Nobody has ever climbed Mount Everest fairly like this. He hasn’t summited but, however a German alpinist is making headway on one in every of climbing’s most daunting feats.
Jost Kobusch simply reached a milestone on an bold — and extremely harmful — challenge on the world’s highest mountain. The 32-year-old goals to scale Mount Everest alone in winter, and with out supplementary oxygen.
Whereas tons of of individuals ascend Everest annually, most of them arrive on the summit through the simplest route and through the very best climate circumstances. That’s the alternative of what Kobusch is doing. Not solely does he need to ascend Everest in winter, when circumstances make climbing close to unimaginable, however he’s been pursuing a route that terrifies even hardened alpinists (like GearJunkie’s Climbing Editor Seiji Ishii).
To grasp the diploma of Kobusch’s boldness, look no additional than an Instagram vid posted by him final week, captured by a digital camera hooked up to his backpack. The solo climber ascends an icy bulge with huge publicity stretching beneath him, his ice axes and crampons the one factor holding him from a really lengthy fall.
This winter marks Kobusch’s third expedition devoted to the long-term challenge. On Saturday evening, preventing excessive winds and pitch-black darkness, he lastly reached his aim of ascending past 7,500m. Upon reaching a brand new highpoint of seven,537m, or 24,727 ft, he descended again to camp. That is the best anybody has reached alone in winter.
This winter marks Kobusch’s third expedition devoted to the long-term challenge. On Saturday evening, preventing excessive winds and pitch-black darkness, he lastly reached his aim of ascending past 7,500m. Upon reaching a brand new highpoint of seven,537m, or 24,727 ft, he descended again to camp. It’s the highest anybody has reached alone in winter with out supplemental oxygen.
Mount Everest Winter, Solo Ascent: A Methodical Method
Whereas Kobusch’s challenge is definitely dangerous, he’s taking a cautious method to pulling it off.
After returning to his Base Camp, it’s unclear if he’ll make one other try at reaching the summit this season. In an interview with German blogger Stefan Nestler, Kobusch mentioned that he wasn’t sufficiently acclimatized to proceed to the summit final weekend. (With out the supplemental oxygen utilized by most climbers on mountains like Everest, the human physique wants extra time to acclimate.)
“Ultimately, I’m not interested in breaking any records in the short term,” Kobusch mentioned. “I want to achieve the project in the long term. That’s the focus.”
Kobusch drew his approximate highest level with a inexperienced circle. (We’ve circled it in pink for readability.) The Hornbein couloir seems in pink; (map/RealityMaps)
Kobusch made his first try of the solo winter ascent again in 2019, then returned in 2020, reaching a highpoint of seven,366m, which is the earlier solo winter file. The German climber has acknowledged the problem of his challenge, and even mentioned he was unlikely to succeed. So it was stunning when legendary alpinist Reinhold Messner dismissed Kobusch’s aim as “all PR.”
Kobusch is effectively conscious of Messner’s perspective. He informed ExplorersWeb that he takes it as a form of praise.
“You’re only criticized if you don’t do whatever everybody else does; to me, that means that you’re doing something right,” he mentioned. “It fuels me to go and prove the critics wrong.”
Of the 1000’s of people that have summited Mount Everest, solely 15 reached the highest in winter. Greater than 30 expeditions have tried, together with 13 with out bottled oxygen. Solely 5 of these expeditions have been profitable, and simply one of many 15 summiters did so with out supplemental oxygen.
So if Kobusch completes his aim, it might make him the primary to succeed in the summit in winter with out further oxygen — or assist from teammates.
A Single Push
Throughout his newest try this weekend, Kobusch climbed in a single, alpine-style push from his Camp 1. He didn’t arrange a second greater camp, as he did on his earlier winter Everest expeditions. As a substitute, Kobusch carried his tent and provides all the way in which up and down.
“In fact, the most challenging part of the ascent was to dig platforms for the tent when I stopped for a rest,” he informed ExplorersWeb. “Otherwise, that is why I had reduced my equipment to the very minimum. I carried nothing non-essential except maybe a bit of spare fuel,” Kobusch mentioned.
Jost Kobusch throughout his first try and solo Everest; (picture/ Terragraphy)
On the final a part of the climb, Kobusch left his tent at 6,800m, progressed to 7,537m, after which rapidly returned to his tent for some sleep.
Yesterday, he made it again to Camp 1 at 5,650m-5,700m on the mountain flank resulting in the Lho La. He had pitched Camp 1 on the high of some ropes he had mounted on the way in which up.
“Wind picked up to 40 kph, with some much stronger gusts,” he mentioned of his descent.
So will Kobusch strive once more this season to succeed in the summit? Or wait to come back again but once more in a future season? As normal, the German climber is taking his time and refused to commit when talking with ExplorersWeb this week.
“I have learned a lot on this trip, and most importantly, I have reached the goal in my first push up the mountain,” mentioned a happy-sounding Kobusch. “Right now, I really need a rest. There will be time to make decisions tomorrow.”
