Mount Manaslu 2022

September 28   It is with a heavy heart that I’ve decided to end my expedition on Manaslu.  We’ve had significant snow over the past weeks which has loaded up the mountain beyond normal levels.  Now we’re in a high-pressure weather cycle with clear skies and strong sunshine during the days and cold temperatures at night which can create instability in the snowpack.  The avalanche above Camp 3 two days ago was an indication of this instability and the consequences were dead and critically injured climbers.  The weather forecast is for increasing winds starting yesterday through October 2 nd with a direction from the SW which is on the opposite side of the mountain from our climbing route.  The winds from this direction will transport snow onto the mountain directly above the climbing route, further loading the snowpack and creating additional instability.  We have been watching the snow transport yesterday and this morning and can actually see the co...

September 26 Our expedition leader received word early this morning that the weather forecast is looking worse now with higher winds predicted for the 28 th through the 30 th .   The estimate is roughly 45 MPH which exceeds that which is considered safe on a mountain this high.   So, we put our departure on hold for further confirmation and finally at 11:00 am the decision was made for us to stay here in Base Camp for at least one more day.   At the same time, there was a developing situation up high on the mountain between Camps 3 & 4.   Apparently, a major avalanche occurred which traveled right through the climbing route.   What I know now is that the fixed lines in the path of the avalanche and for most of the route between the camps are gone or damaged.   There are some people confirmed dead and injured but it’s way too early to discuss numbers.   There are also climbers above the avalanche path who will have to find a safe way down from ...

September 25 Yesterday was an uneventful rest day with our typical mix of clouds, rain, snow, and some watery sunshine.   I’ve been sleeping great and waking up just before sunrise for the past couple of mornings and today was no different.   That first hour of the day is peaceful and gives me a chance to sort through my thoughts before everyone wakes up.   We had a little snow last night which always gives Base Camp a good look.  Today is our last rest day before heading up the mountain on our summit push.   Besides the usual daily tasks, we have a mid-morning training on the oxygen system that we’ll use on the upper mountain.   Pasang does a great job with the instruction, and everyone gets their rig adjusted properly with their complete head and face covering worked out so as not to expose any skin.  Once we have our gear settled, Pasang reviews the method for swapping oxygen bottles and adjusting the regulator during the process.     We...

September 23 Today is the first of our rest days prior to the summit push.   I slept great and woke at sunrise ready for the day.   The mountain was noisy last night with a few big avalanches, and one seemed to last for quite a while.   Like everywhere in the world, it’s getting warmer here as evidenced by the high elevation rain we’ve experienced versus the normal snow that should be falling. After extracting myself from the warm tent, I was greeted by a nice morning view.   It was just after sunrise and the air was filled with juniper smoke from at least a half dozen puja altar fires.   This usually means the team has climbers on the mountain or are planning to go up today.   The early mornings are my favorite times in Base Camp because it’s quiet and I can watch and listen to the individual camps beginning to wake up.  Our two Sherpa lead guides, Tendi and Pasang were outside also, and they became interested in some avalanche activity across the...

September 19 Today is a tough day for our team.   Two more climbers have decided to leave the mountain, including my wife Kriss.   High altitude mountaineering is physically and mentally demanding and each of us evaluates ourselves throughout the expedition.   Unless one is 100% confident in their ability to continue successfully, they should probably not do so.   While the rest of us feel a loss, we also respect their difficult decision to discontinue their climbs.   We will miss our teammates Kriss and Alison for the remainder of the expedition. Today we begin our Camp 3 rotation.   The plan is to climb to Camp 1 today and spend the night at 19,000 ft.   Tomorrow we will be heading to Camp 2 and spending two nights there.   On Wednesday the 21 st we’re planning to climb up to Camp 3 for additional acclimatization before descending to Camp 2.   This part will depend on the weather since snow is forecasted up high.   If all goes well,...

