Jost returns to Everest in Winter, for a 'Journey into the Unknown'

This Winter, German alpinist, Jost Kobusch will be back on Everest, for a solo attempt by the West Ridge route without supplemental oxygen.

There is an easy way, and there is the hard way. There are prepared pitches on common routes, and there are unknown pitches on rarely climbed routes. There are relatively more comfortable summer climbs and there are harsh winter climbs. There are breathe-easy oxygen climbs and there are breathless no oxygen climbs. Above all, there are group climbs and there are lonely solo climbs.

Jost prefers the latter, on all counts, the challenge, alone headed for the unknown; his interpretation of "true alpinism".

As a proof of his philosophy, he has a number of notable ascents to his credit. Youngest to summit Ama Dablam solo in 2014, youngest German to summit Annapurna solo without supplemental oxygen in 2016, first to summit Nangpai Gosum II solo in 2017 and a new route on Carstensz Pyramid in 2018.

Jost Kobusch, In this exclusive interview, with Dream Wanderlust, talks about his plans and preparations for this winter and his experiences from his earlier expeditions.

Interview with Jost Kobusch

DW: Jost, you are back again with your dream, to climb Everest w/o O2 in winter. What is your objective this year?

Jost: My objective is to learn as much as possible and hopefully [I] will reach 8000m; it would be a huge success that could help me to set up a future summit push.

DW: Would you please elaborate on your plan?

Jost: My plan is to go the mountain multiple times to learn as much as possible; and progress [on the path] to become the person [who is] able to do this project; and to become this person I need to build skills; that's what I'm doing there and that is my plan.

DW: In 2019 you climbed Lho La, reaching 7366m solo w/o O2. Are you going to take the same route this year?

Jost: The same route with some minor adjustments, because last time I figured out the first section and yes now I know where exactly to go there if the conditions are the same. Let's see, but yes same route if you're talking about West Ridge. Well, now that's the plan.

DW: You might have planned for a series of climbs in the preparation phase like you did last year. Tell us about it. Are you going solo?

Jost: The preparation is an unclimbed six thousander but it's going to be a secret for now. I'll update you as soon as it is climbed. It's going to be a surprise.

DW: In 2019, you described your winter Everest Expedition as 'True alpinism'. Why do you think Winter Everest to be the 'True alpinism'?

Jost: To me alpinism is a journey into the unknown, it is an exploration, it is experiencing the wilderness. To go on an adventure to Everest is just my way to find that experience and yes, I think that the route also helps with it and definitely I don't want to use prepared pitches to the summit.

I want to be there and I want to climb. I want to be there as an athlete and challenge myself and feel that I am trying to do something with of my own ability without any advantages like prepared routes and technical devices like ladders, and campsites that are prepared like a camping place on holiday. Yes, I want it to be pure.

DW: You always say, "Learning is very important". What are the things that you have learned from the last Winter Everest?

Jost: Last winter I learned how the routes function, which routes work better till the west shoulder, and this took me a lot of time. I think this learning is most important because it [now] gives me the direction. Since this route has not been climbed for 30 years, the information that I had was not reliable, but now I have a clear path to follow which will save me a lot of time. This was the biggest learning. The other big learning was to really get to know about the microclimate, and yes now that I know it, I can adjust my clothing, equipment, and everything that I bring to the mountain and be more efficient.

DW: What would be the schedule of your expedition? When are you planning to start?

Jost: The schedule is to acclimatize in November and to go for an alpine six thousander, may be do another one or two six thousandners; and by the beginning of December move to Everest and start the climb with the beginning of the calendar winter on 22nd December and end the expedition by the end of the meteorological winter on 28th February. I chose this window because, for me, real winter is not the first of December and nor the 23rd of March, I want the tightest definition of winter, I want to feel the winter, I want it to be hard and it should not be easy.

DW: All the Best Jost! Thank you. Stay safe and stay blessed.

Jost: Thanks. I am really looking forward to this. It's a big goal of my life, so I am really looking forward to working on this. It's a process and I am really enjoying it.

Photo Courtesy: Jost Kobusch