Never have the slopes of the exploit been so crowded. More than twenty mountaineers want to tackle Shisha Pangma (China) this year to achieve a major goal: to climb the 14 highest peaks on the planet.
“It’s a historic event,” assures Dawa Yangzum Sherpa, a young Nepalese mountain guide. This season, around “20 to 25 people” from all over the world will try to overcome Shisha Pangma, in the south of China’s Tibet autonomous region.
I sometimes have the impression that it is the equivalent of a World Cup where everyone represents the colors of their country
Those who flock to the base camp of this 8,027 m high mountain are not at their first attempt.
They have all already climbed the 13 other “8000” of the Himalaya and Karakoram ranges (northern Pakistan) and intend to repeat the feat one last time to achieve their “Grail”: the ascent of the 14 highest peaks of the planet.
“I sometimes have the impression that it’s the equivalent of a World Cup where everyone represents the colors of their country,” remarks the young Sherpa.
A season to wait
All the candidates have been champing at the bit since China’s decision last year to suspend permits for Shisha Pangma after the death of two Americans and their Sherpas in an avalanche. But this time, the race for the feat has finally resumed.
Since last week, six of the contenders have already succeeded and added their names to the list of those – barely fifty – who have already succeeded in this improbable race to the peaks.
The conquest of the 14 peaks over 8000 meters has long been the work of a lifetime. It took Italian legend Reinhold Messner 16 years to be first on the list in 1986. The pace of the feat has since greatly accelerated to reach just a few years. Or even less.
>> See the testimony of Reinhold Messner in the 7:30 p.m.
In 2019, Nepali-British Nirmal Purja shattered the speed record by planting his ice ax on all 14 peaks in just six months.
Returning this year to the Shisha Pangma base camp to repeat his exploit without oxygen, he broadcast a documentary at the end of his campaign on the Netflix platform, which sparked dreams all around the globe.
A dream worth 600,000 francs
Advances in mountaineering techniques, weather forecasts and especially logistical support also explain the enthusiasm and the acceleration in travel times.
Many climbers are now supported by large support teams and travel from one base camp to another by helicopter, in order to attempt several climbs each season.
According to estimates, the cost of the performance can nevertheless vary from 260,000 to 600,000 francs.
Unthinkable feat “without support”
“When we cross the line, it’s historic,” comments Dawa Yangzum Sherpa, 34. The guide hopes to become the first Nepalese on the list of conquerors of the 14 peaks. By putting a method to it.
“Some climb all 14 peaks, some even climb Everest several times, but they would not be able to do it alone, without any support,” she annoys.
Purists have thus criticized Nirmal Purja and Kristin Harila, who both broke records, for resorting to helicopters without limit and for having surrounded themselves with bloated teams.
They see it as a degradation of the spirit of mountaineering, like these dangerous stampedes of wealthy amateurs on the slopes of Everest.
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