Winter Climbs 2014: ExWeb Talks To Simone Moro About His Plans

As the winter climbing season inches closer, there is more and more intrigue surrounding the plans of Italian climber Simone Moro. As a veteran climber who has put up first winter ascents on three Himalayan peaks, it is not unusual for Moro to be planning a big climb during the coldest, harshest season of the year. But this year Simone is keeping his cards close to the vest, and has not yet revealed his plans. We do know however, that he does not intend to attempt Nanga Parbat or K2, the only two remaining 8000 meter peaks to be climbed in winter. Recently, ExWeb caught up with Moro, as he shared some thoughts on the expeditions that will be taking place beginning in just a few weeks.

In the interview, Simone talks about the re-emergence of winter expeditions on the big peaks, and the Polish squads returning to prominence in that area. ExWeb credits Moro for reinvigorating winter climbs, but as you would expect, Simone says that he is happy to see others join him on the big mountain quests. He also reminds the interviewer that while he isn't going to K2 or Nanga Parbat, he still has some big plans for the winter ahead.

One of Simone's favorite climbing partners is Denis Urubko, who will be focused on K2 this winter. When asked why Moro did not join his old friend, he reiterated the now often-shared story about his wife having a bad dream about him dying on K2. She asked him not to climb that mountain in the winter, and he agreed. So it would seem that if K2 is to be summited during the harshest season of all, it will be by someone other than Simone.

Other topics that are discussed in the interview include Moro's thoughts on competition in high altitude mountaineering, what approach he would take to climbing K2 in the winter, his ideal team size for winter expedition, and some of the logistical differences between climbing in the winter vs. the summer. He also shares some thoughts on avoiding frostbite at high altitude, the chances of future shutdowns like the one on Everest this past spring, and much more.

If you're interested in high altitude mountaineering, particularly in the winter, than this is a good interview from a man who is extremely experienced in both areas. Simone is one of the best mountaineers in the business, and it will be interesting to hear about his winter plans this season. He says those plans remain confidential, so for now we'll jus have to wait. I expect we'll hear something definitive in the next few weeks, and then we'll be following Moro's efforts throughout the expedition, no matter where it takes him.

More about → Winter Climbs 2014: ExWeb Talks To Simone Moro About His Plans

Winter Climbs 2014: And So It Begins...

The official start of the 2014-2015 winter climbing season is still a couple of weeks away, but teams heading to the big mountains are deep in preparation for their expeditions. Most will depart for Pakistan and China in mid-December, ahead of the official arrival of winter on December 21, but one climber has already started his acclimatization process, and isn't looking to waste any time.

According to a report on ExWeb, Polish climber Tomek Mackiewicz is already in Pakistan, and has been acclimatizing in the Rupal Valley ahead of his attempt on Nanga Parbat this winter. Tomek arrived there in November, giving himself several weeks to adjust to the altitude before heading to the Diamir Face of Nanga.

According to the report, Tomek arrived in Pakistan on November 12, and spent a week organizing his gear and handling administrative tasks in Rawalpindi before arriving in Lattabo on November 21. He has spent the time since then acclimatizing on Rupal and Laila Peak. Those two mountains, 5642 meters (18,510 ft) and 5971 meters (19,589 ft) respectively, will serve as a warm-up before the Polish climber joins his partners – Daniele Nardi and Elisabeth Revel – in Nanga Parbat Base Camp in a few weeks.

Meanwhile, Italian climber Simone Moro continues to press ahead with his plans for a winter climb, even though we don't know what he has in mind just yet. Simone tells Stefan Nestler that he is still waiting on his climbing permit before he announces what his objectives are. He intends to climb this winter, although he won't start until after the first of the year, which is later than usual for a big winter climb. We do know that the expedition will take place in China, as Simone has indicated that he's waiting for the Chinese to issue him the permit, but it is unclear if that his adventure will take him to China proper, or if it will take place in Tibet. Rumors suggested that he might try the North Face of Everest in winter, but officials have indicated that the mountain will be shut down from January 1 to March 31, so clearly that is not his objective.


A veteran of 12 winter climbing expeditions – including three first ascents – Moro is an expert on climbing big peaks in the coldest, harshest season of all. When asked why he isn't on Nanga Parbat or K2 this season, Simone says that his best climbing partners didn't want to accompany him to Nanga this year, and that he promised his wife that he would never climb K2 in the winter after she dreamt that he had perished on that mountain. So now, he prepares for this secret climb instead, and we all wait to see what exactly he has planned.

Moro goes on to say that winter climbing is "pure exploration," unlike any other expedition. He enjoys the fact that the mountain is empty, with no other teams climbing, and that the conditions are extremely challenging. It is a lonely time and place for mountaineers, unlike climbing those same peaks during the warmer months.

Other interesting elements in the interview include Simone's thoughts on how climbing will change on Everest in the wake of the avalanche that claimed 16 lives this past spring, how he has put the high-profile 2013 brawl with Sherpas behind him, and his work as a rescue helicopter pilot in the Himalaya. He also talks about his future in climbing, and at the age of 47, how many more years he has left on these daring expeditions into the Himalaya and Karakoram.

As usually, the interview is a good read, and definitely worth a look for those with an interest in mountaineering on this level.

While the winter climbing season is still a couple of weeks from truly starting, it seems we may have plenty of news to report leading up to it. Stay tuned for more updates.

More about → Winter Climbs 2014: And So It Begins...

Winter Mountaineering 2014: K2 and Nanga Parbat Take Center Stage

Earlier this week we turned out the light on the 2014 fall Himalayan climbing season by wrapping up the last couple of expeditions that were still ongoing. Now, there will be a bit of a respite on the big mountains, while most of the attention turns to the spring climbing season on Everest. But before that occurs, the winter climbing season awaits, and in just over a month's time, teams will begin heading to some of the most difficult peaks on the planet in an attempt to summit during the coldest, most demanding season of all.

