Veteran Spanish mountaineer Carlos Soria (79) once again came to Nepal to climb Dhaulagiri for the ninth time. In 1998, he first attempted to summit the mountain but failed. Since then he has attempted seven more times but was unable to make it to the top. In the spring of 2017, he reached the highest point (7800m probably), among all his expeditions on Dhaulagiri *.
He has already summited 12 of the 14 eight-thousanders after more than 35 attempts. At the age of 34, in 1973, he made his first attempt on an eight-thousander, Manaslu. In 1990 he made his first eight-thousander summit on Nanga Parbat, 17 years after his first eight-thousanders attempt on Manaslu. In 2010, he summited Manaslu without supplemental oxygen, 37 years after his first attempt on the mountain. He is the only climber to summit 11 mountains above 8000m till now, after turning 60.
Carlos is now on a trek to the Everest Base Camp with his daughter and grandchildren for the purpose of acclimatization. According to Mingma Sherpa, head of his support agency he would head towards Dhaulagiri Base Camp from Kathmandu on 14th April.
To make any journey through the khumbu allows you to enjoy the contemplation of some of the most beautiful and high peaks of the Himalayas, in addition to familiar with the Sherpa Culture, which splash every corner of these mountains.
Some of His Notable Eight-thousanders Expedition:
1973 – Manaslu (8156m) in Autumn:
A 12 members Spanish team led by Jaime García Orts via NE side, reached up to 6050m.
1975 – Manaslu (8156m) in Spring:
A 12 members Spanish team named “Expedition Espanola al Himalaya”, led by Jaime García Orts via NE side, Carlos reached up to 7000m.
1979 – Broad Peak (8051m) in Summer:
A 6 members Spanish team via West spur route, reached up to 6700m.
1986 – Everest (8848m) in Spring:
A 9 members Spanish team named “Everest/Qomolangma Tibet Himalaya Expedition Madrid 1986”, led by Jerónimo López via North Col, reached up to 7600m.
1988 – Nanga Parbat (8126m) in Summer:
A Spanish military expedition via Kinshofer route invited two civilians, Carlos Soria and Pedro Manuel Nicolás. Carlos reached up to 7400m.
1990 – Nanga Parbat (8126m) in Summer:
A 6 members Spanish team led by Carlos Soria via Kinshofer route. Carlos summited with Pedro Manuel Nicolás at the age of 51 years.
1994 – Gasherbrum II (8035m) in Summer:
A 10 members Spanish team led by Carlos Soria. Carlos summited with José Luis Hurtado, Antonio Tapiador, Javier Garrido, Juan Carlos Llamas and Pedro Manuel Nicolás at the age of 55 years.
1997 – Cho Oyu (8201m) in Autumn:
A 9 members Spanish team named “Real Socieded de Alpinismo Penalaka Expedition Cho Oyu”, led by Carlos Soria via NW side, reached up to 7500m.
1998 – Dhaulagiri (8167m) in Autumn:
A 7 members Spanish team named “Penalara Spanish Expedition to Dhaulagiri”, led by Carlos Soria via NE ridge, reached up to 6600m.
1999 – Cho Oyu (8201m) in Spring:
With Nepali climber Sona Dendu, Carlos summited via NW side without supplemental oxygen at the age of 60 years.
1999 – Manaslu (8156m) in Autumn:
A 5 members Spanish team named “Video TV Spanish Expedition Al Filo de lo Impossible”, led by Juanjo Garra via NE side, reached up to 7000m.
2000 – Everest (8848m) in Spring:
Attempted via South Col, reached up to 8300m.
2001 – Everest (8848m) in Spring:
Carlos summited via South Col at the age of 62 years.
2001 – Dhaulagiri (8167m) in Autumn:
A 5 members team named “Independent team on Favre’s Dhaulagiri I permit”, led by Jose Antonio Garces via NE side, Carlos reached up to 7700m.
2003 – K2 (8611m) in Summer:
A 6 members team led by Martin Minarik via Abruzzi Spur route. Carlos reached up to 7500m.
2004 – K2 (8611m) in Summer:
Carlos summited at the age of 65 years.
2006 – Dhaulagiri (8167m) in Autumn:
A 7 members Spanish team led by Angel Villan Polo via NE side. Two members reached up to 7780m. **
2007 – Broad Peak (8051m) in Summer:
Carlos summited at the age of 68 years.
2008 – Makalu (8481m) in Spring:
Carlos led a 2 members Spanish team (Carlos himself with Rafael Sanchez) via NW side. Carlos summited without supplemental oxygen at the age of 69 years.
2009 – Gasherbrum I (8080m) in Summer:
Carlos summited without supplemental oxygen at the age of 70 years.
2010 – Manaslu (8156m) in Spring:
A 5 members Spanish team led by Carlos Soria via NE side, reached up to 7500m.
