Avalanche Strikes Manaslu Base Camp – At least One Fatality

Disaster has struck again on Manaslu. For the second time in a week, a large avalanche cycle has hit climbers on the mountain. Last week, avalanches killed several climbers including world-renowned ski mountaineer Hilaree Nelson. A massive avalanche struck base camp on the morning of October 2, burying upwards of 30 tents. Higher up on the mountain, another avalanche struck a party descending from Camp 2 to Camp 1, killing a Sherpa. Several climbing teams were high on the mountain eyeing a summit push today, but with heavy snowfall on the route and the avalanche damage at camps, are heading back down the mountain. Tashi Lakpa Sherpa managed to capture footage of the avalanche that struck base camp.

Other 8000 meter peaks in Nepal are experiencing similar risks. Reports from Dhaulagiri indicate similarly dangerous avalanche conditions on the mountain. Several parties are on the mountain, struggling to make progress with the weather and heavy snow. A team including Vivian Bruchez, Mike Arnold and more are attempting a ski descent of the peak. On Everest, bad conditions caused Polish ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel to cancel a summit push with skis.