100% Cotopaxi Summits
100% Summit Success!!!
Congratulations to our Ecuador team! Despite some tough weather including wind and low visibility our team in Ecuador had an excellent climb of Cotopaxi today. Starting early this morning they pushed up from the refuge through the clouds for a successful summit. It is always exciting to have the entire team on top, well done!
The team has now descended back to the Hut, packed up their gear and are all resting by the hot springs in Papallacta a few hours drive from Cotopaxi national park. After days of dealing with tough weather you cant ask for a better celebration of a successful summit.
After resting in Papallacta some of the team will be flying home tomorrow while our Chimborazo extension climbers ramp back into climbing mode and head back to the mountains.
Chimborazo (20,549 ft) is the highest volcano in Ecuador as well as one of Ecuador's most coveted climbing objectives. We're hoping for great weather as our team moves to high camp and eyes a summit bid over the next two days.
Strong work team and best of luck on Chimborazo!
Cheers,
CTSS Team
Weather on Cayambe, on to Cotopaxi!
Our Ecuador team keeps on trucking along!
Poor weather including a ton of new snow kept the team from summiting on Cayambe yesterday. The team gave it a strong attempt and then descended back to the safety of the hut. A bumpy jeep ride took them off the mountain and down to Hacienda La Cienega for an afternoon of relaxation and a good nights rest. Hacienda La Cienega is a beautiful compound over 300 years old with gorgeous courtyards, spacious rooms and a chance to take a walk through the history of Ecuador.
Today the team is heading into Cotopaxi National Park in advance of their climb of Cotopaxi and tomorrow they'll head up to the alpine hut located high on Cotopaxi. The hut system on the Ecuadorian Volcanoes is fantastic, with electricity, food services, and heat . Despite being located at over 15,000 feet these huts give climbers a comfortable place to pack, relax, and recover as they shoot for the summit.
Cheers,
CTSS Team
Volcan Imbabura in the bag!
The CTSS Ecuador team checked in this morning with some fantastic photos from their acclimatization climb of Volcan Imbabura yesterday.
While a strenuous hike, Imbabura provides amazing views and is a fantastic way to acclimatize. The team returned to the Hacienda tired but happy last night after putting in a solid effort throughout the day.
Today they're heading buy bus and jeep to the hut on Cayambe, the first glaciated climb of this expedition. Tomorrow they'll rest at the hut and go out for a few hours of snow school before an early bedtime in preparation for the summit bid.
Cheers,
CTSS Team
Ecuador Team Acclimatizing Well
Our July Ecuador expedition hit the ground running and is making great progress. After a few days in Quito the team and guide Franklin Varela left the City yesterday traveling North to Fuya Fuya for their first acclimatization hike. An extinct volcano, Fuya Fuya is a gorgeous hike through incredible sub-alpine scenery and ascending to nearly 14,000 ft (~4,200m). After their morning acclimatization it was on to the Town of Otavalo, one of the gems of Ecuador. An incredibly scenic town Otavalo also hosts one of the most famous indigenous craft markets in the country.
Today's plan is another acclimatization hike on Imbabura and a final night in Otavalo. Tomorrow the team will head out of cell and internet coverage as they take a jeep ride to a hut on Cayambe in preparation for their first major summit bid.
Beautiful scenery, massive volcanoes, and incredible culture - this crew is getting all the highlights Ecuador has to offer.
Cheers,
CTSS Team
Everest/Lhotse Season Summit List
100% CTSS SUCCESS IN 2022
Manal - 1st Egyptian Woman to Summit Everest
Congratulations to Manal A Rostom for becoming the first Egyptian woman to summit Mt Everest on the 16th May in perfect weather with CTSS Guide Anup & Pemba Tamang & Karsang Sherpa
Manal is currently below the Balcony on her way back to the South Col and will drop down to at least Camp 3 today, if not Camp 2.
That brings our summit waves to a close this season on Everest - with 100% of climbers who left Base Camp on their summit bid, successful on both Everest & Lhotse in 2022. With the exception of last year that was so impacted by covid, CTSS has maintained it's 100% success rate for the past 3x seasons!