As of now, there are just two 8000 meter peaks that remain unclimbed in winter, They are K2 and Nanga Parbat. This winter, teams have targeted both peaks in an attempt to knock off one, or both, of these incredibly difficult mountains.

While most of the winter climbing expeditions are heading to Nanga, the team that we'll be watching the closest will no doubt be on K2. As previously announced, a team consisting of climbing all-stars Denis Urubko, Adam Bielecki and Alex Txikon, who will be joined by Artiom Braun and Dmitry Siniew, has set its sights on a new route on the toughest mountain on the planet. The team will climb from the Chinese side of K2, up the North Face, along the Northeast Ridge. According to ExWeb, the squad will depart for the Karakoram on December 16.


Of course, this team has a great deal of experience climbing during the winter. Urubko was part of the team that put up the first winter ascent of Gasherbrum II a few years back, and Bielecki has two first ascents during the season under his belt as well – Gasherbrum I and Broad Peak. They'll need all of that skill, experience, and determination if they hope to reach the summit of K2 in a few months.

Meanwhile, ExWeb is also offering solid details on the plans for Nanga Parbat as well. They claim that Tomek Mackiewicz, Daniele Nardi, Elisabeth Revol and Roberto Delle Monache will all share Base Camp on that mountain, although beyond that point Tomek intends to make a solo summit bid. That will be a bold expedition to follow as well, as he attempts to go up the Mummery Rib. The group is expected to depart for Pakistan on December 20.

According to Russian Climb, Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval are also attempting Nanga this winter. They are planning on setting off for Pakistan on December 22 for their own winter 8000-meter expedition.

Finally, Simone Moro is up to something in the Himalaya this winter, but we're not sure exactly what yet. He has promised his wife he would not attempt K2, so he won't join his friend Denis Urubko on that expedition, and he has also ruled out Nanga Parbat. Apparently, the expedition is still coming together, and he isn't quite ready to reveal plans just yet. Hopefully we'll hear more about what he has in store in the days ahead. As usual with Simone, he generally has some big idea. Perhaps he'll bring his friend Ueli Steck along for the ride as well.

That's all for now. These expeditions will begin to take center stage in about a month, but until then, the mountaineering world will be a bit quiet. It is certainly shaping up to be an interesting winter in the big mountains though. Stay tuned for updates.

More about → Winter Mountaineering 2014: K2 and Nanga Parbat Take Center Stage

Outside TV Shares Video From the 2013 Brawl on Everest

One of the biggest stories in mountaineering over the past few years has been the brawl that ensued in 2013 when a team of European climbers got into a heated exchange with Sherpas that were fixing ropes above Camp 2 on the South Side. The fact that the European team included high-profile climbers Ueli Steck and Simone Moro, as well as Jonathan Griffith, only served to make the story a bigger one. Now, Outside Television has released exclusive video from the incident, giving us a glimpse of just how scary the scene on Everest actually was.

The clip, which you'll find below, includes some of the principle people that witnessed the clash, including Ueli, Simone, and Melissa Arnot, who found herself in the middle of the conflict. Each shares their thoughts on what transpired that day, while actual video from the fight rolls. The reactions that we see remain disturbing even now, a year and a half after they transpired. It is still surprising that no one got seriously hurt, but this is a reminder of just how delicate the relationship between commercial climbers and the Sherpa teams can be.

More about → Outside TV Shares Video From the 2013 Brawl on Everest

Simone Moro and Ueli Steck Returning to Everest?

In 2013, Simone Moro and Ueli Steck were involved in one of the more high profile mountaineering incidences in recent memory when they got into a fight with Sherpas on Everest. Words were exchanged high on the slopes, and egos from both parties got in the way, leading to an escalation of the situation beyond what anyone had anticipated. The conflict turned dangerous, and if it wasn't for the intervention of a few other western climbers, who knows what would have happened. As a result of the highly-publicized argument, both Simone and Ueli were turned off to the climbing scene in the Himalaya, and even indicated that they might not return. Ueli has since gone back to make his amazing solo-summit of Annapurna last fall, and now there are some indications that the two men could team up once again for an attempt on Everest.

In a recent interview, Simone has outlined some of his plans for the future, which include several ambitious projects, including a potential return to Everest. He says that he would like to go back to Nanga Parbat to make another attempt at a winter ascent, but he is still searching for the right partner. Previous teammates David Göttler and Denis Urubko are unable to join him this year as David is resting after a busy climbing schedule, and Denis has concerns regarding security on the mountain. But if he can find the right person, Moro would like to go back to Pakistan once again.

Regarding a winter attempt on K2, Simone says that he will not attempt that climb. His says that his wife had a dream in which she saw him die on K2, and because of that dream, he has made a promise to not attempt that mountain in winter. Nanga Parbat and K2 remain the only two 8000-meter peaks unclimbed during that season.

As for his plans with Ueli, Simone says that the two climbers are planning on pairing up to make an attempt on Everest and Lhotse, making a back-to-back summit of the two mountains. He says that they are committed to going back, despite the harsh statements that were made in the wake of the fight with the Sherpas. Moreover, the Nepali government has recognized that there were extenuating circumstances that disrupted their expedition last year, and has extended their permit, allowing them to return to try again.

According to the story linked to above, they will not be going back this fall, as there is too much snow on the mountain following the monsoon. Instead, they are likely to wait until spring, and then make their return to Everest – something I think we'd all like to see happen.

More about → Simone Moro and Ueli Steck Returning to Everest?