We've got a new Himalaya Wrap-up today over at MountEverest.net. With teams in BC on Everest, and high winds forcast for the next several days, it's time to check in on how the teams are doing on other mountains.

Iñaki Ochoa has left Dhaulagiri, after topping out on the mountain, and is now headed to Annapurna. But before he left Dhaula, he wanted to be sure that we were aware of some other summits and pointed out that Gian Paolo Casarotto and Cristina Castagna both reached the top climbing independently, while Joelle Brupbacher, Richard Brill of Germany, and Russian Dmitry Sinev summitted with Kazakhs Samoilov, Sharipova and Shutov. Ochoa is also proposing that Miss Hawley add Sergio Dalla Longa,as well as his wife Rosa, to the list of summitteers on the mountain in tribute to the climber. Sergio slipped and fell to his death less than 150 meters from the summit while Rosa looked on.

Meanwhile, Andrew Lock is already on Annapurna after knocking off Shisha Pangma. He says his plan now is to climb up to Camp 3 in the next few days and help open the route to Camp 4 with a summit bid coming on the weekend, if everything goes as planned.

Annapurna, the most deadly of all the 8000m peaks, has claimed it's first life of the season, as Dr. Uddhav Prasad Khanal, the Liaison Officer for the Spanish team climbing there, has gone missing. After spending some time in BC with the team, he decided to return to Kathmandu alone, despite being warned about the dangers of traveling the rugged area by himself. He never made it to town and is now considered another victim of the mountain.

Finally, over on Manaslu, the teams have set up C2 and are proceeding to C3, despite bad weather. The plan is to establish C3, and if the weather clears, perhaps make a summit bid in the next few days.

More news from MountEverest.net today concerning the ongoing climbs on Everest and elsewhere in the Himalaya. It's mid-May now, so obviously things are about to get intense on Everest, while others are finishing up climbs on various other peaks.

On Everest things are really heating up with teams moving up the mountain on both sides. On the North side in particular, it seems that they are poised for a major push in the next few days, while on the South they are still a bit tenative as fixed ropes on the upper slopes are still being put down and there is fear of traffic jams later in the week.

Rumor has it that David Tait may be making his summit bid tomorrow, and of course finishing up the first leg of his double traverse. The 16th seems like a big day on the North side with the Scottish Scouts, the Philippines Team, and Nices Meroi all aiming to give it a go. The ladies on the Phillippines Team will end at BC in Nepal on their traverse as well.

Mountain Madness seems to be leading the way on the South side, as they are making the push to summit on the 16th as well. Since they are one of the first teams up, that also means they are laying down the last of the fixed ropes too. The feeling amongst the other teams seems to be wait and see, as a number of them watch the weather and the movements of their companions.

Else where in the Himalaya other teams are preparing to top out on their own particular summits. News from Annapurna is that the Spanish team there is saddened and subdued following the loss of their friends on Dhaulagiri. But word is that they will attempt the "German Route" on the North side none the less.

Snow on Manaslu kept a team from reaching the summit there. They've returned to Base Camp and are awaiting another opportunity. And finally, word is that Amical Alpin’s Cho Oyu team topped out on Friday, May 4th.

Congrats to all the recent summitteers and good luck to all the teams going up this week. Climb high, climb safe!

Another climbing update from MountEverest.net today brings us news on the Spring Climbing Season in the Himalaya. Things are really picking up with all kinds of news starting to roll in.

Swiss Climber Ueli Steck has big plans for Annapurna, where he intends to climb the mountain by a new route, solo and in alpine style no less. Ueli, who recently set a speed record on the Eiger is warming up for Annapuran with summits on Cholatse and Pumori while he treks up the Khumbu Valley.

Over on Shisha Pangma, the Slovak Team are at 7000m and about to make their summit push, with weather conditions being less than ideal. On Dhaulagiri, Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner is celebrating a unique honeymoon. While she waits for her chance to go up the mountain, her husband is guiding another team on Manaslu. (Dude! You've got a keeper!)

On Cho Oyu the news isn't so good when it comes to summit attempts. Gavin Bate is reporting that his team is turning back, giving up on their attempts to top out. At 6800m, not far below Camp 2, they were turned back by an ice cliff that is making it all but impassable. Their climb, it appears, is over.

Alan Arnette brings us some news from Everest as well, where the word is that the HiMex sherpas will once again be the first on the summit, and by the end of April no less. Of course, these amazing climbers are laying down the fixed ropes that will allow the other teams to follow them up the mountain. Rumor has it that the Chinese team carrying the Olympic Torch may not be far behind though. Word from the South Side is that fixed ropes now reach up to Camp 3 and a number of teams are rerturning to Base Camp as part of their acclimatization process.