Korean woman becomes first to climb all 8000 meter peaks

by Kraig Becker on

44 year-old Korean climber Oh Eun-Sun put her name in the record books last week, and joined very elite mountaineering company in the process. On Tuesday, she reached the summit of Annapurna, the 10th highest mountain in the world at 26,545 feet, and in doing so, became the first woman to climb all fourteen of the worlds mountains over 8000 meters (26,246 feet) in height.

For Oh, who climbed with a South Korean television crew in tow, the summit was the culmination of more than a decade of preparation, training, and climbing. In her home country, she was already a celebrity, and millions watched live on television as she made those final steps to the top of the mountain. Having completed her task, she is now likely to be one of the most famous athletes in South Korea.

Located in Nepal, Annapurna is widely considered to be one of the toughest, if not the toughest, of the 8000 meter peaks to climb. While shorter in stature than its more famous cousin, Mt. Everest, it is far more technical to climb. Additionally, the mountain is notorious for its poor weather and avalanches are common on the steep upper slopes. Oh herself failed to summit Annapurna last fall, prompting a return trip this spring to give it another go.

Oh Eun-Sun’s claim to being the first woman to summit the world’s highest peaks is not without controversy however. Spanish climber Edurne Pasaban has called into question Oh’s summit of Kangchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world at 28,169 feet. Pasaban cites a lack of photo evidence and interviews with Sherpas who say that the Korean climber didn’t reach the summit on that mountain. Pasaban has been in pursuit of the 8000 meters peaks herself, and is likely to summit her final mountain, the 26,289 foot Shisha Pangma, located in Tibet, this week.

Some thoughts on travel in Ethiopia

by Sean McLachlan on

One evening I was walking near my home in Madrid and in front of me there was a group of people discussing where they should go to dinner. They were just passing Mesob, the only Ethiopian restaurant in Madrid. One of them said, “Look, Ethiopian food!” and they all started laughing. Several stupid comments about empty plates and starving children followed. Needless to say they didn’t go in, and didn’t learn about Ethiopia’s flavorful and varied cuisine, or the relaxing Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Ignorance is self-perpetuating.

Ethiopia has an image problem. We all have those horrible pictures of war and famine burned into our minds, but as our series on Ethiopia has shown, Ethiopia is a safe and welcoming place to travel. Tour operators such as Abey Roads say tourism is picking up, and considering how much the country has to offer, it’s amazing it isn’t a major destination. Ethiopia has something for pretty much everyone:

Hikers and rock climbers: The rugged Semien Mountains are fast becoming a destination for serious trekking. The more verdant Bale Mountains also offer good hiking opportunities. Rock climbers are beginning to make a foothold in the country, and with many untouched routes there’s plenty of opportunity to be the first on some challenging climbs.

History buffs: Grandiose castles, towering monoliths, and medieval cities help you delve into the past.

Adventure travelers and package tourists: You can rough it on public transportation or fly in comfort from site to site. You can camp or stay in five-star hotels. With facilities for all sorts of traveler, your level of comfort is dictated only by your inclination and the thickness of your wallet.

Budget travelers: Ethiopia is cheap. Even the airfare isn’t bad. I flew Egyptair from Madrid to Addis Ababa for 550 euros ($728) and it’s easy to travel in relative comfort on $20 a day.Students of religion: Ethiopia is the second oldest Christian nation in the world, and has large number of followers of Islam and traditional African religions. For the most part these different faiths get along, despite an embarrassing and atypical religious flame war on this very site. Angry people always make the most noise, but the vast majority of Ethiopians are easygoing and tolerant.

Nature lovers: The southern part of the country offers many safari opportunities with a chance to see rare black-maned lions, elephants, baboons, and much more. If you really want to get up close and personal, go to Harar and feed the hyenas.

Birdwatchers: An estimated 850 species, including scores of endemics, plus bird-themed tours makes this a great destination for the adventurous birder.

Friendly folks of any description: The best aspect of any trip is the people you meet. Ethiopians are open and friendly, and hopefully they’ll stay that way as tourism increases. Communication can be a problem in the more rural areas, but in cities and towns there’s always someone who speaks English or another European language, and everyone is happy to teach you their own language.

With all this, Ethiopia could and probably will be a major destination in ten years. The worst part of their history is behind them and Ethiopians are busy taking their nation to the next level. Now is an exciting time to see it, if only more people knew. Hopefully the government will invest in a campaign to get the nation’s public image out of the 1980s and into the present day.

This is the last installment of our series on travel in Ethiopia. Hope you enjoyed it!

Coming up next: a series on Somaliland, the other Somalia.

Outdoor Research invites you to climb a northwest icon

by Kraig Becker on

Outdoor Research, manufacturer of a full line of great outdoor gear, is giving adventurers the chance of a lifetime with their Climb A Northwest Icon sweepstakes. The contest will send one lucky winner to Washington state, where they’ll have the opportunity to climb Mt. Rainier, led by one of the best mountain guide services in the business.

