The Basque mountaineer Alex Txikon reached this Friday the main summit of Mount Manaslu (8,163 meters), the eighth highest mountain on the planet located in Nepal, in a historic winter ascent that had not been achieved since 1983.
Along with six other Nepalese Sherpas, and after the abandonment of his Italian companion Simone Moro, "the mission led by Txikon reached the summit on Friday morning," the general director of Seven Summit Treks, Mingma Sherpa, told EFE. largest climbing agency in the Himalayan country.
"This is a proud moment for the mountaineering fraternity," Sherpa stressed, adding that all members are safe and expect to reach base camp this afternoon.
Mount Manaslu has been climbed every year, but climbers only reach the front summit, which lies just below the main summit and has never been climbed in winter since 1983.
The first winter ascent to Manaslu dates from January 12, 1983, the work of the Poles Maciej Berbeka and Ryszard Gajewski. Since then only four expeditions with a total of 15 people have successfully reached the front summit in winter.
"Climbing Manaslu during winter is daring," as the last stretch is very steep and covered in snow, so "climbers don't normally venture there during fall and winter. Its last stretch becomes life-threatening." because of the fresh snow," Seven Summit Treks manager Thaneshwor Guragain told EFE.
A group of climbers led by Mingma Sherpa managed for the first time in 45 years to reach the main summit of Manaslu in autumn 2021.
Txikon, already unsuccessfully attempted the winter ascent to Manaslu in the 2020/2021 season, and again at the beginning of 2022, some expeditions made difficult by heavy snowfall and winds.
