An avalanche has buried the base camp at the foot of Himlung, a 7,000m peak that several outfitters are guiding this fall. Fourteen local workers are missing. Nepal’s mountains are receiving intense snowfall these days, and everyone was urged to stay in villages to remain safe.
“Two of those unaccounted for are from Imagine Nepal, and eight are from Himalayan Holidays Nepal, the Expedition Outfitters Association of Nepal originally told The Kathmandu Post. A later update increased the number of missing to 14. All are Nepalese. The authorities admit that the bad weather is hampering the rescue efforts. Helicopters are grounded, and volunteers on foot have also been unable to reach the camp.
Himlung. Photo: Wikipedia
There are no foreigners yet on Himlung, as the route is not fixed and Nepal’s Department of Tourism has not yet issued any permits. Last week, rope-fixing teams were assigned to prepare the routes on Himlung and Ama Dablam, but with the big storm approaching, it’s unlikely that they had a chance to start. However, local staff could have been setting up and supplying the base camp in advance of visitors.
Details remain sketchy, but an avalanche at base camp height is rare. Himlung (7,126m) lies in the Nar-Phu Valley, near the Tibetan border. The base camp is usually on flat ground, a respectable distance from the mountain flanks. Last year, it lay on completely dry ground. (Check the feature image of this story and a complete ascent video by 8K Expeditions here).
Himlung Base Camp in a snowy fall. Photo: Climbing the Seven Summits/Mike Hamill
Ample warnings
The storm dumped loads of snow on the mountains as expected, forcing climbers and trekkers to retreat. The Manaslu season has been called off, although a handful of climbers and their guides continue to wait in Samagaon or Pokhara for a possible summit chance when the weather settles down. Six climbers also remain at Base Camp on Dhaulagiri, shoveling snow but safe.
Still shocked by last month’s lethal floods, Nepal authorities have made an extra effort to disseminate warnings, information, and alerts about the storm, which originated in the Bay of Bengal last week. The Annapurna Conservation Area closed to visitors for the weekend, and other popular spots have issued warnings urging trekkers and climbers to stay well away from higher passes, avalanche-prone areas, and even rivers and low-lying mountain slopes that may be prone to floods or landslides from the rain at lower altitudes. Yet surprisingly, a significant number of staff evidently remained at Himlung’s base camp.
Newly popular
The new popularity of Himlung centers around a tourism law currently under debate in Nepal’s parliament. It would make climbing a 7,000m peak in Nepal a prerequisite for foreigners before attempting Everest.
Imagine Nepal markets Himlung as “an ideal peak for climbers who already have experience climbing at elevations of 6,000m and are looking to push their altitude experience to the next level.” The outfitter explained that this season, their team planned an expedition to Manaslu and later, Himlung.
The current accident recalls a death that occurred on Himlung during a major storm last year. Chin Tark Chan, 49, of Australia, fell ill shortly before reaching the summit of Himlung just as the weather worsened. The bad weather hampered rescue attempts, and issues with the insurance company, which alleged the climber was stranded at 6,800m, above the altitude limit of helicopters. Eventually, the climber was carried down to Camp 3, where he died.
Landslide in the Manaslu Area
The storm has created problems in several mountain areas. Trekkers and climbers in Samagaon, the village leading to Manaslu Base Camp, were jolted by strong tremors and a powerful roar at 3 am on Sunday.
“We rushed out of our rooms, looking for a safe place. We did not know where to go,” Nepalese IFMGA guide Abiral Rai posted on social media. The cause was not an earthquake, but a landslide above a nearby village. There are no victims reported so far, but both locals and visitors ran outside for safety:
Rai, together with a client, is one of the few who still refuse to call off their Manaslu expedition. They have been waiting at Samagaon for the storm front to pass.
