Mountain Hardwear Athlete Kenton Cool Summits and Skis 8000m Manaslu

Richmond, Calif. (October 6, 2010) – Mountain Hardwear, a leading manufacturer of premium mountaineering equipment and apparel, is honored to announce the success of Kenton Cool’s most recent expedition to Mt. Manaslu. On September 30th, Kenton summited and skied Manaslu, the eighth highest peak in the world. This alpinist and skier is Britain’s only person to summit and ski two of the world’s 8000m peaks.

Mt. Manaslu resides in the Gorkha massif of the Himalaya and rises 8163 meters above sea-level. Here is the inside story:

The summit push started with a weather forecast indicating that summit winds would be just manageable…with low temps and wind chill down to -40. Using camps that they had already stocked, Kenton and teammate Andy moved steadily up the mountain carrying heavy packs due to the weight of the skis needed for the descent. At Camp 3, they took the time to hydrate and rest before the next 48-hour period that would prove to be the crux of the entire expedition. At high camp, 7400m Camp 4, Kenton and Andy huddled in the tent holding the fabric down against 80-kph winds. Sleeping was impossible due to the conditions and their lack of sleeping bags left at Camp 3 to lighten their loads for the summit push. The strong winds continued as Andy and Kenton worked to maintain circulation in their toes and keep the tent adhered to the mountain side. They had planned to be at Camp 4 for only a few hours, but their 2am departure time came and went as the twosome remained bound to their tent due to unrelenting winds. Finally at 7am, the winds subsided a bit and the summit was on!

The climb up was brutal with the weight of the skis, but at 2:30pm, the team of two arrived at the top, the first summiteers for the year. After photos and backslapping, they locked down their heels, and began their ski descent. The first gulley provided good snow and good turns, but as the mountain expanded out the windblown crust made turns nearly impossible. They picked their way down to Camp 4 where they were forced to stay the cold, windy and ‘toe-losing’ night. The morning dawned clear and the team wasted no time descending to Camps 3 and 2, and eventually, Basecamp where they enjoyed their first decent meal in nearly a week.

For more information about Kenton Cool and his expeditions, please visit:
http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Kenton-Cool—Alpinist/Athlete_Kenton_Cool,default,pg.html

http://www.dream-guides.com/en/news/


About Mountain Hardwear:
Mountain Hardwear, Inc. makes cutting edge mountaineering and outdoor equipment, apparel and accessories for ultimate performance in extreme conditions. Established in 1993 by a group of outdoor industry veterans, Mountain Hardwear is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Columbia Sportswear Company based in Richmond, Calif. Mountain Hardwear distributes its products through specialty outdoor and sporting goods retailers throughout the United States and over 40 countries worldwide. Mountain Hardwear has won numerous product and customer service awards since its inception, reflecting the company’s commitment and passion toward innovation. It’s our relentless drive to create the absolute best that makes us who we are. Mountain Hardwear. www.mountainhardwear.com