Ueli in the North Face of Cholatse

The fall season in the Himalayas is not over yet. Although the expedition on Mount Everest as well as those on the eight-thousanders Makalu, Dhaulagiri and Annapurna were recently canceled due to dangerous conditions on the mountains, there are still a few climbers under way on the highest mountains. So the team of South Korean Sung Taek Hong, who wants to tackle the Lhotse South Face again, decided in favor of a later expedition start. And also Swiss climber Ueli Steck and American Colin Haley have just completed their acclimatization. They did it on separate ways. Steck climbed along with Tenji Sherpa through the North Face of the 6,640-meter-high Cholatse. “That was pretty cool. He is the first Sherpa who climbed this wall”, Ueli writes to me. “It’s nice to see how a ‘new’ generation of Sherpas is growing up, who are really interested in climbing and not just in business. I think that’s awesome!” Steck and Haley want to first repeat the extremely difficult route via the Southeast Pillar to the summit of the 7,804-meter-high Nuptse East which was opened in in 2003 – but contrary to the first climbers, the Russians Valerij Babanov and Yuri Kosholenko, in Alpine style. I sent Ueli three questions to Base Camp.

Acclimatization typical of “Speedy” Ueli

Ueli, expeditions on Everest, Makalu and Dhaulagiri were canceled during the last two weeks because of too much snow and high risk of avalanches. What’s about the conditions on Nuptse?

The expedition on Everest was canceled too? On Cholatse, a week ago, we really had perfect conditions. I have climbed the wall three times so far, and never before I had such good conditions. It was like a dream. Now here on Nuptse, it looks a bit different. The wall was extremely dry, as it was very warm. Now the weather is very unstable, and there has been some precipitation everyday. I think it’s not very good, but we don’t just throw in the towel!

In the pictures that you have sent from Khumbu region, you always look top fit and good-humored. In contrast your climbing partner for this ambitious project on Nuptse, Colin Haley, had health problems. What happens if he doesn’t become as fit as you obviously are?

Colin is on track. I feel very comfortable in high altitude, and I get used to the thin air very quickly. We had to complete our acclimatization each with our own program. Therefore, I went to Cholatse, along with Tenji. But Colin is now ready too. Let’s see how it works.

The earthquake in Nepal is about half a year back. How do you experience the people and the situation in the Khumbu region?

It is impressive to see how the people deal with it. The Khumbu is already completely rebuilt. If you did not know that there was an earthquake in spring, you would not notice. It is striking how few tourists are here. But as always the local people have a very positive attitude. The country has more problems than just the consequences of the earthquake – currently no more fuel reaching Nepal. I think the whole policy is causing more suffering.

Ueli Steck

There are only 20 days left until Ueli Steck will return to Nepal. To the country where the 38-year-old Swiss top climber in the same year celebrated his probably most spectacular success as an extreme climber as well as the greatest fear of death that had nothing to do with mountain dangers. In spring 2013, a group of angry Sherpas attacked Ueli and his teammates Simone Moro and Jonathan Griffith in Everest high camp and threatened them with death. In fall 2013, Steck reached the 8091-meter-high summit of Annapurna, the eight-thousander with the highest fatality rate: solo, via the extremely dangerous South Face, on a partly new route, as always without bottled oxygen. It took Ueli only 28 hours to climb up and down.

This summer, he proved once again that he is able to climb mountains lickety-split, when he – as reported in my blog – scaled all 82 four-thousanders of the Alps within 62 days and overcame the distance between the mountains without engine power: by hiking, cycling or paragliding. I talked to Ueli about his tour de force through the Alps – and also about his upcoming exciting project in Nepal: on Nuptse, within sight of Mount Everest.

Ueli during his “82 Summits” project

Ueli, before starting your project “82 Summits” you told me that you wanted to turn back the screw of risk a bit and to have just fun. Did you experience this fun in the 62 days you needed to climb all four-thousanders of the Alps?

It was actually one of the best projects I’ve ever done. Every day it was fun. In addition I was extremely lucky with the weather.

How great were the physical strain and thus the sporting value for you?

At the end I had made 117,000 meters of altitude which means a certain amount of physical stress. The sporting value is still difficult to assess at the moment. But it has a rather great value for me, because I always had everything under control. I always was able to recover well and never had any problems with my body.

Your original partner for the project, the German climber Michi Wohlleben, had to give up early, because he got injured while attempting to land after a paragliding flight. Afterwards you climbed with many different partners, among others with your wife Nicole. Did you enjoy that?