We are so proud of all of our climbers, our incredible guides and our phenomenal local team. Without them, nothing is possible in the mighty Himalaya.
Cheers
CTSS Team
Lhotse Summits!
More Lhotse Summits
Another great morning of weather today on Everest/Lhotse and another exciting record with Gabby Kanizay topping out on Everest yesterday (14th May) and Lhotse today (15th May) with Tendi Sherpa at 5:30am, invariably making her the Youngest Australian to Climb Everest & the Youngest Australian to Climb Lhotse at just 18.
She is so strong and descending now toward Camp 2 to rejoin her mum Jane who also summited Everest yesterday and is also dropping back to Camp 2 along with Jessica Hepburn and Guide Kami. Tomorrow they will return to Base Camp to celebrate their incredible success.
Meanwhile Manal R and Guide Anup are above the Yellow Band and moving well towards the South Col, where they will rest and reenergise ahead of their summit bid tonight. Weather looking great!
All is well on Everest/Lhotse.
Cheers
CTSS Team
100% CTSS team summits so far:
Everest:
Mark Woodward - 12th May
Pega Sherpa - 12th May
Margaret Kincaid - 12th May
Pemba Gelji Sherpa (Phortse) - 12th May
Meghan Buchanan - 12th May
Naren Shahi - 12th May
John Keagy - 12th May
Walter Hailes - 12th May
Pasang Kami Sherpa - 12th May
Clayton Wolfe - 12th May
Pasang Tendi Sherpa - 12th May
Tomas Ceppi - 12th May
Pemba Gyelji (Kharikola) - 12th May
Sonam Phinjo Tamang - 12th May
Tseten Bhote - 12th May
Pasang Bhote - 12th May
Tsering Sherpa - 12th May
Rinji Sherpa - 12th May
Dawa Sherpa - 12th May
Jane Kanizay - 14th May
Gabby Kanizay - 14th May
Jessica Hepburn - 14th May
Tendi Sherpa - 14th May
Pasang Sherpa - 14th May
Jessica Hepburn - 14th May
Kami Sherpa - 14th May
Sujan Gurung - 14th May
Lhakpa Sherpa - 14th May
Kusang Dorjee Tamang - 14th May
Dawa Dendi Sherpa - 14th May
Namgyal Dorjee Sherpa - 14th May
Lhotse:
Margaret Kincaid - 13th May
Mark Woodward - 13th May
Pega Sherpa - 13th May
Sonam Phinjo - 13th May
Gabby Kanizay - 15th May
Tendi Sherpa - 15th May
Kusang Tamang - 15th May
...More 14th May Everest Summits...
Congratulations to Ms Jessica Hepburn and Guide Kami Sherpa standing on top of Everest right now. 100% of our second wave of climbers & Guides on top.
They will now begin their descent to the South Col following Jane & Gabby, Pasang & Tendi.
Manal is currently moving up to Camp 3, and making good time.
Cheers
CTSS Team
More Everest Summits!!
A huge congratulations to:
Ms Gabby Kanizay - the newly minted Youngest Australian to Summit Everest, at just 18yrs old along with her mum, Jane Kanizay with Guides Tendi Sherpa and Pasang Sherpa standing on the top of the world
Jessica H and Guide Kami are currently at the South Summit continuing up.
Jane & Gabby will now start their descent, and we'll update you when they have reached the South Col.
Cheers
CTSS Team
Second Everest Summit Bid Begins
Our next set of summit bids are now underway with Jane K with Guide Pasang, Jessica H with Guide Kami leaving the South Col at 8:45pm on the 13th (local time) and speedy Gabby K close behind with Guide Tendi departing at 10pm.
Great weather with low winds and the team is moving well. Remember it's very common on summit day to have fewer updates, in fact in a sense, the fewer the better as it means the team is moving consistently, staying focused and conserving their energy and warmth.
We'll keep you updated and wishing them good luck as they hopefully reach the top of the world in a few more hours.
Cheers
CTSS Team
