At least 13 people went missing in an avalanche in the Manaslu mountain range on Monday morning, September 22, 2022. On the same day, Hilaree Nelson fell into a crevasse below the summit of Manaslu in Nepal and went missing. 

Update: Of those 13 missing, the rescue team has rescued 12 safely and taken the injured to the hospital in Kathmandu. But, the same Manaslu avalanche took the life of a Nepalese guide, Anup Rai, from the Sankhuwashabha district. Besides, Hilaree Nelson, who fell into the crevasse while skiing in Manaslu on the same day found dead.

Sad news here: The dead body of missing US climber Hilaree Nelson was found on Mt. Manaslu. Three rescuers dropped by rescue helicopters located her body this morning. The dead body is being brought to Samagaun. #riphilareenelson #hilareenelsonupdate #restinpeace pic.twitter.com/6zjydvH7lp

— Heaven Himalaya (@heavenhimalaya) September 28, 2022

The rescue on Manalsu mountain was challenging due to bad weather around the avalanche area, according to Seven Summit Treks director Chang Dawa Sherpa.

Rescue helicopters at Samagaun, Manaslu, Nepal | Photo by Yashoda Aryal in Kantipur

According to Chang Dawa, a rescue mission started immediately. And three helicopters from Heli Everest, Kailas Helicopter, and Simrik Air from Kathmandu reached the northern village of Sama in Gorkha. Four people, including two expedition members, had to be rescued from the scene. They were finally rescued after hours of searching around the avalanche area in Manaslu.

The Sherpas and climbers, who were moving expedition materials from the third camp on the mountain at a height of 6800 meters to the fourth camp at a height of 7450 meters, fell into the avalanche in Nepali time at 11:30 AM on Monday morning, September 2022.

Here’s a video of a similar massive avalanche that was viral online on Twitter a few days ago before the main avalanche on Monday.

The downfall of a serac, just above Manaslu Base Camp. Captured by Tendi Sherpa. pic.twitter.com/ajBi5amx9c

— Everest Today (@EverestToday) September 24, 2022

Rishiram Bhandari, M. D of one company, said that three Sherpas from the adventure company in Kathmandu were injured in the avalanche. According to him, Anup Rai, the guide of the said company, was seriously injured. He was unconscious and needed a rescue at the earliest. But unfortunately, he lost his life. Three standby helicopters were near the base camp of Manaslu mountain but could not be rescued at the earliest because of the bad weather.

According to Yashoda Aryal, an officer of the tourism department and liaison officer of the climbing team, who was in Samagaun, which is 4 hours away from the base camp, no information about the damage caused by the avalanche had been received yet after a few hours of the massive avalanche in the Manaslu mountain. It was snowing. Two helicopters were ready for rescue in Samagaun. “Now we can see snow falling in the base camp from here,” she told Kantipur, a national news agency in Kathmandu from the rescue scene. According to her, another helicopter went to nearby Namjung, which is one of the major stopovers for Manaslu Circuit Trek.

Officials advise travelers to choose pleasant weather conditions for a Manaslu expedition after Hilaree’s tragedy. They consider spring and autumn the best time to trek around Manaslu.

 

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Hilaree Nelson, an American ski mountaineer, has gone missing.

Meanwhile, the famous American ski mountaineer Hilaree Nelson disappeared while skiing in Manaslu. According to Jeevan Ghimire, managing director of a trekking company in Kathmandu, Jim Morrison, who went skiing with him, has already returned to the base camp. Jim returned to the base camp safely. “Hilaree is lost near Bhimthang, which is towards Manang,” Ghimire said. He said that the other members and Sherpas who went climbing Manaslu during the autumn with his company were safe.

Hilaree is a remarkable American ski mountaineer. She is an athlete for the North Face and National Geographic has also featured her in their Speaker Series. They even named her one of National Geographic’s Adventurers for the year 2018.

She has explored, climbed, and skied through some of the most remote mountains in the world. Plus, the great mountaineer Hilaree Nelson was also the first to ski down from Lhotse, the fourth tallest mountain in the world, with her friend Jim Morrison.

Hilaree Nelson’s notable achievements

• First ski descent of the Dream Line (from the summit),
• Lhotse Couloir, Nepal, 2018
• First ski descent of Papursa Peak, India, 2017
• First female descent of Makalu La Couloir, Nepal, 2015
• First to ski all five “Holy Peaks”, Mongolian Altai
• First female to climb Everest and Lhotse in 24 hours, Nepal, May 25, 2012
• Skied from the summit of Cho Oyu, Tibet, September 22, 2005
• Skied from the summit of Denali, Messner Couloir, USA, June 16, 2011
• First female descent of Bubble Fun Couloir, Tetons, USA
• European Women’s Extreme Skiing Champion, 1996

Article by

sanjib adhikari

Sanjib is a seasoned adventurer and a tourism expert who has spent the past 6 years immersed in Nepal's vibrant travel industry. He has trekked through Nepal's iconic landscapes in the Everest, Manaslu, Annapurna, and Langtang regions. He now spends his time writing about different places in Nepal and helping others travel effortlessly.