of our planet. In 2000, while traveling solo to the North Pole he had to be evacuated for the same reason. It was not long after that that he famously amputated his own finger tips to remove the necrotic area after his doctor urged him to wait until they were more fully healed. It is likely that that incident had an impact on him contracting frostbite once again.

The rest of the team is still proceeding ahead with their plans. They will depart on the Antarctic crossing on March 21 with several members of the team on skis, while others drive support vehicles behind them. We'll be able to follow their progress at the Coldest Journey website.

The BBC article linked to above indicates that Fiennes is absolutely devastated that he won't be able to join the team on this trek. Some believe that he saw this as a possible swan song to his career, capping an already impressive resume with one last grand adventure. Unfortunately that isn't going to happen. As soon as the weather clears, he will be on a plane back to South Africa.

Reports out of Pakistan are starting to sound a bit like a broken record. The entire region is stuck in a bad weather pattern and it is keeping the climbers locked in place while they wait and watch the skies. The forecast doesn't look particularly good over the next few days, which means that one team will remain in Base Camp waiting for an opportunity to go up, while another waits to discover what has become of a lost climber.

On Broad Peak there is little news from the Polish team that is hoping to make the first ascent of that 8051-meter (26,414 ft) mountain. They were forced back from the summit early last week and have been in BC ever since. They are still hoping that conditions will improve and give them a shot at completing their climb, but the forecasts indicate that bad weather will remain over their position late into this week. If that holds true, they'll be unable to move up for another couple of days and they'll have to hope that their high camps remain in position when they start their next summit bids. One thing is for sure, they'll certainly be rested and ready to give it another go if a weather window does actually open.

The weather report on Nanga Parbat isn't any better as that mountain is expecting heavy snows throughout the week. Considering nearly everyone has left Nanga for the season, that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. But search and rescue teams remain on the Rupal Face where they have been searching for missing French snowboarder Joel Wischnewski and the poor weather conditions are not helping their cause any.

Wischnewski set off on a solo summit bid nearly three weeks ago and hasn't been heard from since. The SAR team has gone has high as Camp 2, which was his launching point on February 6, but there has been no sign of the climber. Since he was traveling in alpine style there is little gear to be found and because the weather has been so awful, no one has been able to go above C2 in their search. It could be another three or four days before they'll have the opportunity to go up, but at this point we have to wonder if they'll ever find anything at point.

I've tried to remain optimistic about Joel's wellbeing over the past 2+ weeks, but it seems the writing is on the wall. It seems nearly impossible that he could still be alive and healthy after this long on the mountain. At this point it seems the search teams are simply looking for his remains to try to figure out exactly what happened to him. I no longer believe that this story will have a happy ending.

My condolences to Joel's friends and family. It must be awful to simply sit and wait for news. Stay strong.

Just a couple of short updates from Pakistan this morning as we head into the weekend. Not much has changed in the past few days, but I wanted to share what little information we have at the  moment.

On Nanga Parbat the search continues for missing French snowboarder Joel Wischnewski. After being forced down by poor weather earlier in the week, the team of high altitude porters who have gone looking for him had hoped to climb back up to Camp 2 yesterday and possibly go higher. There has been absolutely no sign of Wischnewski who now hasn't been heard from in more than two weeks. Because he was climbing in alpine style however, there are no fixed camps to search for. He had all of his gear with him when he set out for his summit push on February 6. That means he could be stuck in a tent, high on the mountain and currently out of reach. If that is the case, he has to be running low on food and fuel by now, regardless of his health.

I'm sure friends, family and the mountaineering community that has been following his climb are still hoping for a miracle, but the chances of him coming down safely now seems incredibly small. Over the past two weeks the weather hasn't been good on Nanga and he would have had to endure that at altitude. Not impossible of course, but highly unlikely during the bitterly cold winter. I think everyone should be preparing themselves for bad news at this point.

Over on Broad Peak the Polish team continues to sit and wait in Base Camp. After being turned back on a summit bid last weekend, they'll now rest and prepare for another window that could give them access to the top of the mountain once again. The problem is, the weather forecast indicates that high winds have now settled over BP and are expected to remain there well into next week. That means it could be the first March before the Poles get another shot at going up. And this being winter in Pakistan, that next weather window may never come. Still, they'll wait it out until the bitter end, hoping to nab the first winter ascent of the mountain and with a month to go until spring arrives, they should get at least one more chance. For now, we all wait and watch the skies.

That's all for today. Hopefully there will be some more news next week.

It has been another difficult year for the winter climbers in Pakistan where the weather conditions have once again been extremely difficult to overcome. But the season isn't over just yet and one team has found success by putting up the first winter ascent of a mountain in the Karakoram.

ExWeb is reporting that Alex Txikon and Jose Fernandez were successful in their bid to climb Laila Peak, topping out on Monday,  February 18. The 6096 meter (20,000 ft) mountain located in the Hushe Valley didn't make it easy on them however. The two men battled high winds and snow that was chest deep at times just to reach the summit. Their final push took ten hours to complete, with the descent requiring another four.

Alex and Jose say that wind speeds on the final push were in excess of 60 km/h (37 mph) and temperatures were hovering around -35ºC/-31ºF before taking into account the windchill. Exhausted from their efforts, the climbers spent the night in Camp 2 with two teammates who turned back earlier in the day due to injuries. All four have since descended to Base Camp where they are resting and preparing to head home.

Congrats to Alex and Jose on a job well done.

On Nanga Parbat search and rescue teams continued to look for missing French snowboarder Joel Wischnewski. It has been two weeks since we last heard anything from him as he started a summit push up the Rupal face that was expected to take three days to complete. The SAR team reached Camp 2 yesterday but still found no trace of the man. The rescue effort had to be halted however as bad weather prevented them from going any higher. Heavy snow and high winds are now expected over the next few days, so it will likely be the weekend before they can even think of proceeding higher.

After so long on the mountain without word, it is getting increasingly more difficult to see a happy ending on this one. Supplies would have to be running very low at this point and if he was capable of coming back down, he probably would have by now. I'm still hoping for the best, but reality is setting in.

Finally, the Polish team on Broad Peak has returned to BC to wait for another weather window. They had made a summit push over the weekend and into the first part of the week, reaching as high as 7800 meters (25,590 ft), but once again it was the poor weather that turned them back. The team has posted a recap of that "attack" on the summit, which you can read here.

For now, the entire squad will rest and watch the forecasts closely. They still have a few more weeks of winter left and with most of the work done, they simply wait for an opportunity to go up. All of their ropes are fixed, they're acclimatized to the weather and altitude and they're regaining their strength for another push. Lets hope they get the opportunity to have another go.