Winter Climbs 2014: Summit Push Round 2 On Nanga Parbat

The weather continues to be dicey on Nanga Parbat, where the teams have been in Base Camp for most of the week, waiting for a shift in conditions. It seems there may be an opportunity to make a summit bid coming this weekend, so with that in mind, two of the squads are on the move ahead of a potential weather window. If that window opens, we could see the first winter ascents of Nanga on Saturday.

The Polish Justice For All team has sent Tomek Mackiewicz and Pawel Dunaj up the mountain and after safely reaching Camp 1 yesterday, they are now halfway between C1 and C2 today. The same duo were part of the summit push last week, but were turned back due to high winds and extremely cold temperatures. They report that the summit is still shrouded in clouds, but elsewhere around the mountain it is calm. On Saturday, winds on the summit are expected to drop to 30 km/h (18 mph), which is about as quiet as Nanga will get in the winter.

Meanwhile, the North Face team is also on the move and looking to take advantage of this potential weather window. Simone Moro and David Göttler also reached Camp 1 yesterday and are with the Poles at their intermediate camp today. Their reports indicate it took them just 2.5 hours to move from BC to C1, which is a sign that conditions are far better than they were last week and the boys are more acclimatized as well. That bodes well as they continue their push upwards over the next few days, although it should be noted that no one has been above 7100 meters (23,293 ft) yet, so there could be difficult conditions above that point that have yet to be discovered.

Jumping over to the Diamir Face, Italian climber Daniele Nardi is close to wrapping up his acclimatization work on Genalo Peak. If the weather holds out for him, he should complete that process in the next day or two, then return to Base Camp before launching his alpine style summit attempt when the weather permits.

The forecasts indicate that this new weather window will be a narrow one. It will probably only last for two days tops, which is why the climbers are moving into position now. They'll have to make a dash for the summit and get back down as quickly as possible, or risk getting caught in poor conditions on the more exposed portions of the climb. I suspect that if there is a chance at reaching the summit, the Poles and the North Face team will work together on that final go. For now, we'll just have to wait to see what happens. Keep your fingers crossed that these men get back down safely, summit or no.

Video: An Expedition to Nanga Parbat with Simone Moro and David Göttler

In the winter of 2014, alpinists Simone Moro and David Göttler traveled to Pakistan to attempt the first ascent of Nanga Parbat in the winter. They failed in completing that objective, which is why we are closely following the teams that are on that mountain once again this year. To give you a better idea of what an expedition of this kind is like, check out the video below. It follows Simone and David throughout the course of their journey, giving us a glimpse of the conditions that climbers face on this incredibly difficult peak. After watching it, you'll understand why Nanga and K2 remain the only 8000 meters peaks that have yet to be climbed in winter.

Winter Climbs 2014: Daniele Nardi In Nanga Base Camp

As expected, the weather has taken a turn for the worse on Nanga Parbat, at least on the Rupal Face. And while teams on that side of the mountain seek shelter back in Base Camp, Italian Daniele Nardi has begun the all important acclimatization process as he starts his solo, alpine style ascent along the Diamir Route.

Nardi arrived in BC on Tuesday and  immediately went to work constructing his campsite, which he is sharing with a few porters and support staff. He indicates that the weather on his side of the mountain is good, although there is lots of snow on the ground. All of that powder made it a challenge just to get to Base Camp, but it seems conditions are good at that point.

Yesterday he donned a pair of skis and began traveling up the mountain. It was just an up-and-back to test his legs and lungs while scouting the route ahead. There is heavy snow on the upper slopes as well, but Nardi is prepared for those conditions. It is winter after all. With his first acclimatization hike out of the way, he will likely go back up today. The weather forecast indicates that high winds and more snow is in the forecast for the next few days, so he'll likely be back in BC and getting comfortable there through the weekend.


Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, the North Face team of Simone Moro, David Göttler and Emilio Previtali are all back in Base Camp following an acclimatization rotation that took Simone and David up to Camp 3, located at 6800 meters (22,309 ft). They fixed ropes nearly to the Mazeno Ridge, and now that milestone location is within easy reach over the next few days, provided the weather cooperates.

