Carlos Soria

Carlos Soria doesn’t give up. The now 79-year-old Spaniard set off again to Nepal to climb his 13th of the 14 eight-thousanders. Already for the ninth time, Carlos will tackle Dhaulagiri. Last year, Soria and Co. had had to abandon their only summit attempt in the upper part of the 8,167-meter-high mountain because they had missed the right route while the fog had become denser. Later heavy snow had impeded a second try. “This time I am sure that we will succeed,” said the probably fittest of all climbing seniors optimistically before his departure for Kathmandu.

Family trip to the Khumbu region

Trekking with daughter and grandchildren

Soria is going to acclimatize with a trekking tour in the Khumbu region, which is also a family trip: his daughter Sonsoles and his 10-year-old grandchildren Andrea and Carlos will accompany him. Afterwards, he will make his way to Dhaulagiri along with three Spanish friends and his Sherpa team. They plan to arrive at the base camp in mid-April. Only just before the start of the expedition, Carlos had managed to find a sponsor for his journey to the seventh highest mountain in the world.

Shishapangma in fall?

Carlos Soria on Dhaulagiri (in 2017)

In case he achieves the long-awaited success on Dhaulagiri this spring, Soria wants to try in fall to scale Shishapangma and thus complete his eight-thousander collection. In 2005, Carlos had stood on the Central Peak of Shishapangma, which is – with a height of 8,008 meters – beyond the eight thousand mark, but just 19 meters lower than the main summit. In 2103 and 2014 Soria had returned empty handed from Shishapangma.

Already eight age records on eight-thousanders

Carlos holds the age records at K 2 (65 years old), Broad Peak (68), Makalu (69, there he climbed solo and without bottled oxygen), Gasherbrum I (70), Manaslu (71), Lhotse (72), Kangchenjunga (75) and Annapurna (77). If he succeeds also on Dhaulagiri and Shishapangma, Carlos Soria would be by far the oldest man who stood on all 14 eight-thousanders. This “record” is held by the Spanish climber Oscar Cadiach, who scaled his last eight-thousander, Broad Peak, in 2017 at the age of 64. Fitness seems to be in Carlos’ genes: “My mother reached the age of 96 years”, the Spaniard said in an interview of desnivel com. “Until she turned  90, she made it to the third floor without a lift.”

Shishapangma South Face

This wall has enthused him. The second spring in a row, the German professional climber David Goettler will try to open a new route through the South Face of the 8027-meter-high Shishapangma in Tibet. After his failed attempt in 2016 with the Swiss Ueli Steck, the 38-year-old is now on the road with Hervé Barmasse. The 39-year-old Italian is a very experienced climber who has made headlines in recent years, especially with new routes on his home mountain, the Matterhorn. Hervé has also succeeded spectacular first ascents in the Karakoram and in Patagonia. Barmasse has not yet scaled an eight-thousander. I got a hold of Goettler on the phone, just before his departure to the Himalayas, on the way to the airport.

David, you’re just on your way to Nepal. What is your feeling?

David Goettler

I am very, very positive and totally motivated. I think I have rarely invested so much time, training and preparation for an expedition. There could be a new route on an eight-thousander. I’ve been on Shishapangma South Face last year and know what it looks like there, and it’s absolutely possible. I feel quite tense, but in a very positive sense.

You trained intensively in the Khumbu area in February, along with Hervé Barmasse and Ueli Steck. Has this special pre-training in Nepal proven successful from your point of view?

Only when we are back from the Khumbu in two weeks, I’ll be able to say whether it really has paid off as we hope. But considering how I felt at home in the mountains around Chamonix at 4,000 meters, I can already say that I feel a very positive effect.

Barmasse, Steck, Tenji Sherpa and Goettler (from l. to r.)

You will spend two weeks in Nepal before you travel to Shishapangma in Tibet. What exactly are you planning to acclimatize?