September 16 I’m feeling fine after a great night of sleep at Base Camp more than 4,000 ft below our high point from two days ago.   The weather however has deteriorated with rain all night and the sound of distant avalanches and rock fall permeating the night.   Our goals for today are showers, a bit of laundry and the three familiar ingredients of rest days: eating, hydrating, and making red blood cells.   I’m also catching up on blog posts during this action-packed day. The weather forecast shows heavy precipitation for today, tomorrow and Sunday so the tentative plan is to rest here for three days and then head back up the mountain for our Camp 3 rotation.     September 17 It’s still raining and we’re still resting, eating, drinking and making red blood cells.   With showers and laundry out of the way yesterday, today is even more low key.   Reading books is a rare luxury during my normal life so I take advantage of this free time to do j...

September 13 We’re packed up and headed out on the trail for a few days on Manaslu.   Our goal is to spend a couple of nights at Camp 1 and hopefully reach Camp 2 at some point.   This is an important rotation for two reasons.   The first is simply sleeping higher to aid acclimatization.   We’ve been to Camp 1 already so this trip up should feel a little easier than the last.   The second important benefit is gaining experience traveling through the icefall region between Camp 1 and Camp 2.   It’s important to be confident in this zone and move as efficiently as possible for maximum safety. When we reach Crampon Point, it’s clear that today will be quite busy on the mountain.   There are way more people present than we’ve seen before and I’m reminded that Nepal has issued some 300 climbing permits for Manaslu this year.  It’s another misty day on the mountain and while not completely desensitized to it, we’re growing somewhat less irritated by...

  September 11 Today is a welcome rest day where the focus is on eating, drinking, and making red blood cells.   We’re following the tried-and-true method of climbing high and sleeping low.   The first day after a rotation usually includes a shower and some laundry which really improves one’s attitude.   Add in a few meals, some reading, watching something downloaded at home, a little blog writing and that’s a full day.  Above is a view of our base camp.   Most climber’s tents are yellow and grey on the left and our two are past the three white ones in the foreground.   The three white ones in the foreground are for climbers with money to burn.   The five tall shower and latrine tents are to the right of the three white ones.   The two biggest domes are common areas for eating and socializing and the long double yellow tent between them is for food storage and cooking.   Each climber has their own tent so Kriss and I have designated on...

September 10 The first rotation on the mountain will bring us up to Camp 1 and back.   From our look a couple of days ago at Crampon Point, it shouldn’t be that big a day.   As it turned out, this was a major underestimation. We awoke to a little fresh snow on our tents and a sky that looked menacing.   The weather here is quite dynamic so every day we expect a mix of sun, clouds, mist, and rain.  Breakfast was a bit earlier than normal and we were off by 7:45am.   We’re all wearing a full climbing kit including harness and 8,000 meter boots.   What was a reasonable day hike on Thursday plus a bit of rock scrambling at the cliff seemed much tougher with my cold stiff monster boots on.   We took a brief rest at Crampon Point after putting crampons on and then headed off onto the snow.   The fixed lines start right there and the route for the rest of the day was covered in crevasses.   The idea behind having fixed lines on the mountain is...

 September 9 th Today is our Puja day.   There’s a tradition within the Nepalese mountaineering community to have a Lama provide a ceremony whereby the team shows respect to the mountain and receives a blessing for safe passage during a climb.   Most Nepalese mountain guides will not set foot on the mountain proper before participating in a Puja. The Lama arrived at about 8:30 to begin preparations for the ceremony.   Things began in earnest before 9:30 and our entire team plus all the climbing Sherpas and guides and some support staff were present.   Those who wanted to have their climbing gear blessed put it to the left of the altar.   The pile was impressive.   During the Puja, a pole is raised on top of the altar and long lines of prayer flags are strung out in all directions to support it.   The altar is decorated in the Buddhist tradition with lots of different offerings placed in front.  One of the last parts of the ceremony is pas...