Alex Txikon, Cheppal Sherpa, and Gelum Sherpa left Manaslu Base Camp this morning, intending to advance one camp a day, pitching Camp 4 on Saturday and then summiting on Sunday, February 14.
But already on this first day, the going was tougher as expected. A snowstorm brought bitter cold and erased all their previous footprints, so the climbers have had to break a new trail.
Simone Moro in a snowy Base Camp today. Photo: Simone Moro
The unexpected snow has also stopped Iñaki Álvarez and Sherpas Kaldem and Namja. The threesome reached Camp 1 yesterday and were supposed to proceed to Camp 2 today, but decided to stay put.
Simone Moro is still in Base Camp but will set off tomorrow and plans to go all the way to Camp 2. Still, the relentless snowfall is making him hesitate. “If this goes on, we will start to worry,” he said. “We are making our plans, but it looks like the weather has a different goal.”
So far, the weather is expected to be “moderately favorable”, according to Txikon’s team, with light snow flurries only.
The climbers hope to seize their summit chance, but with “too many tragedies these weeks”, they say, they will above all play it safe.
