Successful winter summit of Manaslu after 38 years
Manaslu sees its second successful winter summit with seven climbers making it to its top this winter.
French climebr Alex Txikon along with six Nepali Sherpa guides on Friday made it to the top of Mount Manaslu (8,163m).
This is only the second winter ascent of the world’s eighth highest mountain since Polish mountaineers Maciej Berbeka and Ryszard Gajewski had scaled it in 1984.
“We all made it. For Nepali climbers, this was the first Manaslu winter expedition, which is as important as the first K2 winter expedition,” Alex told reporters in a press conference in Kathmandu.
Tenjen Sherpa, Pasang Nurbu Sherpa, Mingtemba Sherpa, Chhepal Sherpa, Pemba Tasi Sherpa and Gyalu Sherpa, who are guides of Seven Summit Treks, were Nepali climbers who made it to the summit along with Alex.
Alex is an accomplished climber, who summited Broad Peak at the age of 21. The 42-year-old has climbed 11 of 14 peaks above 8000 meters so far.
Of late, his focus has been on winter expeditions. It was his third attempt to summit Manaslu in winter. Alex had tried to climb Mount Everest in the winters of 2017, 2018 and 2020, all of which failed midway. In 2019, he also made a failed attempt to scale K2 in winter.
In 2016, Alex along with Pakistani climber Ali Sadpara and Italian Simone Moro had made history by successfully climbing Mount Nanga Parbat during winter.
Simone was also part of the Manaslu winter expedition this winter. But he was forced to abandon the expedition from 6,200 meters after health complications. It was his fourth attempt to scale Manaslu in winter.
“I enjoyed learning the learning while out there. Mountain is there. I’m here. I’ll come again,” said Simone adding, “Now, I can clap for their success. It’s not end of the game.”
