I Shall NEVER Set Foot on Annapurna again…

March 4, 2008

These words are coming from Australian climber Andrew Locke in a very interesting interview conducted with MountEverest.net. Andrew Locke is two summits away from joining an elite group of climbers–those who have climbed all 14, 8,000 meter peaks–his final two peaks could come this year.

Andrew goes on to talk about his experiences, not only on the highest peaks in the world, but also his adventures in the arctic and antarctic regions as well. He talks of losing friends and climbing partners, of tackling Mt. Everest twice…and possibly going back for a third no O2 attempt–

Andrew Locke only needs Makalu and Shisha Pangma to put his name on that elite list of climbers that will forever be known. Last year his attempt on Shisha was turned back again and again by bad weather and high avalanche conditions–this year, he is hoping it will be different.

“I don’t think Shisha is necessarily all that
tricky but I’ve had some funny luck on that mountain. In the
pre-monsoon I wanted to do the Iñaki route but I was keen to have a
partner to cross the crevasses at the bottom of the ridge.

“When my friend Neil stopped at camp 3, I was forced to solo up the
normal ridge towards the Central Summit but every time I tried to cross
the face I set off avalanches. In the post monsoon I had very little
time available and it ran out before the weather came good.”

When asked what the hardest and the easiest 8,000 meter peaks have been for him thus far, Andrew replied:

“There are many 8000ers that I’d go back to in an
instant but I shall NEVER set foot on Annapurna again. Cho Oyu was the
easiest – by far. I don’t think that Everest was that hard. Actually I
love Everest. Despite the crowds I’d happily go back tomorrow.

To read the rest of the MountEverest.net interview, click HERE.

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