Norwegian mountaineer Kristin Harila has reached Tibet to begin her ambitious14-peak record attempt -climbing all 14 of the eight-thousanders in less than six months without bottled oxygen. She is set to start her mission with Shishapangma (8,027m), the 14th highest peak above 8,000m.
Climbalaya Treks and Expeditions helped her obtain climbing permit for two mountains in Tibet, which she could not get to climb last year due to permit issues despite summiting 12 eight-thousanders in Nepal and Pakistan in a record 148 days.
China opened itself to foreigners from February, but has not let in climbers yet. Climbalaya is the first and only company to organize an expedition post Covid for Cho-Oyu (8,201m) and Shishapangma (8027m) in Tibet in the spring of 2023.
Climbalaya Managing Director Mingma Sherpa is leading a group of four climbers –Kristin Harila, her videographer Matias Myklebust, Mexican climber Viridiana Alvarez Chavez, and Swiss Sophie Lavaud with five Sherpa guides.
Harila had chosen Manaslu to be her first peak of her expedition, but bad weather brought expeditions to a halt across Nepal. But getting the permit from China within this time will ease her mission considerably.
As per the plan, she will climb Cho Oyu and Shishapangma twice – to complete the achievement of climbing all the 14 highest peaks twice. Only then she will start on the other 12 mountains that she had previously climbed last year. Sanu Sherpa is the only climber to summit all 14 eight-thousanders twice, a feat he achieved last year.
Kristin had summited 12 peaks with her two guides Pasdawa Sherpa and Dawa Ongju Sherpa of 8K Expedition. They could not get climbing permits from China though.
Kristin had joined Seven Summit Treks this year for her mission. Gelje Sherpa was her guide. They planned to summit Manaslu by first week of April. However, Gelje also could not get a visa for China. Cho Oyu is the only peak left for Gelje to summit all 14 peaks above 8,000m. Had he got chance to summit Cho Oyu last year, he would have been the youngest person to summit 14 peaks.
In his last visit to Karakorum range, Pakistani immigration forgot to put an entry stamp on his passport, which became an issue for Chinese officials as there was only exit stamp. “I don’t know how it happened. This has been a real trouble for me now,” he said. So, Gelje will not be joining Kristin in Tibet this spring as her guide.
In an attempt to climb Cho Oyu from Nepal side last year, Gelje had also led a team of Sherpa guides to open a route to Cho Oyu from Nepal side. Spell of bad weather forced his team to retreat from 7,100m. Had they been successful, both Gelje and Kristin would have been able to set their desired record -that of youngest 14 peak summiteer and fastest 14-peak summiteer, last year. While Gelje is now pass the age mark to be the youngest 14 peak summiteer, Kristin’s mission is off to a solid start.
