Tag: Putha Hiunchuli

Ending season with summits on Ama Dablam 10AM

Chris Burke achieved her 1st summit on Ama Dablam with Lakpa (his 21st!!!!) on Nov 29th. Ama Dablam has been a goal of Chris’ for a while after sickness foiled her 1st attempt in 2010. Feeling fit off Parchermo this time around, Chris topped out in good spirits, even after they were pushed back to base camp during the 1st summit bid by strong winds. Due to the lateness in the season, Chris enjoyed the mountain alone without other teams. A real treat as Ama Dablam is a popular peak in autumn.

This ends our autumn 2012 season with a total of 15 summits on Ama Dablam over 7 expeditions, 17 summits on Lobuche East over 6 expeditions, 2 summits of Island Peak and 1 summit of Parchermo not including Sherpa support climbers!!! We’ve had a good season with diverse climbing and trekking trips throughout the country (Putha Hiunchuli, Parchermo, Lobuche East, Ama Dablam, 3 Peaks, Very Best of Everest, Manaslu Circuit Trek and Annapurna base camp trek).

We’ll take a break now to rest before our winter season opens in a few weeks. Stay tuned for news of our promotional tour in Australia in 2013.

Ama Dablam ambitions and Mani Rimdu 4PM

Ama Dablam is certainly our favourite mountain, challenging to climb and stunning to look at, the ultimate climber’s mountain. Matt Eaton and Nima Sherpa with Lakpa Sherpa (on his way to summit #19!!!) are at Camp 1 of their summit climb. They aim to summit on Nov 3. Garrett and his team are on their final acclimatisation rotation hoping to summit on Nov 7. Pat has arrived in Phakding today to guide Marguerite Lovegrove (U.K.), Atle Lund (Norway), Jaime McMullan (U.K.) and Steven Pearce (U.K.) also on Ama Dablam. They are acclimatising on Lobuche East first. And due to arrive this evening is Swiss climber, Vivien Jean, who’s climbing independent. Diane and Marty are walking back to Lukla today after their twin peak success on Lobuche and Ama Dablam.

Sumit caught up with Diane and Marty yesterday at Namche, and he reports that they are in great spirits. He and the Best of Everest group are heading up to Lobuche now. Today they spent the afternoon at Tengboche monstery for Mani Rimdu, the most important Buddhist festival in the Khumbu. The group were fortunate to receive blessings from the monastery monks including the head Lama!

Possibly due to the extreme unseasonable cold this season, our Putha Hiunchuli climbers, Leif and Erick have ended their climb on the 7246m mountain in Dolpo. They managed to get to Camp 1 (5400m) and 2 (6000m) before deciding to call it a day. Deciding to end an expedition early is always a difficult decision, but often a wise decision if the mountain conditions aren’t favourable or if you are harbouring the smallest seed of doubt. The journey to Putha Hiunchuli is remote, wild and long…even on the mountain the camps are widely spaced so the going is always tough. So despite the missed summit, Leif and Erick have still had an awesome wild trip in a region that is yet to be fully explored.

Ama Dablam and Putha Hiunchuli: summit bids and acclimatisation rounds 8am

There’s action, activity and fun being had on all of our expeditions at the moment. In the Khumbhu, Diane Westaway and Marty Beare should be on their summit bid on Ama Dablam right now. After several weeks of unseasonably cold weather in the Khumbu, the weather has warmed slightly to offer the team a more pleasant summit window.

We’ll know in a few hours their progress on our favourite Khumbu mountain. Matt Eaton and Nima Sherpa is climbing up and sleeping at Camp 2 today with Lakpa. They are on their final acclimatisation round before beginning their summit climb in the middle of next week. Unfortunately last minute work stress and most likely an underlying respiratory infection, led to Matt Farr leaving the same expedition due to altitude sickness.

Matt is already back in Kathmandu and he’s already booked himself into the next Amadablam fall trip with Himalayan Ascent. Ama Dablam is not a mountain one wants to let go of too easily. Jonathan Arendt and Stephen had to turn back just below the summit of Nirekha due to soft snow conditions. However, the boys are currently enjoying Ama Dablam base camp after succeeding 2 Khumbu favourites this season. Marie Helene is also back in Kathmandu and is still glowing from her successful trip with summits of Ama Dablam and Lobuche East.

Off in remote Dolpa and at the base of Putha Hiunchuli, Erick Edstrom and Leif Rehnberg are resting today after climbing up to Camp 1 yesterday. The plan tomorrow is to climb to Camp 2 and sleep at Camp 1 with Angkaji. They are the only expedition on the mountain at the moment, so they are enjoying the serene experience.

Ama Dablam, Putha Hiunchuli and Triple Peaks in full swing 10PM

Himalayan Ascent kicked off its autumn season a few weeks ago with multiple trips going multiple directions. In the Khumbu, Jangbu and Gaylgen, have recently successfully guided French couple, Marie Helene and Jean-Pierre Rougeron, on Lobuche East. Marie Helene is now on Ama Dablam aiming to summit on Oct 20. Australians Diane Westaway and Marty Beare have also topped out on Lobuche East and are resting up in Ama Dablam base camp. They too now have their sights in our favorite Khumbhu mountain, Ama Dablam.

Young Chirring (our ex Buddhist monk) is presently guiding the strong American duo of Jonathan Arendt and Stephen on Nirekha, after already successfully summitting Island Peak and Lobuche East. Meanwhile, Lakpa is trekking up with Brit Matt Farr and Australian Matt Eaton to Ama Dablam base camp. The trio will begin climbing Ama Dablam in the next few days.

Out in the Annapurna region, we’ve had a few groups pass through the Gandruk/Poon hill circuit to enjoy Gurung/Magar culture and stunning views of the Annapurna range including Annapurna I, Dhaulagiri and Machapuchre. Australian Daren Bracewell is about halfway through his trek to Annapurna base camp with our trekking guide Deepak. Further west and into remote Dolpo, Angkaji and Rabin are guiding Sweds, Erick Edstrom and Leif Christer Rehnberg, to climb Putha Hiunchuli (7246m).

After finally arriving in Kathmandu but missing a bag and after missing a flight, the pair were thrilled to actually land in Dolpo without experiencing further delays or loosing bags between Kathmandu-Nepalgunj-Juphal! They are currently on day 2 of the trek into Putha Hiunchuli base camp with good weather! Next week Sumit begins leading a group through a full circuit of the Khumbu (Very Best of Everest) including a summit of Lobuche East, Cho La pass, Gokyo lakes and Renjo La pass. You can never have too much fun in the mountains in Nepal!