The Winter Annapurna team has again retreated from Camp 3. This time, it is because their cache of gear needed to fix the route above that point had disappeared — into a crevasse, Alex Txikon suggested.
“The area where the deposit was located [in] complex terrain, a set of seracs that could have…given way, forming a large crack where everything was lost,” Txikon told his home team.
Expectations were high two days ago when Txikon and company headed for Camp 3 in good weather and at a fast pace. Had all gone well, they might have attempted the summit today, Friday. But although they reached Camp 3 at 6,400m yesterday as planned, they retreated to Base Camp that same day.
On Annapurna. Photo: Alex Txikon
What now? Will the team try to replace the lost gear, including 2,000m of rope, several kinds of anchors, and three tents? Or will they go home?
“[We are having a] difficult time at Base Camp after yesterday’s [setback],” Txikon said.
Alex Txikon. Photo: Alex Txikon’s team