Simone indicates that the route is very ice this year, making for a more difficult and technical climb than they have seen in the past. There are sections of the mountain that are vary treacherous, particularly when the winds increase, as they are expected to do this weekend.

For there part, the Polish Justice For All team is pressing ahead with their plan of attack too, which could include an attempt on the summit early next week. They have built an intermediate camp between C2 and C3, where they can rest while working their way through the more technical sections of the climb.

The Poles intend to push up to 7000 meters (22,965 ft) and dig a snow cave to help shelter than from the high winds that are expected to hit on Sunday. The forecast says those winds could exceed 100 km/h (62 mph) but once the storm passes, there is a period of relative calm in the days ahead. The Polish team would like to be in position to make a summit push right after the winds subside, so if possible, they intend to bivouac in the snow cave, then make an immediate summit push right after. Whether or not they'll be able to pull that off remains to be seen.

The stage is now set on Nanga Parbat. All of the climbers are now on the mountain and there are possible summit attempts to come next week. But this mountain won't be tamed easily, and the weather remains a wild card as always. We'll just have to wait and watch to see if the first winter ascent will come this season.

Winter Climbs 2016: Two Teams Join Forces on Nanga Parbat

The teams climbing on Nanga Parbat have made solid progress since we last checked in. They've all had opportunities to work their respective routes, and everyone is acclimatizing as expected. There is still a long way to go before they launch any perspective summit bids, but with a period of good weather on the mountain, things are progressing about as well as can be expected at this point of the season.

The Polish Justice for All team is working the Rupal route. They're currently above 6200 meters (20,341 ft) and are fixing ropes towards Camp 3. So far, they've been making steady progress, although it hasn't been as fast as they'd like. Still, the team is slowly, and methodically, working its way up the mountain, acclimatizing as they go, and installing camps where they'll need them for any potential summit pushes down the line.

One interesting note however is that this squad originally had several Pakistani members as well, but according to ExWeb, they left the team a few weeks back. It is unclear why the local climbers decided to depart, but there seems to have been some dispute over the best way to climb the moutanin together.


Elsewhere, two of the teams on the Kinshofer Route have decided to join forces. One squad was originally made up of Alex Txikon, Daniele Nardi, and Ali Sadpara, while the other included the duo of Adam Bielecki and Jacek Czech. Each of these climbers is extremely strong and experienced, but it was in their best interest to work together to try to make the first ascent of Nanga Parbat in the winter. They have managed to fix rope to 5700 meters (18,700 ft), with another 3000 meters of rope shuttled to various points on the mountain. That should be more than enough to get them to the top, although there is lots of hard work to be done getting all of it into position.

With these two squads now working together, the rope fixing should go more quickly and efficiently. And since there are so many strong climbers on the team, the chances of success for all of them has increased all around.

ExWeb is reporting that Tomek Mackiewicz and Elisabeth Revol have now reached Camp 3 at approximately 6600 meters (21,653 ft), and were expecting to go above 7000 meters (22,956 ft) later today. That will put them in good position for a potential summit push, although they'll likely retreat to BC to rest up before that will ever happen. The two climbers were reportedly sharing camps with Simone Moro and Tamara Lunger as well, although the Italian climbers have not posted an update on their progress since last week.

All in all, it has been a good start to the winter climbing season on Nanga. It is still too early to know if anyone will be successful in their attempt o climb the mountain however, as the winter weather conditions can shift quickly, with heavy snows, high winds, and extreme temperatures gripping the region for days. Still, the teams remain optimistic that they can finally climb this beast during the harshest season of the year. We'll just have to wait to see if they get the chance.

Winter Climbs 2016: Nanga Parbat Teams Prep For Blizzard

What a difference a week can make. Last week at this time, several teams on Nanga Parbat were working to put themselves in a position to make a summit push. A weather window had opened on the mountain, and a couple of the teams were hoping that they could take advantage of the situation to complete the first ascent of that mountain. Now, just a few days later, the climbers who remain are back in Base Camp and waiting out a massive storm that promises to drop heavy snows and high winds on their positions.

