Himalaya Fall 2009: Expedition List Announced

With the summer Karakorum season now behind us, and the monsoon moving off, the mountaineering world is now turning back towards the Himalaya and big peaks there, including Everest. The fall season will get underway soon, with modestly sized teams making their way to Kathmandu for a decidedly different experience than found there in the spring.

ExWeb had just posted the first edition of the Fall Expedition list, and as usual, it has some very interesting climbs. For instance, Basque climbers Alberto Iurrategi and Juan Vallejo are headed back to the North Side of Everest to attempt the Hornbein Couloir in alpine style, while Simone Moro has his sights set on a new route along the South-West Face of Cho Oyu.

A couple of climbers will be hoping to finish off their remaining 8000 meter peaks, including Andrew Lock who needs Shisha Pangma to join the list of men who have topped out on all of those mountains. That list may not remain exclusive to the male gender for much longer however, as Korean climber Oh Eun-sun has her sights set on Annapurna, and if successful, she'll become the first woman to summit all 14 8-thousanders.

As usual, this list will probably be updated in the days ahead, as more expeditions firm up their plans and announce their last minute details. There are plenty of commercial teams making their way to the Himalaya as well, as the begin to lay the groundwork for Everest attempts next year. While the Fall Season isn't nearly as busy as the spring, it still holds plenty of excitement, as it seems that the climbers that are there are hoping to push the envelope a bit further without the crowds to get in the way. Should be fun to watch as usual. Lets hope everyone stays safe in the week ahead.