As predicted yesterday, teams on Manaslu were able to make successful summits today. ExWeb is reporting that Joao Garcia and the Korean team on the mountain have reached the top after nine hours of difficult climbing. Even better news, is that the climbers are already down from the summit and back in BC. For Garcia, this is his 12 8000m peak, all with out oxygen. He has just Nanga Parbat and Annapurna left on the list. Congrats to Joao and the Koreans for a job well done. Great work under …

It’s been another busy couple of days in the Himalaya, where things continue to progress on mountains all over the region. 
Probably the biggest news out of the Himalaya is that it looks like the summit of Manaslu could well be a busy place tomorrow, with potentially 20 people topping out. ExWeb is reporting that summit bids were turned back yesterday when climbers reached a 300 foot vertical ice wall at 7100m. The wall is described as very technical and demanding, requiring teams to put up new fixed ropes, which …

A century after Cook and Peary; this weekend John Huston and Tyler Fish became the first American team to reach the North Pole without assistance.
Concerns are grave for Martin Minarik, missing on Annapurna.
In other news: several major new route attempts were announced last week. A climber brought news from the Piolet d’Or award. ExWeb ran a number of interviews with researchers, climbers and polar explorers. The Indian Ocean race kicked off to a hard start: three boats retired, two within 36 hours.
Annapurna south watch: Czech Martin Minarik and French Elisabeth …

Lots of action on Everest, and around the Himalaya, as teams acclimatize, build camps, and get to know their mountains. 
Starting off on Everest, teams have now gone as high as C3, caching gear as they go, and getting all too familiar with the Western Cwm. They’ll make that journey a number of times before they head up to the summit in a few weeks. According to the Peak Freaks Blog, their whole team is in Base Camp right now, with the exception of one climber in C1. Tomorrow they’ll …

Investigating all clues, American historian Tom Holzel pin-pointed Irvine’s possible location in a 3-part series at ExWeb last week. Another special was a story about Himalaya ski/board-mountaineers.
In other news: the first Everest climbers have crossed over to Tibet, Australian Andrew Lock is postponing both climbs, two teams bumped into each other on the Arctic ice, and Olly Hicks Antarctic circumnavigation row has been abandoned.
ExWeb series special: the search for Andrew Irvine, by Tom Holzel Everest North side, 1999: on a snow terrace at 8,200 meters, an international team of mountaineers …

All across the Himalaya a similar process is now getting underway, as the teams begin focusing on the all important process of building their high camps, and in the process, their own acclimatization as well.
Everest BC
On Everest, the route through the Icefall was established several days back, and teams have wasted no time in crossing through, and building their first camp on the other side. One team, the Lhotse-Everest Traverse squad, is hoping to go as high as Camp 3 already to pack in as much acclimatization time as possible.
Most …

Posted on December 16, 2008 by himalman | Edit

Maciej Berbeka
the Tatra Mountain guide IVBV/UIAGM, the member of Mountain Rescue Service TOPR, the climber, participant and expeditions leader to Himalaya and Karakorum. Graduated Fine Art Academy in Cracow.
Maciek Berbeka has so far conquered 5 of 14 – 8000m. peaks:
1981 – Annapurna – south face of Annapurna, new route
1984 – Manaslu – first ascent in winter
1985 – Cho – Oyu – first ascent in winter
1988 – Broad Peak /central summit / – first ascent in winter **
1993 – Mt.Everest
He …

Mark your calendars!
57th TRENTO FILM FESTIVAL
21 April to 3 May, 2009
TRENTO. A few days ago the new board of directors of the TrentoFilmfestival that will head the event until 2011 nominated Egidio Bonapace as president and reconfirmed Maurizio Nichetti as artistic director and Augusto Golin as delegated director.
The 57th TrentoFilmfestival, the oldest and most acclaimed international festival of mountains, exploration and adventure films, scheduled in 2009 from 21 April to 3 May, is already projected.
The TrentoFilmfestival is again seeking feature films, documentaries, journalistic stories or shorts by film-makers able …

They won an ExWeb award for their great 2006 Himalayan Trilogy; last week “The Peters’” Himalayan saga was tragically ended when Piotr Morawski perished in a crevasse on Dhaulagiri.
In other news: the first climbing permits have reportedly been granted for Everest north side, Annapurna normal route sports a dangerous serac; and a big avalanche buried Manaslu BC.
The repositioning of Inmarsat satellites has caused a lower BGAN aiming angle in Himalaya; a diving scientist reported a record underwater ice-ridge in the Arctic Ocean, and pirates in the Gulf of Aden are …

Posted on April 6, 2009
Himalaya is filling up with hopeful mountaineers. It was a different story a few months ago, with only four 8000-er winter attempts in Himalaya and Karakoram combined. Two teams truly stuck it out, and last week ExWeb checked in with both for debrief interviews.
In other news; as rare as Himalaya winter climbs; the two full-trip North Pole expeditions are getting a break at last, and no open water yet. Speaking of water; last week ExWeb ran an interview with the only ocean rower alive today to …