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.

MountEverest.net has posted another one of their Himalaya wrap-up articles with the big news beingt that summit bids on Dhaulagiri could come as early as tomorrow, Saturday April 21st. A team of seven climbers, lead by Spaniard Iñaki Ochoa will begin their assault on the summit with the hopes of putting some or all of them on top by Monday. Good luck guys!

In other Himalaya news, the teams on Annapurna have begun the process of fixing ropes between Camp 2 and Camp 3, while teams continue to arrive in ABC over on Shisha Pangma. Cho Oyu offers similar news, with teams arriving in Base Camp on the Chinese side, while Gavin Bate reports that his team hasn't reaced C2 yet, contrary to other reports. They're stalled out at 6800m and watching the weather. Forcast calls for snow over the weekend.

Throughout the 2007 Everest Climbing Season I have often recommended that you head over to Alan Arnette's Everest 2007 Page for the latest news, information, and insights. Alan has been on a number of high altitude climbs all over the World, including Everest, and he always has an interesting perspective to share and knowledge of what's happening on the mountain.

Today Alan has made a big annoucement, and he want's to share it with all of us. He intends to return to Everest and go for the summit once more, but this time he's climbing for a cause. You can read all about Alan's Road Back To Everest by clicking here. This is going to be a very personal climb for Alan, as he will be going back to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer's Disease, a devastating condition that his 81 year old mother suffers from.

Alan is still working out the details of how he will conduct fund raising, and he's still looking for someone to donate his proceeds too. He says he is looking for a "promising research project or Doctor and target the funding in a specific and measurable manner" which seems like a perfect apporach for this kind of project. If you know some project or doctor that might fit the description, be sure to send Alan a note as to your suggestions. I'm sure he would appreciate it.

He has set an ambitious climbing schedule to get himself ready for his Everest climb that's for sure. He'll be looking to bag 14 Colorado 14'ers, along with heading to Denali in June, Shisha Pangma later in the year, and Orizaba, an 18,880 foot volcano in Mexico in January of 2008, before heading to Everest next Spring season.

On a personal note, I lost my grandfather to this horrible disease, and it is not something that is easy to watch happen to someone you love. I would follow Alan's preparations for Everest over the coming months with interest anyway, but with this cause, it is certainly something that I'll follow even more closely. This is a personal issue for many of us, and it's something that hits close to home when you've experienced it first hand.

So, Alan, you have nothing but the best of wishes from me. The Adventure Blog will be following your preparations over the coming months and I'll be with you in spirit as you go up Denali, those 14'ers, Shisha, and off to Mexico for Orizaba. And when Everest comes around next year, we'll all be with you. You'll carry the hopes of many people with you. You had better buy a bigger pack.

I first reported on Dodo Kopold's Double-Double a while back when it was still just a plan, but word has come in that he has completed his quest to summit both Cho Oyu and Shisha Pangma in the Spring Season.

However, there is grim news to go along with Dodo's triumph. MountEverest.net is reporting that Dodo's climbing partner, Marek Hudák, is missing, and has been missing since Tuesday. Dodo and Marek were climbing on Shisha Pangma, making their summit bid, when the parted ways. Dodo continued to the top, but Marek retreated down the mountain. When Dodo returned to C2 he found that the camp had been buried in ice and that his friend was missing. The only signs of Marek were an ice axe and a glove. He hasn't been seen since the two separated on four days ago.

Dodo and the Korean team on the South face of Shisha have searched for the missing climber, but so far to no avail. The loss of his friend has put a dark veil over Dodo's accomplishments, as he has claimed the first two 8000m summits of the year. He's not stopping there either, as he plans to travel to Pakistan to summit Nanga Parbat and K2 this Summer. We'll have to wait to see if those plans change following this tragedy.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Marek's friends and family at this time.

ExWeb has posted updates on both Everest itself and the Himalaya in general today as the climbing season continues.

Over on Everest, it seems that the Khumbu Icefall continues to be a source of irritation with traffic jams reported in the area, which is the most deadly section of the mountain. At least on the South Side. There are also reports that Base Camp on the North Side is a bit tense, with Discovery Channel in the area once more to film a follow-up to their Everest: Beyond The Limit series. David Tait notes that everyone is trying to get to know one another, but that the flim crew is a bit of an irritation. You'll recall that Tait intends to complete a "double traverese" of Everest, by going up the North face, then descending on the South, and after resting a week or so, reversing the process and returning to the North.

Other teams report that Camp 2 has been established with the first climbers reaching that mark, while others are wandering in the Western Cwm. Tim Warren says he's "knackered", or too tired to put one foot in front of the other at the moment, something I'm all too familiar with of late, while other teams are fighting flu and symptoms of altitude sickness.

New from the other Himalayan climbs in the area is filtering in as well. Over on Annapurna, camps are being established and routes created, but they're not so busy to where they can't work in a few golf lessons. On Dhaulagiri, the story is much the same, with the Italians establishing Camp 2, despite bitter cold and high winds, and more teams still getting eastablished on the mountain. The same story is filtering in from Cho Oyu, Shisha Pangma, and others.