To enter the contest simply click here and fill out the online entry form any time between now and September 30th. Later this fall, the winner will be announced, and sent off on a 3-4 day guided climb of Rainier, led by International Mountain Guides, a company that has experience on peaks from the Himalaya to the Andes and beyond. The contest includes round trip airfare to Seattle, and $1500 worth of gear from Outdoor Research as well. The prizes don’t end there however. Two second place winners will each receive a Mithril Jacket courtesy of OR, while five third place winners will each get a pair of Outdoor Research Arete Gloves. The contest is is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only.

Standing 14,411 feet in height, Rainier is the tallest mountain in Washington, and one of the top climbs in all of North America. To reach the summit, climbers will have to cross a massive glacier, the largest in the contiguous United States, and ascend a vertical prominence that is taller than the legendary K2. Depending on their experience, and the weather conditions, most people will reach the summit in three days, where they are treated to an outstanding view of the landscapes around them, including two massive craters that are remnants of the mountain’s volcanic past.

On a personal note, I have a number of gear items from Outdoor Research, and after months of use, they continue to impress me. They may not be as well known as some of the other, larger, gear manufacturers, but they do produce high quality gear for all kinds of activities. I highly recommend them for your next outdoor adventure.

13-year old eyes Everest, Seven Summits

by Kraig Becker on

13-year old mountaineer Jordan Romero set off for Kathmandu yesterday, where he hopes to not only become the youngest climber to ever summit Mt. Everest but the Seven Summits as well.

We first mentioned Jordan more than a year ago. At the time, he had already well into his quest to climb the highest mountains on each of the seven continents, having completed Kilimanjaro (Africa), Elbrus (Europe), Aconcagua (South America), Denali (North America), and Kosciuszko (Australia). He has since added Carstensz Pyramid in Papua New Guinea, considered the highest peak in Oceania to his resume. That leaves just Everest and Mt. Vinson in Antarctica. left to conquer. If successful on Everest, he’ll go for Vinson in the fall.

Jordan and his team, which includes his father, will be climbing from the North Side of Everest, located in Tibet. The South Side falls under the jurisdiction of Nepal, who enforce an age requirement of 16 years or older on all climbers, but the Chinese have no such restrictions on their side of the mountain, which is why Jordan and company have elected to take on the mountain from the North. Curiously, the team is also making the climb with out the support of guides.

A few days back, we had a little fun here at Gadling with a host of April Fool’s Day travel posts. My contribution to those posts was written in the spirit of good fun of course, but was also meant as a bit of social commentary. While I completely respect what Jordan has accomplished as a climber already, I’m not a huge fan of the recent trend to have younger and younger kids attempting dangerous things in order to claim some dubious “youngest” record. Climbing Everest will be unlike any of the other mountains that he has summitted, and spending time above 26,000 feet, dubbed the “Death Zone” in popular culture, is dangerous for a full grown man or woman. It could be potentially disastrous for a young, still developing teen. Hopefully everything will go well, and he’ll come home safe and sound. Reaching the summit is optional, coming back home is not.

Sherpa goes for 20th Everest summit, takes Edmund Hillary along

by Kraig Becker on

One of the mountaineers who has already arrived in Kathmandu ahead of the Himalayan climbing season is the legendary Apa Sherpa, who holds the record for the most successful summits of the mountain at 19. When the climber announced his plans to return to the Himalaya he made it clear that he intended to break his own record, and claim his 20th summit, while also promoting his Apa Sherpa Foundation. What he didn’t mention was that he had another reason to reach the top of the highest mountain on Earth once again, as he now plans to take the remains of Sir Edmund Hillary to the summit with him.

Hillary, and his climbing partner Tenzing Norgay, rocketed to international fame back in 1953, when they became the first men to stand on the summit of Everest, which stands at 29,035 feet. in the years that followed, Hillary would return often to Nepal, eventually launching a foundation of his own that would build schools and medical clinics for the Napali people that he came to know and love. Through his charitable works, the lives of many people in Nepal were changed forever, and as a result, Hillary was often looked upon as a grandfatherly figure amongst the citizens of that country.

When he passed away at the ripe old age of 88 back in 2008, Hillary’s remains were cremated, and most of the ashes were spread out over the ocean off the coast of his native New Zealand. But one of his dying wishes was to see the summit of Everest one last time. In a press conference held in Kathmandu yesterday, Apa announced that he will fulfill that wish, taking the last of Sir Ed’s remains with him to the top of the mountain later this spring. He also says that he’ll take along a statue of the Buddha and say a prayer for Hillary’s while he is there.

While that mission should be enough of a challenge for Apa, he has other plans as well. He and the rest of the Eco-Everest Expedition will once again be scouring the mountain, bringing down tons of garbage. Last year, the team cleaned up more than 13,000 pounds of trash from the mountain, and this year they’ve set their sights even higher, going for 15,400 pounds. Their efforts are to ensure that the place stays clean and accessible for generations to come.