Himalaya wrap-up: Who said over? Summit push on Shisha Pangma

Nepal 8000ers are virtually deserted. The only remaining expedition on Makalu (Brits attempting the SE ridge) is calling it quits as well. A bunch of German climbers and skiers are grabbing a last-minute summit chance on Tibetan Shisha Pangma though.

Shisha Pangma

Alone in a snow-packed north side ABC and short of gear after a storm damaged their high camps (and thwarted a previous summit attempt), the German ski expedition launched a second summit push on Monday, hoping to top-out today or tomorrow.

Makalu

It’s over for the British Forces team, whose members have finally retreated from the rarely climbed SE ridge.

After weeks of struggle, the Brits have run out of time without a break in weather. “In the end the weather had put paid to our ambitions, high winds following on from heavy snows made our particular route pretty much un-climbable, any attempt at the final section would have put the climbers at extreme risk, mainly due to the requirement for a high level bivouac up near 8000 metres” Dick gale reported right before heading down the valley.

“The three members of the French expedition who summited Makalu from the normal route on May23rd were: Sandrine De Choudens (4x8000ers), Alexia Zuberer (2x8000ers), and Philippe Bourgine,” Rodrigo Granzotto pointed out. “The other climbers (Mickael Gamby, Christophe Gotti and Sylvie Ferragu) turned back from 8000 meters”.

“I Summited at 3 o’clock on the 24th of May,” Marty Schmidt confirmed over sat-phone from ABC to some friends. “An incredible route to the summit of Makalu, there’s not one easy way up… I went solo to the top… and back down safely.” Marty’s wife Giannina was waiting for him in BC.