Actually, this has led the project in a completely different direction. It was really awesome to climb with such different people. For instance, when I was climbing with my wife, it had priority to enjoy a beautiful mountain trip. When I climbed with Andy Steindl I could speed up. Thus I had every day a different approach.

Now you’re really well trained, you have often enough been higher than 4,000 meters, so that you are well acclimatized – ideal conditions to tackle the very high mountains.

Yes, I do believe that I now have a solid basis and a good physical condition to go to Nepal.

Nuptse peaks from the south

Are you still planning to climb along with the American Colin Haley the so called “Babanov-Route” on the 7,804-meter-high Nuptse East in Alpine style this fall?

Exactly. We fly to Nepal on 22 September. And then we’ll see what happens.

What does this project make so appealing for you?

It is a technically challenging route that has never been repeated. When Valeri Babanov and Yuri Kosholenko first climbed this route (via the Southeast Pillar in 2003), they used fixed ropes. I have a feeling that it is now really possible to tackle this difficult route in Alpine style. And that excites me.

You will set off with a climbing partner. How high is the probability that it turns again to be a solo project at the end?

(He laughs) No, that’s finished for me. During my “82 Summits” project, it was once again so that Michi had to leave. But no, I will no longer do such actions as on Annapurna.

It will be your return to a region where you had anything but good experiences in spring 2013. You were attacked in Everest high camp by angry Sherpas. Do you still have a queasy feeling?

Of course, I will never forget this. It’s in my mind. But I had several years now to think about it, to talk to people about it and to get to grips with the whole thing. There were just a few extremists. But there are a few odd people anywhere in the world. For me it’s finished, and I look forward.

Ueli on Annapurna

In the meantime, a lot has happened in Nepal: two deadly avalanches on Everest; the devastating earthquake; as a consequence few trekking tourists and expeditions this fall. Do you also want to give a signal with your project: Guys, I’m not afraid to go there?

Of course, I am still a bit scared: Will there be another strong earthquake? It’s not funny when you’re in the mountains then. On the other hand it is the only way I can really help the people in Nepal: by traveling there, giving them jobs and thus creating opportunities for them that life goes on.

Do you feel a particular responsibility as a professional climber who was often in Nepal to give the country something back in this difficult situation?

For me it is a matter of course that I try to help as much as I can. I do not think that it is enough to send aid only. At the end of the day, that doesn’t bring a country like Nepal anything. In the beginning it was important, of course, and it did happen. But now people must have jobs, so that they have income. That has always been important to me, and it was the reason that I’ve come to Nepal again and again: to ensure that the life of the people I know and who I have supported goes on.

P.S. May I remind you of our donation campaign “School up!” to rebuild the school in Thulosirubari in the Nepalese district Sindhupalchowk that was destroyed by the 25 April earthquake. You find all details on the right side of the blog and reports at the top bar.

Finished! Ueli Steck

Actually, Ueli Steck doesn’t like the nickname “Swiss Machine”. But once again he confirmed his reputation. As a precisely running Swiss watch, the 38-year-old completed his project “82 Summits”– on the double: “Speedy Ueli” scaled all 82 four-thousanders of the Alps in only 61 days, 19 days faster than previously intended. He covered the distance between the mountains using muscle power only: by bike or on foot.

With changing partners

Ueli shortened the descent from the peaks by paragliding where possible. Doing this he early had to say good-bye to his original partner for the project.

On the double

The German professional climber Michi Wohlleben had to give up after one and a half weeks due to a rough landing on his backside after paragliding from the Schreckhorn in Switzerland. Ueli climbed on, sometimes alone, sometimes with climbing partners: e.g. with his wife Nicole or fellow climbers as Andreas Steindl, David Goettler or Jonathan Griffith.

Tragically incident

The project was overshadowed by a fatality. The 32-year-old Dutchman Martijn Seuren fell from the Rochefort Ridge to death, when he accompanied Ueli in the Mont Blanc massif.

And now Nuptse East?

Ueli decided to continue his project. Yesterday he completed it by standing on top of the 4,102-meter-high summit of the Barre des Écrins in France. “I am still super psyched, I could move on”, the Swiss wrote on Facebook. “Let’s see what comes next!” Originally, Ueli intended to repeat the route of Valeri Babanov and Yuri Kosholenko on the 7804-meter-high Nuptse East (in the neighborhood of Mount Everest): in a team with the American Colin Haley, in Alpine style. However, Steck had announced this before the devastating earthquake in Nepal on 25 April. Let’s hope he sticks to his plan!