Eilsabeth Revol in Manaslu BC

And another winter expedition. After it had looked for a long time as if the eight-thousanders would stay in winter sleep this time, now at least two of the highest mountains in the world are visited in the cold season. As reported, the two Spaniards Alex Txikon and Carlos Rubio will try to climb Mount Everest without bottled oxygen. They are expected in Base Camp shortly after the turn of the year. The Frenchwoman Elisabeth Revol has already pitched up her tents at the foot of the 8,163-meter-high Manaslu in Nepal.

Cold and windy

The 36-year-old wants to scale the eighth-highest mountain on earth, also without breathing mask. “We are in winter: It’s cold and windy. But weather is okay for now,” Elisabeth writes from Manaslu Base Camp on Facebook. She is accompanied by her countryman Ludovic Giambiasi, who is supposed to climb up only to Camp 2 at about 6,400 meters.

Three failed attempts on Nanga Parbat

In case she succeeds, Revol would be the first woman in winter on the summit of Manaslu. The first winter ascent of this eight-thousander was made in January 1984 by the two Polish climbers Maciej Berbeka and Ryszard Gajewski. In winter 2015, the South Tyrolean Tamara Lunger and the Italian Simone Moro were literally sunk in snow. Elisabeth Revol has already proved that she is “hardy”, with three winter attempts on Nanga Parbat: In 2012/13 along with the Italian Daniele Nardi and in 2014/15 and 2015/16 with the Pole Tomasz Mackiewicz. In her most successful attempt, she had reached with Tomek an altitude of 7,800 meters in January 2015.