In preparation for the arrival of the storm, Alex Txikon and Ali Sadpara went out in the bad weather to place bamboo poles along their route from BC to the moraine that leads up the slope. They are predicting that heavy snow will fall in that area in particular, and the poles will help them find their way once the storm clears, avoiding potential hazards that include some large crevasses. The duo, working in conjunction with Daniele Nardi, have fixed their ropes up to 6700 meters (21,981 ft), and have fully acclimatized, so now they are simply waiting for the weather to clear up before launching a summit bid of their own. When that could happen is anyone's guess at this point however, as the weather looks bleak for the next few days at the least.

Meanwhile, ExWeb is reporting that Simone Moro and Tamara Lunger may be changing up their plans. The two climbers have been on the mountain for a month now, and have managed to establish C2, but have struggled to get any higher on their chosen route. In order to acclimatize before a summit push, they need to establish more camps and spend some time at altitude. According to reports, Moro and Lunger have retrieved the gear that they had cached on the mountain, and are now rethinking their strategy. They are not prepared to go home just yet, but are possibly exploring other routes. Considering they are sharing BC with Alex, Ali, and Daniele, perhaps the five climbers will join forces and work together. (Update: that appears to be exactly what they'll be doing!)


Over on the Rupal Face, the Polish Justice For All team is back in Base Camp and taking a breather. They've managed to climb as high as 7500 meters (24,606 ft), but it is now unclear what their plans are. At one point, the team had said that it was prepared to stay through the entire winter, but ExWeb says that they could be planning to pullout and head for home – and Stefan Nestler agrees – as some of the members of the team are running low on time. The squad hasn't said this is the case just yet however, so we'll have to wait to see if they are indeed wrapping things up.

There is apparently a late newcomer to the mountain however, as reports indicate that American climber – by way of Brazil – Cleo Weidlich has arrived on Nanga Parbat with a support team. She's looking to have a go at the first winter ascent too, although starting this late in the season seems like quite a risk. She is in BC on the Rupal Face, and will begin her acclimatization efforts once the weather clears as well.

That's it for now, but I'll have more news from the mountain when there is anything to report.

Winter Climbs 2014: Weather Thwarts Summit Attempt On Nanga Parbat

The summit of Nanga Parbat continues to be an elusive target. A slight weather window opened on the mountain this past weekend, giving teams there a chance to make their push. But that window slammed shut quickly and all the climbers are now back in Base Camp. The week ahead doesn't look all that much better, so once again they play the waiting the game.

The Polish Justice For All team launched the summit bids last Thursday, hoping to make a dash up to the top if conditions cooperated. Tomek Mackiewicz and Pawel Dunaj were the two men who started the attempt, but by Friday, Dunaj was on his way back down due to the extreme temepratures. Mackiewicz pushed higher in an attempt to reach the snow cave they had dug at Camp 2, but by Saturday, he was in retreat as well.

Not far behind them were Simone Moro and David Göttler of the North Face Team. They began their summit push on Friday, hoping that the worst of the weather would have passed before as they went higher. They managed to reach 5700 meters (18,700 ft) before they decided discretion was the better part of valor and turned back as well. The temperatures were bitterly cold and the winds were far too dangerous to proceed further up.

These two teams are climbing on the Rupal Face, where the weather forecast says it will be very challenging for the rest of this week. High winds are expected on the summit, perhaps approaching 100 km/h (62 mph), which will make temperatures impossible to bear. That means that all these two teams can do at the moment is rest, wait, and hope for a chance to go higher. There are still five weeks of winter left for one of these squads to complete the first ascent of Nanga during that season, but the Poles have already had to extend their climbing permit once, so it is unclear if they can or will get a second extension. When the weather is that bad, the days disappear rather quickly, and while a true summit push is never a guarantee at any time of the year, that is especially true during the winter.


Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, Daniele Nardi is continuing his planned solo, alpine style summit attempt. He continues to make acclimatization hikes to let his body get use to the altitude, but unlike his friends on the Rupal Face, Daniele says that the Diamir is quiet and has little wind at the moment. Temperatures still quite frigid however, as he had hoped to go up to 5000 meters (16,404 ft), but his feet were so cold that he could do little to warm them. The Italian says that the weather is a bit confounding. The skies are often clear, and there hasn't been as much snow as he expected, but temperatures remain brutally cold. Ultimately, that could mean that it will be impossible to go to the summit, simply because it will just be too cold. He'll have to wait to see how things progress. As a late comer to the mountain, Daniele's climbing permit should be adequate to get him through what remains of the season.

Stay tuned for more updates soon. It seems there won't be much to report for a few days as these teams wait for more opportunities to come.

Winter Climbs 2014: Patience and Perseverence On Nanga Parbat

As is always the case with a big winter climb, the teams on Nanga Parbat have had to use patience and perseverance so far. The weather dictates when they can move and when they must take shelter, and while conditions were good early on, they have fluctuated wildly since then. At the moment, the weather is good by winter standards, but things are expected to change over the next few days, forcing the climbers to return to Base Camp and wait for another window.

The Polish Justice for All team has reported in for the first time in awhile. They indicate that things are good there, but overcast skies have made it difficult to use their solar panels for recharging the batteries on their various devices, including their laptops. While they've been under a media blackout, they have continued to work the route however, and have now cached their gear at 5800 meters (19,028 ft). As part of the acclimatization rotations, several of the team members have even been has high as 6400 meters (20,997 ft) as they get use to the altitude. The Poles also indicate that they have been doing most of the rope fixing so far, with just a little help from the smaller, but very experienced, North Face team, who put in 200 meters of line along a very crucial section leading up to the 6400 meter mark.

The team now has Camp 2 established and is shuttling more gear to that point. They hope to have C3 built soon as well, and were hoping to climb up to 7000 meters (22,965 ft), but weather conditions have turned them back for now.  Steady snowfall in recent days, with more in the forecast, means that they'll have to be more careful as they go up.


Meanwhile, the North Face team hasn't posted a status update in more than a week, which followed Simone Moro and David Göttler acclimatization rotation to C2. ExWeb is reporting that they went back up the mountain on Sunday and are back in C2 today. Tomorrow, they will attempt to reach Camp 3, weather permitting. If that happens, they'll try to cache gear and supplies there and may even spend the night, provided the weather window remains open long enough.

Finally, ExWeb is also saying that Italian solo climber Daniele Nardi is still en route to Nanga, but should arrive in BC on the Diamir face tomorrow. He is being escorted to that point by armed guards i an effort to ensure safety for foreign visitors following the massacre that took place in Base Camp last summer. Once he has established his camp, and acclimatized some, he'll make an alpine style ascent of he mountain.

Remember, each of these teams is attempting to make history. Nanga Parbat is one of two 8000 meter peaks that has yet to be climbed in the winter, the other being K2. Conditions on the mountain have been good so far, but with a little less than two months to go in winter, the worst weather is probably yet to come. Still, if things remain consistent, one or all of these teams has a shot at reaching the summit.

Stay tuned for more updates soon.

Winter Climbs 2016: Teams Go To Work on Nanga Parbat

It has been a couple of weeks since we posted any updates from Pakistan, where at least five teams are now preparing to attempt the first ascent of Nanga Parbat in winter. As I'm sure most of you know, Nanga is one of just two 8000-meter peaks that have yet to be climbed during the very difficult winter season. The other major peak that holds that distinction is K2, which will have no visitors this winter at all. But over the past few years, there has been progress made on Nanga Parbat, and this year just might be the one that sees a successful summit at long last.

The first team on the mountain this year was the Polish Justice For All squad. They actually arrived in the region as far back as the middle of November, and have been busy acclimatizing ahead of the start of the winter season. Once the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere passed on December 21, they immediately went to work and have been busy fixing ropes and establishing camps ever since. They have now reached an altitude of about 5500 meters (18,044 ft) and have been shuttling gear up to their intermediate camps before heading higher on the Schell Route.

