Unfortunately it is time for common sense to prevail, and call time on this opportunity to summit Manaslu. The typhoon is 2 days out, and it is still on track. Hoping it may change direction, or not be as bad, is folly at this point. So it was with heavy heart, but thankfully a still beating heart, that I am looking to change my flight and leave Kathmandu as soon as I can. All our Sherpa team, having retrieved equipment up the mountain, are safely back in BC. All western teams, I believe, are pulling out, and also most of the bigger Nepalese outfitters are doing the same. The rush to get out of Sama will be crazy, so I am very happy to be writing this in a cafe in Kathmandu!
I mentioned in the last blog that 3 people died in an avalanche on Monday, it was actually 2. They died when an avalanche buried their tent under 7 ft of snow in/near to Camp 3. Terribly sad 🙏. With this full scale retreat I hope we won’t read of some massive tragedy on the mountain.
The risk now shifts to the villages, such as Sama, in the Nurbi valley. The Nepalese government is issuing warnings, but I’m not sure what these people can do. From the comfort of our western (and very uninformed) armchairs, we can talk about leaving, moving to higher ground, not establishing villages in such vulnerable places, etc. The reality is very different. Higher ground is inhospitable, uninhabitable in many cases, and not sustainable. The valley floor is where people live because it is accessible by paths and trails, as building trails higher up the valley above the river is not possible. These valleys are so steep. This is a different world, living in a different time. I’ll pray these people will be safe in this storm, but there will be others.
It is disappointing to not go as far as I could, or to discover how far I could go. It’s disappointing not to use oxygen, or to wear my new – expensive – down suit, and experience operating in the death zone – but at least I won’t experience death!!
It was a good time, some time to live in, and experience, a very different culture, to see a very different, and extremely difficult, life, to have time away from the “real” world! It was a great experience to be part of a true Himalayan expedition, with a Sherpa team, a base camp staff, seeing the difficult job of being a porter (who gets a 1000 rupee tip, $7, for carrying about 30 kg/70 lbs), attempting one of only fourteen 8,000 meter peaks, climbing and rappelling in the icefall. It was a really good time, that didn’t end as I had hoped.
No new photos, but just a few of my favorites.
Signing off
Slan agus beannacht
Subha Yatra
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