We don’t want to spend such a training-intensive time as in February, when we really did a lot of mountain running. Instead, we seek to manage our resources a bit. But of course we will hike and climb. In February, we deposited our equipment in Chukhung [village at 4,730 meters in the Khumbu area]. There we will pitch up our “Base Camp”. From there we will definitely climb Island Peak [a technically relatively easy 6,180-meter-high mountain] again and cross the usual passes. But we will not do anything really challenging. We save this for Shishapangma.

Last year, you traveled to Shishapangma South Face along with Ueli Steck, now with Hervé Barmasse. The same geographical destination – also exactly the same sporting goal?

I want to realize last year’s idea to open a new route through the Shishapangma South Face now with Hervé. That’s our goal. In 2016, due to the unstable weather, it ended with two one-day attempts. I hope we will have more stable weather in Tibet this spring, so that we can seriously try to climb this new route – and hopefully succeed.

Steck and Goettler in Shishapangma South Face (in 2016)

You were speed climbing last year. Do you take more time now?

We can not be so fast on the new route. It is technical terrain, the key passage which you can recognize on pictures is quite far up. We plan to climb the wall within about three days. This means that we will have automatically no longer this high speed, because we need tent, sleeping bag, mat, cooker and food. This is a big millstone around our neck and makes us slower. It will not be possible to climb this technically challenging route and descend in one day.

Do you consider, as Ueli and you did last year, to traverse the summit and descent on the north side of Shishapangma?

We want to descend on the south side – also because I know two descend options from last year. This is much easier from the logistic point of view. A traverse is not our priority issue.

David on the Shishapangma ridge

Do you believe that your chances have increased because you’ve been there last year?

Definitely. For such challenging goals, you may have to invest two or three years to get to know the conditions better. I think, I now have a much better feel for the wall. I know exactly what awaits us there. This is mentally an advantage. In addition, I could train accordingly.

But you can not influence the weather.

Of course not. I always quarrel with it, because I invest so much in the preparation and try to eliminate all the uncertainties. But in the end, I’m going to engage with a game where I can not control many components, like the weather or the conditions. If such a thing happens like the earthquake in 2015, there’s nothing you can do.

The rules have not changed: No matter how well prepared or fit I am, in the end it depends on whether we get a weather window of three or four days to make a real attempt. On the one hand, I am a bit bothered by it, on the other hand it is exactly what defines expedition mountaineering, that you don’t have such a kind of certainty.

Herve Barmasse

You will be now on expedition with Hervé for the first time? Do you have good chemistry?

Yes. It’s just good to be en route with an Italian, because you always have fun. We are about the same age and we have many similarities in life. We’ve known each other for a long time, we’ve trained together. However, we’ve never done such a great thing like this before. But I have a great feeling. I think we work very well as a team. This will be very important this time. Besides Hervé and me, only a cook and a kitchen boy will be in Base Camp. It will be even lonelier than, for example, on Nanga Parbat in winter. I am already looking forward to experiencing this unfiltered, pure expedition feeling in such a small team.

Ueli Steck (l.) and David Goettler

He couldn’t stop thinking about it. When the Swiss top climber Ueli Steck solo climbed the South Face of 8027-meter- high Shishapangma in only ten and a half hours five years ago, he discovered a possible new direct line. This spring, the 39-year-old – along with the 37-year-old German professional climber David Goettler – returned to the 2000-meter-high wall to have a try at the new route. If everything works perfectly, they plan to descend from the summit via the north side, thus traversing the eight-thousander.

Before heading off to Tibet, Ueli and David acclimatized in the Everest region in Nepal – including trail-running over extremely long distances. I sent them five questions to their Base Camp at the foot of Shishapangma South Face.

Ueli and David, the pictures which you published on Facebook in recent weeks, remind me of Speedy Gonzales or Road Runner, two cartoon characters of my childhood: continuously in high speed mode, because hunted. At the same time each of you let us know that the other is really, really fit. Honestly, who of you is actually rushing whom? Or from what are you trying to escape?

Fast en route

Question back, who of us is Speedy Gonzales and who is Road Runner? We are not at all on the run. We just have a lot of fun together! It’s fun to be together on the road. We both know that we are similar fit. No one must prove or hide anything from the other. We have a great positive energy in the team. It just works. And it creates an ingenious dynamics!

