A couple of years ago there was big showdown between a number of very
talented female mountaineers over who was going to become the first to
climb all 14 8000-meter peaks. The race boiled down to Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, Edurne Pasaban
and Nives Meroi (two Korean climbers not withstanding). In the spring
of 2009 the ladies were all in the Himalaya and pursuing their own
goals. Nives was climbing on Kangchenjunga (8586m/28,169ft) with her
husband Romano Benet when he suddenly took ill and had to be rushed off
the mountain. It would be two years before they started climbing again,
and in that time Edurne and Gerlinde completed their quests. But this
spring Nives and Romano have returned to the Himalaya – on Kangchenjunga
no less – where they hope to finish what they started.
As is usual with Nives and Romano, they are climbing without Sherpa
support or supplemental oxygen. They also haven't adopted any new
technologies and won't be sending dispatches or blog posts back from
their climb. The pair prefer to climb in pure alpine fashion and that
hasn't changed since they've been away.
It truly is a great story and I'm glad to see that Romano has not only
recovered but that he and Nives have returned to mountaineering. I wish
them lots of luck on their current expedition.
A couple of years ago there was big showdown between a number of very
talented female mountaineers over who was going to become the first to
climb all 14 8000-meter peaks. The race boiled down to Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, Edurne Pasaban
and Nives Meroi (two Korean climbers not withstanding). In the spring
of 2009 the ladies were all in the Himalaya and pursuing their own
goals. Nives was climbing on Kangchenjunga (8586m/28,169ft) with her
husband Romano Benet when he suddenly took ill and had to be rushed off
the mountain. It would be two years before they started climbing again,
and in that time Edurne and Gerlinde completed their quests. But this
spring Nives and Romano have returned to the Himalaya – on Kangchenjunga
no less – where they hope to finish what they started.
As is usual with Nives and Romano, they are climbing without Sherpa
support or supplemental oxygen. They also haven't adopted any new
technologies and won't be sending dispatches or blog posts back from
their climb. The pair prefer to climb in pure alpine fashion and that
hasn't changed since they've been away.
It truly is a great story and I'm glad to see that Romano has not only
recovered but that he and Nives have returned to mountaineering. I wish
them lots of luck on their current expedition.
