A major avalanche struck the approach to 6,440m Cholatse three days ago, according to two-time Piolet d’Or winner Valery Babanov. The near miss prompted his team to abandon their climb.
Yesterday on social media, Babanov detailed the hazardous conditions following the prolonged bad weather across the Himalaya.
Babanov leaves the mountain. Frame of a video by Valery Babanov
”[The] day before yesterday, a large group of Sherpas and Western climbers were caught in a big avalanche on the approach to Camp 1 at 5,750m,” he wrote. ”Fortunately, no one was killed, but several were injured.”
The incident, combined with heavy snow loads and high avalanche risk throughout the region, prompted them to cancel their climb and return to Kathmandu.
As previously reported, deadly avalanches have hit other Nepalese mountains recently, claiming the lives of at least nine people.
Valery Babanov on a past expedition. Photo: Valery Babanov