Elsewhere, Adam Bielecki and Jacek Czech have arrived in Base Camp on Nanga Parbat after spending several weeks acclimatizing in the Andes in South America. Adam says that the snow is already quite heavy on the mountain, but the pair have managed to establish Camp 1 at 4900 meters (16,076 ft). They have since returned to Base Camp where they are catching their breath, warming up, and planning the next move.


The international team led by Alex Txikon, and consisting of Daniele Nardi and Ali Sadpara arrived on the mountain a few days back and have already gone to work too. They've already taken 70 kilograms (154 lbs) up to C1, which is located at 4850 meters (15,912 ft) using snowshoes and sleds to aid in the process. So far, the team reports that the weather has been good, but that is expected to change in the next few days, when heavy snow is in the forecast.

Italian climbers Simone Moro and Tamara Lunger reached Nanga Parbat on December 27, and have joined forces with Elisabeth Revol and Tomek Mackiewicz, who spent a considerable amount of time on the mountain last winter. They have been acclimatizing over the past few days, and most likely have established their first camp as well. As part of the process, the group has now gone as high as 6000 meters (19,685 ft) and spent a couple of nights above 5500 meters (18,044 ft) as well. They're now back in BC resting, and sorting through some logistical issues, including the fact that the porters are now requesting 5 times the price that they agreed upon to shuttle gear up to BC. Such are the challenges of an expedition to Pakistan.

For the most part, the winter climbing season is only now just getting underway. Some of these teams are prepared to stay on Nanga Parbat throughout the entire winter if necessary, although weather conditions will dictate any chances they have of actually reaching the top. For now, they are all being patient, taking their time, and watching the forecasts closely. We'll be watching their progress just as closely in the days to come. This could be the winter season in which history is made.

Winter Climbs 2016: Summit Bid Denied, Another Team Departs Nanga Parbat

Heading into this past weekend we were keeping a close eye on the proceedings on Nanga Parbat, where the first summit bid of the winter was underway. Climbers Elisabeth Revol and Tomek Mackiewicz were on a light and fast attempt to become the first team to complete a winter ascent of that mountain, and when we last checked in they were at 7400 meters (24,278 ft). But as we all know, nothing is certain on an 8000 meter peak, and according to ExWeb the duo turned back and are now preparing to leave the mountain altogether.

According to reports, Elisabeth and Tomek never climbed any higher than the 7400-7500 meter mark that we tracked them at last Friday. At that point, they determined that while the weather conditions were stable, the temperatures were simply too cold to push any higher. So, they decided that the best course of action was to spend the night at 7200 meters (23,622 ft) and then descend back to Base Camp the following day.

Once they arrived back in BC on Saturday, they shared the news that they would be leaving the mountain. The duo are now short on time and resources, and were expecting to return to Chilas – a nearby village – yesterday or today. From there, they'll begin the trek out and start the long journey home. For Tomek, this is the end of his sixth winter attempt on Nanga, and it was the third for Elisabeth.

Meanwhile, the trio of Alex Txikon, Daniele Nardi, and Ali Sadpara have pressed forward with their efforts. Over the weekend they completed fixing ropes up to Camp 3, which located at 6700 meters (21,981 ft). They also cached some gear and supplies there before returning to C2 for an overnight stay and dropping back down to BC the following day. They now have their route in place and are ready for a summit bid of their own, but they are waiting for a good weather window to make the attempt.


In his most recent update, Alex says that if conditions remain the same they won't need to fix any ropes above C3. The three men now believe they have completed the most complex and challenging section of the climb, and simply have to wait for good weather to have a go at the top. Currently the conditions include high winds and cold temperatures, which is keeping them in BC. They are hoping that only a minimal amount of snowfall will hit the mountain before they get the chance to launch a summit bid however, as more snow would cause them to have to reopen certain sections of the route, potentially burning important resources and energy.