Most high-altitude climbers do acclimatizing  according to the motto: Conserve your strength so that you have enough power left for the actual goal. Instead, you have run in the Khumbu region a distance of 57 kilometers over several passes in 12 three-quarter hours. What is the logic behind this high-speed acclimatization?

Most climbers do high altitude mountaineering as in the days of Messner. I personally (Ueli) do not see much progress. Of course you have to be careful, because e.g. at 5,000 meters, the regeneration takes longer, and actually each climber behaves very individually in high altitude. Kilian Jornet (a professional Spanish ski mountaineer and mountain trail runner), for example, believes that you can run 50 kilometers every day! I am still far away from that, but it shows what could be possible. In the end you just have to know your body. And everyone has to make decisions for himself and to assess how high his personal performance is, and how fast he is able to ascend or move in high altitude. We both have considerable experience in high altitude and can check out what can be optimized without actually losing all our power.

You have pitched up your Base Camp below Shishapangma South Face. How are the conditions in the wall where you want to climb a new route?

We have already been at the bottom of South Face. Quite simply, it looks awesome. Now we hope it remains like this until the suitable weather window opens.

What will be the main focus of your planned first ascent, possibly including the traverse of the mountain: the aesthetic of the line, difficulty, fun…?

Ueli’s route through Shishapangma South Face that he climbed in 2011

The route speaks for itself. A direct logical line on an eight-thousander, that’s truly fascinating. In the first place we want to climb via this route to the summit and go home healthy. We’ll see how fast we are, this depends on the technical difficulties. We will belay normally, with rope and pitons. It doesn’t matter whether we need two days or one or three. But we are not very motivated to spend as many nights as possible on the mountain. The traverse would certainly be the icing on the cake.

Last Monday was the first anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Nepal. How have you experienced the people in the Himalayas during the past weeks?

People got used to the aftershocks and the situation. It’s impressive how the Nepali have got accustomed to the little tremors, which also happened again when we were traveling in Khumbu. But they have no other choice than to take it as it is. And it’s really great how everything is back to normal and works.

Trekking in Khumbu

Safety is primarily a feeling. Often we don’t even realize the lurking objective danger. And if we do, then usually only if we have no other option than facing the danger. A week ago I have returned from my trekking in Khumbu, the region around Mount Everest. Eleven months have passed since the devastating earthquake in Nepal. I think that my senses were quite sharpened because it was an objective of my journey to inform myself about the consequences of the quake. I can send all the people who want to travel to the region for trekking or climbing on their way with my experience: I felt perfectly safe in Khumbu.

Memories of civil war

Namche Bazaar, in the background Kongde Ri

This was not the case during my first visit to Everest region 14 years ago. In 2002, there was a night-time curfew in Namche Bazaar starting at 5 p.m. because of the civil war with the Maoists. The soldiers of the local military station were nervous, I heard shots. It was only when we reached Tengboche monastery at 3,860 meters, that my former mountain guide Gowa Lama said: “Now we are safe. The Maoists have not penetrated higher so far.” The civil war in Nepal has been over since 2006. Ten years later we were able to hike through the impressive mountains of the Himalayas without need to think about charges to pay to rebels or about getting caught in the crossfire.

Most of the debris cleared

Stupa in front of the Hillary School in Khumjung

The earthquake on 25 April 2015 has left marks also in Khumbu, but the area got off rather lightly compared for instance with the particularly hard-hit Sindhupalchowk District. Here and there some stupas (tombs of Buddhist lamas who according to religion were reborn) with deep cracks still witness the earthquake. But most of the debris has been cleared. In many places, new buildings have already replaced the collapsed houses, which had been mostly traditional Sherpa buildings. The trekking trails are well maintained, virtually no traces of the earthquake can be seen there.

Depending on tourism

Everest, Lhotse and Makalu (from l. to r.)

