Nanga Parbat, Manaslu and Everest in winter

Attempts at climbing some of the highest mountains in the world in winter are about to begin.

Nanga Parbat
The start of winter a few days ago was accompanied by the news that caught pretty much everyone by surprise: Pakistan’s Nanga Parbat will be attempted by Hervé Barmasse, David Göttler, Mike Arnold and Qudrat Ali. As if that didn’t suffice, the goal - announced so far only on twitter by the expedition agency and still awaiting confirmation - is the 8125m summit via the enormous south face, ie the infamous Rupal face. One of the biggest, most difficult and most mythical faces of all.

Barmasse and Göttler have already climbed together in the past, notably in 2017 when they climbed the south face of Shisha Pangma, turning around after a 13-hour blitz just 3 meters short of the summit due to the avalanche danger. This is the 43-year-old German’s second winter attempt at Nanga after his efforts in 2014, on the Rupal face up the Schell route, together with Simone Moro and supported by Emilio Previtali, when the mountain still hadn’t been climbed in winter before. The historic first winter ascent of the Killer Mountain was carried out in 2016 via the Kinshofer route on the Diamir face by Moro, Ali Sadpara and Alex Txikon, while Tamara Lunger turned around just below the summit.

Manaslu
Talking about Moro and Txikon. After last year’s attempt at Manaslu, the two mountaineers have now returned to the mountain’s base camp to try their luck on the Nepalese giant once again in the coldest season, this time with Pasang Rinzee Sherpa. This is Moro’s fourth attempt at climbing Manaslu in winter, Txikon’s second. While the Basque set up base camp, the Italian acclimatized by ascending Lobuche East (6119m) and Ama Dablam (6812m) with Pasang Rinzee Sherpa. It’s worth remembering that the 54-year-old from Bergamo holds the unbeatable record for the most winter first ascents of the 8000ers, namely Shisha Pangma (2005), Makalu (2009), Gasherbrum II (2011), and Nanga Parbat (2016).

Everest
If the aforementioned expeditions are accompanied by a huge question mark, that of Jost Kobusch is impossible to quantify. The German has announced that he wants to attempt not only the highest mountain in the world in winter, but also that he will try to do so without supplementary oxygen and on his own. Furthermore, he intends to do so not via the normal route, but up the West Ridge and then, once established on the north face, via the Hornbein Couloir. This has never been climbed before in winter. Kobusch had set the bar this high two years ago and in 2020 he reached, solo, an altitude of 7366m before being forced to turn around. According to the 29-year-old mountaineer, reaching the base of Couloir at circa 8000 meters would already be a success. Very much so.

Pakistani Quadrat Ali,
German Göttler, American Arnold and Italian Barmasse to attempt to climb Rupal Face of #NangaParbat (8,126m) this winter. #winterexpedition #tourderakaposhi @ETroguet @CarlosGarranzo @sajid_sadpara @ali_sadpara @AlexTxikon @KrisAnnapurna @GBPolice1422 pic.twitter.com/k7rCM4014p

— Tour De Rakaposhi (@TRakaposhi) December 21, 2021