Simone Moro and Tamara Lunger are reportedly still in BC after they went up the mountain last week. The last update we had on their progress indicated that they had descended and were planning on resting for a few days and watching the weather. It is unclear whether or not they are now ready for a summit push too, but it would seem that they should be close at this point. Again, it will be the weather that determines when they can go back up.

Finally, the Polish Justice For All team has now reached 7500 meters (24,606 ft) and have set up Camp 4 at that point on the mountain. They're all back in Base Camp at the moment awaiting a weather window of their own. They are prepared to stay on the mountain as long as possible, so patience is the key to success for this team.

If you'd like to catch a glimpse of what it was like for them on the hill, check out the video below. It was shot on their most recent slog up the mountain, and has some scenes that give us an indication of what it like there. In a word – cold!


Nanga Dream 15/16 Justice for All! from Michał Obrycki on Vimeo.

Winter Climbs 2014: Big Update From Polish Team

The winter climbing season on Nanga Parbat is proceeding at a good pace at the moment. The weather has finally improved and heading into the weekend, it appears that the teams should have an opportunity to acclimatize higher on the mountain. With just over two months to go in the winter season, the expeditions to the mountain have gone about as well as could be expected so far. Patience is the key to a winter climb on an 8000 meter peak, as the weather will truly determine if and when the climbers can proceed.

On Tuesday, the Polish Justice For All squad posted their first update in more than two weeks. It began with a nice message about the reality of travel in Pakistan, where many westerners have been led to believe that the people are hostile and unfriendly. That couldn't be further from the truth and the Poles have had nothing but warm encounters with the Pakistani people. After 50 days in country, they report that they feel safe, welcome and lots of friendly feelings from everyone that they have met along the way. Far from what they had expected based on how the media portrays the country.

The rest of the report has given us a break down of what the team has been up to over the past couple of weeks, which essentially has been acclimatizing and shuttling gear up the mountain when the weather has permitted it. So far, they've been stashing equipment in Camp 1, and have gone a little higher, which has put them at approximately 5400 meters (17,716 ft).


The update also discusses the departure of Marek Klonowski, who is traveling home to be with his partner Ida as they prepare for the arrival of their baby in a few weeks. The team will obviously miss Marek, as he is described as being one of the main engines driving the expedition forward. His leadership means a lot to the group, who will never the less continue on without him. Marek has had four previous attempts on Nanga Parbat in the winter, and that kind of experience is hard to replace.

Also leaving Base Camp soon is Michal Dzikowski, who was on the expedition in a support role, helping the team carry gear. His allotted holiday time is just about up and he needs to return home to his job and normal life. His departure will drop the team down to four members, which will make it challenging moving forward, even though they knew he wouldn't be there for the entire climb.

Fortunately, the Poles have a great relationship with the team they are sharing BC with. The North Face squad of Simone Moro, David Göttler and Emilio Previtali. The two groups have been sharing information about the weather and the route, and while they haven't been coordinating their climbs directly just yet, I don't think it would be a surprise if they joined forces for an eventual summit push.

Simone and David moved up the mountain last week, shuttling gear to C1 at 5600 meters (18,723 ft) and spending some time at altitude to acclimatize. They were warned by their meteorologist to be back in BC by Tuesday of this week, so they descended early to avoid bad weather. When they arrived back in Base Camp, the skies were clear and the weather was great, so they thought they may have made a mistake by descending. Later that evening, the skies clouded over and the snow began to fall, so they were glad for such accurate weather predictions.

Since then, the conditions have been dicey, but the forecast says things should begin to improve tomorrow. If that proves true, they're prepared to head up the mountain and probably begin taking supplies to C2. They could possibly spend a few nights at that location this weekend, working in any chance to acclimatize that they can.

Finally, Daniele Nardi is expected to arrive on the mountain next week. He'll be climbing the Diamir Route solo and in alpine style. Hopefully, we'll get some updates on his progress once he gets settled in and starts his expedition.

Stay tuned for updates as we get them.