Curious about where top climbers are headed this summer? Here’s a short list of interesting expeditions planned by well-known North American and British alpinists. Note: The list is drawn from public sources; some plans may have changed.
• Kenton Cool, Ian Parnell and John Varco will attempt mighty Gasherbrum IV this summer. The trio aims to repeat the Robert Schauer-Voytek Kurtyka line on the West Face and finish it to the top of the 7,925-meter peak.
• Kelly Cordes and Josh Wharton, who climbed an enormous new route on Great Trango Tower in 2004, will return to Pakistan to attempt the fantastic 5,000-foot north ridge of Shingu Charpa.
• Brothers Damian and Willie Benegas will make their third attempt on the north ridge of Latok I in Pakistan, site of the Donini-Kennedy-Lowe-Lowe “magnificent failure,” 150 meters below the summit, in 1978.
• North Face team members Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, Peter Croft, Mark Synnott and Kevin Thaw will join forces to attempt a traverse of the three summits of K7 in Pakistan.
• Dave Lussier, Paul McSorley, Jeff Relph and Jon Walsh hope to succeed on the much-tried southeast ridge of Baintha Brakk (the Ogre) in Pakistan.
• Sean Easton and Rob Owens will attempt the icy north/northwest face of Mt. Hickson in British Columbia’s Waddington Range.
• Ian Parnell and Kevin Thaw will travel to India in the fall to attempt the east-northeast buttress of Kedar Dome.