Maybe I also felt so safe in Khumbu because there was much less talk about the earthquake. People in the Everest region seem to have come to terms with last year’s natural disaster and ticked it off. Probably because they were affected not that bad. The consequences of the earthquake were more indirectly: The tourism market collapsed because foreigners were worried about their safety. My impression in Khumbu: These concerns are groundless. You can travel there without worrying. The mountain guides, porters, farmers, lodge owners and shopkeepers, who heavily depend on income from tourism, will thank you: with great hospitality and an honest smile.

Mount Everest, Lhotse, Makalu (from l. to r.)

Perfect timing. Just when we reach the 5380-meter-high summit of Gokyo Ri, the clouds around the top of Mount Everest, Lhotse and Makalu turn orange. „The mountains are burning“, our guide Dipak Giri says. Step by step the first sunlight also meets the other summits around us: the eight-thousander Cho Oyu, the six-thousanders Cholatse, Kantega, Thamserku and in the distance Gaurishankar. A 360-degree panorama which is without equal. We were the only ones, who set off from Gokyo at 4,770 meters at 4 a.m. to admire this unique spectacle. Now we are sitting below the prayer flags and hardly believe our eyes.

Champions League of memories

Cho Oyu in the first sunlight

Those, who don’t believe in God, here they could possibly find their faith. This moment is so beautiful, nothing less than magic. Almost too good to be true. You try to absorb this moment and put it into a virtual plastic bag, so that you can pack it out anytime. Unfortunately this rarely works out. But without doubt this sunrise belongs to the Champions League of my memories. I am just grateful.

Tamara (l.) and Simone on Island Peak

Manaslu, next attempt! The South Tyrolean Tamara Lunger and the Italian Simone Mono flew back by helicopter to the base camp at the foot of the eight highest mountain in the world. In early March, the two climbers had fled Manaslu due to heavy snowfalls and extremely high avalanche danger. It looks as if our camp was quite destroyed”, Tamara wrote in her blog.

“But we bounce back, and we are sure that we can achieve with our positive attitude the best possible results.”

The images that helicopter pilot Steven Bruce Bokan has published on Facebook confirm Tamara’s impression: They show a deeply snow-covered campground. The duo from Italy is planning not only to climb the 8167-meter high main summit of Manaslu, but also in one push the 7992-meter-high Pinnacle East. Initially it was scheduled as a winter ascent, now it has become an early spring project.

Twice on Island Peak

In the meantime, the 28-year-old Tamara and the 47-year-old Simone kept themselves fit in the Khumbu region for the past three weeks. By their own account, they climbed 6189-meter-high Island Peak twice within 48 hours: first on the normal route, as the first team this season, then on a new route to the East Summit. They are well acclimatized now. That should be no reason to stop them on Manaslu. But will the “Mountain of the Spirit” be more gracious with them this time?

Ines Papert on the summit of Pig Pherado Shar

Great success for Ines Papert: The German top climber tells on Facebook that she and Thomas Senf have opened a new route through the north face of 6718-meter-high Pig Pherado Shar in Nepal. The mountain is located near Namche Bazaar, the main village of the Khumbu region close to Mount Everest. The 39-year-old woman climber reached the summit alone. “Unfortunately Thomas couldn’t climb to the highest point because of incipient frostbite on his toes”, Ines writes on the Facebook page of one of her sponsors. “It was the coldest adventure of my lifetime.”

Firstly climbed in 1960

With her spontanous meanwhile removed statement on Facebook  that she has been the first who ever climbed Pig Pherado Shar, Ines was probably wrong. According to a report of the Himalayan chroniclers Elizabeth Hawley and Richard Salisbury in a publication of the American Alpine Club Pig Pherado Shar was firstly climbed 53 years ago. Hawley and Salisbary write that a French team headed by Robert Sandoz reached the summit of the mountain, which is also known as Likhu Chuli I, on 21 October 1960 “via the steep, difficult west ridge“.

Plan was changed

Originally, Ines Papert and Thomas Senf wanted to open a new route through the north face of 6487-meter-high Tengkangpoche. Why they changed their plan, we will certainly find out in the next few days. The Swiss Ueli Steck and Simon Anthamatten had firstly climbed via the Tengkangpoche North Face in 2008. For this performance they were awarded in 2009 with the Piolet d’Or, the “Oscar” for climbers.