2010 – Manaslu (8156m) in Autumn:
Carlos led a 2 members Spanish team (Carlos himself with Sergio Lopez Perez) via NE side. With Nepali climber Muktu Lhakpa Sherpa, Carlos summited without supplemental oxygen at the age of 71 years.
2011 – Lhotse (8516m) in Spring:
A 7 members team named led by Carlos Pauner via W Face. Carlos summited with 5 members and 2 sherpas at the age of 72 years.
2011 – Dhaulagiri (8167m) in Autumn:
A 6 members Spanish team led by Carlos Soria via NE side, reached up to 6385m.
2012 – Annapurna (8091m) in Spring:
A 7 members team named “BBVA Carlos Soria 2012 Annapurna Expedition”, led by Carlos Soria via N Face, reached up to 6400m.
2012 – Dhaulagiri (8167m) in Autumn:
A 6 members Spanish team named “BBVA Sorita Dhaulagiri Expedition 2012”, led by Carlos Soria via NE ridge, reached up to 7580m.
2013 – Kangchenjunga (8586m) in Spring:
A 4 members Spanish team named “BBVA Carlos Soria Kangchenjunga Expedition 2013”, led by Carlos Soria via SW Face, reached up to 8300m.
2014 – Kangchenjunga (8586m) in Spring:
A 5 members Spanish team named “Carlos Soria BBVA Kangchenjunga 2014”, led by Carlos Soria via SW Face. Carlos summited with 3 members and 3 sherpas at the age of 75 years.
2015 – Annapurna (8091m) in Spring:
A 5 members Spanish team named “Carlos Soria-BBVA Annapurna I Expedition 2015”, led by Carlos Soria via N Face. Carlos reached up to 5500m.
2015 – Dhaulagiri (8167m) in Spring:
A 5 members Spanish team named “Carlos Soria-BBVA Dhaulagiri I Expedition 2015”, led by Carlos Soria via NE ridge. Did not attempt (abandoned after Annapurna I attempt).
2016 – Annapurna (8091m) in Spring:
A 5 members Spanish team named “Annapurna BBVA Expedition 2016”, led by Carlos Soria via N Face. Carlos summited with 2 members and 6 sherpas at the age of 77 years.
2017 – Dhaulagiri (8167m) in Spring:
A 3 members Spanish team named “Correos Dhaulagiri Expedition Spring 2017”, led by Carlos Soria via NE ridge, reached up to 7800m.
2017 – Dhaulagiri (8167m) in Autumn:
A 3 members Spanish team, led by Carlos Soria. The team started their summit approach from Camp 3 (7200m), but due to low visibility they went in the wrong direction. **
Amazing Facts about Him:
1. Carlos Soria, at 34, made his first eight-thousander attempt in 1973, when he took part in the first Spanish expedition on Manaslu and reached up to 6050m. In 1975, he witnessed first Spaniard summit on Manaslu by Jerónimo López and Gerardo Blázquez. Carlos reached up to 7000m.
2. At the age of 51, in 1990, he made his first eight-thousander summit on Nanga Parbat, 17 years after his first attempt on Manaslu.
3. At the age of 71, in 2010, he summited Manaslu without supplemental oxygen, 37 years after his first attempt on the mountain.
4. He is the only climber to summit 11 mountains above 8000m till now, after turning 60.
Cho Oyu (60 years)
Everest (62 years)
K2 (65 years)
Shishapangma central (66 years)
Broad Peak (68 years)
Makalu (69 years)
Gasherbrum I (70 years)
Manaslu (71 years)
Lhotse (72 years)
Kangchenjunga (75 years)
Annapurna (77 years)
5. He is the oldest climber to summit 8 eight-thousanders till now
K2 (65 years)
Broad Peak (68 years)
Makalu (69 years)
Gasherbrum I (70 years)
Manaslu (71 years)
Lhotse (72 years)
Kangchenjunga (75 years)
Annapurna (77 years)
6. Carlos Soria reached the central summit of Shishapangma (8008m) in 2005 at the age of 66. In 2013 and 2014, he attempted again for Shishapangma main (8027m), but was unable to summit the mountain.
7. If Carlos succeeds on Dhaulagiri and Shishapangma, he would be the oldest man to summit all 14 eight-thousanders. Spanish climber Oscar Cadiach held this record. In 2017, at the age of 64, he summited his last eight-thousander (Broad Peak). He overshadowed the previous record by Pole, Piotr Pustelnik (58 years).
8. With Tente Lagunilla, Carlos Soria became the first to summit Dome Kang (7264m) in 2009.
9. At the age of 70 years (70 years 11 months 18 days), after summiting Kilimanjaro, Carlos completed the ‘Seven Summit’ project.
* In 2015 expedition, his team did not attempt and abandoned the expedition after the attempt on Annapurna.
** The highest point reached by Carlos, is not verified.
This article is made possible by Dream wanderlust, a web based media to promote Adventure. All photos are courtesy of Carlos Soria.
You can follow Carlos Soria at his twitter page https://twitter.com/RetoCarlosSoria
