Bartek Ziemski on the summit of Manaslu earlier today. Photo: Polski Związek Alpinizmu
The monsoon rains have finally withdrawn from Nepal’s peaks, triggering a massive summit push on Manaslu. Hundreds of summits are expected this week. Among the lines of climbers on their way up, a single skier carved past them on his way down. It was Bartek Ziemski, on his 7th successful descent of an 8,000’er.
Expedition leaders with the many teams will try to coordinate their summit days to avoid the worst crowding, but jams will inevitably occur.
In his usual impressive but understated manner, Bartek Ziemski of Poland climbed and skied down Manaslu to Base Camp. He did so without supplementary oxygen or personal Sherpa support. Last year, Ziemski did the same on both Makalu and Kangchenjunga, in the company of Oswald Pereira, who filmed Bartek and descended on foot.
It is unclear if Ziemski managed a complete ski descent. The Polish Mountaineering Association’s fan page, Polski Związek Alpinizmu, mentioned that Ziemski couldn’t find a clear ski line down the icefall between Camp 2 and Camp 1.
During Ziemski’s ski descent of Mansalu, shot from his headcam. Photo: Polski Zwiazek Alpinizmu
Crowds ahead
In addition to the nearly 375 foreigners on Manaslu, large groups of Sherpas are assisting them and supplying the camps with fuel, food, and oxygen bottles. The summit wave started right after a Sherpa team reached the summit well after dark on Saturday, as seen in the video below:
Angela Benavides graduated university in journalism and specializes in high-altitude mountaineering and expedition news. She has been writing about climbing and mountaineering, adventure and outdoor sports for 20+ years.
Prior to that, Angela Benavides spent time at/worked at a number of local and international media. She is also experienced in outdoor-sport consultancy for sponsoring corporations, press manager and communication executive, and a published author.
