The Brazilian climber Moeses Fiamoncini, according to his own words, has cheated death on Dhaulagiri last Thursday. “Due to an accident at 8,120 meters, I was unable to reach the summit of Dhaulagiri. I was only 47 meters short to conquer my fifth eight-thousander,” the 39-year-old informed after returning to Kathmandu. When he crossed near the summit a rock band which was covered with 30 centimeters of snow, he slipped and fell 20 meters, said Fiamoncini, adding that his helmet was broken and his down suit, gloves and shoes had filled with snow. “I almost died of hypothermia,” reports Moeses – especially since he had been en route without a sherpa and bottled oxygen.
Three days descent
Fiamoncini says that he was tempted to continue climbing up to the summit after the accident, “but in this situation, alone at minus 27 degrees Celsius with wind speeds of up to 55 km/h, I had no choice but to go to Camp 3 and try to survive.” It took him nine hours to reach the camp and a total of three days to get off the mountain. He was then flown to Kathmandu by rescue helicopter. According to Moeses, he suffered sligth frostbite at hands and feet. In a few weeks he will be ready for the next project, the Brazilian announces.
Soria and Co. in Camp 2
After the first successes of the season on Dhaulagiri last Thursday, the second summit attempt is currently underway to reach the highest point at 8,167 meters. Mountaineers from several teams, including 80-year-old Spaniard Carlos Soria, reached Camp 2 at 6,400 meters today. Scheduled summit day is Friday.
Update 10 October: Soria and his comrades have climbed up to Camp 3 at 7,250 meters today. So far all seems to be going according to plan.
