Several Manaslu climbers left Base Camp today as planned toward Camps 1 and 2.
The group included Sophie Lenaerts, Stef Maginelle, Paula Strengell, Oswald Rodrigo Pereira and some Sherpa staff. Their goal is to reach Camp1, check conditions above, and if possible, progress further toward Camp 2.
At 2:30 pm Nepal time, Sophie Lenaerts’ tracker located her slightly above Camp 1. There is no news yet from the rest of the group.
Sophie Lenaerts’ location at 2 pm Nepal time shows her on the steeper terrain above C1.
Close-up of Lenaerts’ position at 2:47 pm Nepal time.
Simone Moro and Alex Txikon have declined to join this rotation because they believe that the mountain is still too dangerous. Txikon provided photos marked with several spots where avalanches could occur, compiled by Elur, a group of nivology experts from Spain.
“While we cannot provide very detailed reports without checking the situation on the ground, the images provided by Alex Txikon show several points of significant avalanche risk,” Elur’s Jon Barredo told ExplorersWeb. “The icefall, in particular, has two threatening vertical sections with loads of snow and without any signs of avalanches — meaning that there has been no “purge” yet on those sections.
“There is also a great deal of windswept snow near Base Camp,” Barredo added.
Conditions on the mountain on January 14, with some potentially dangerous spots marked in red around the route in yellow. Photo: Alex Txikon
Windswept snow on Manaslu yesterday. Photo: Alex Txikon
Simone Moro will also not venture up for the time being, but he did move back to Base Camp today.
