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Hilaree Nelson and Anup Rai perish on Manaslu

UPDATE 28/09/2022: The body of Hilaree Nelson has been found on Manaslu and transported to Kathmandu.
- A huge avalanche on Manalsu in Nepal struck a dozen climbers yesterday, killing Sherpa Anup Rai. In an unrelated incident on the same mountain American ski mountaineer Hilaree Nelson is reported missing after skiing from the 8163m summit yesterday morning.

Planetmountain

September 2022

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Hilaree Nelson on Lhotse in 2018

Nick Kalisz

UPDATE at 15:50
Jim Morrison, partner of Hilaree Nelson, has published this post on his social media account.

"There are no words to describe the love for this woman, my life partner, my lover, my best friend, and my mountain partner.

She has been the beacon of light in my life day in and day out.

On September 26th at 10:42 am we reached the true summit of Manaslu in tough conditions. We quickly transitioned from climbing to skiing in cold and wind with a plan to ski around the corner and regroup with our Sherpa team. I skied first and after a few turns Hilaree followed and started a small avalanche. She was swept off her feet and carried down a narrow snow slope down the south side (opposite from climbing route) of the mountain over 5000’. I did everything I could to locate her but was unable to go down the face as I hoped to find her alive and live my life with her.

I spent the last two days searching from the air in a helicopter.

Today with the help of Surendra an incredibly skilled pilot we were able to land at 22,000 feet and search for her. @nimsdai was instrumental in helping organize the best team and resources possible and I found her body with the aid of @mt.sherpa today at 10:30 am. I’m in Kathmandu with her and her spirit.

My loss is indescribable and I am focused on her children and their steps forward. @hilareenelson is the most inspiring person in life and now her energy will guide our collective souls.
Peace be with us all. Pray for her family and community which is broadly stretched across our planet.

I’m devastated by the loss of her."

UPDATE 28/09/2022 at 12:40
Missing ski mountaineer Hilaree Nelson has been found dead. The Himalayan Times broke the tragic news writing: "Renowned ski mountaineer Hilaree Nelson has been found dead. Nelson's body was spotted on the south face of Mt Manaslu this morning. Simirik Air helicopter had conducted aerial search for the third consecutive day and located her lifeless body on the side of Larke Peak. Rescuers recovered and carried her body to the base camp. Her mortal remans will be airlifted to Kathmandu later today, sources at the base camp said."

Elite Expeditions led by its founder Nirmal Purje published the following update on its social media account:

PUBLISHED ON 27/09/2022
A huge avalanche on Manalsu in Nepal raged down the slope yesterday between camps 3 and 4 at about 7300 meters, injuring at least a dozen climbers. Rescue operations began immediately and despite difficult weather conditions helicopters managed to evacuate the injured mountaineers and transport them to hospital in Kathmandu. Unfortunately though there was one victim, Anup Rai of Sankhuwasabha, Nepal. Only a few months ago the 34-year-old had summited Everest with Andrea Lanfri and Luca Montanari.

In an unrelated accident but on the same mountain and on the same day, as reported by The Himalayan Times, American ski mountaineer Hilaree Nelson is reported missing after skiing from the 8,163-meter summit yesterday morning. At present there are conflicting reports as to how the accident occurred, but what is clear is that the 49-year-old was skiing with her partner Jim Morrison after having summited the 4th highest mountain in the world when she fell into a crevasse. Morrison managed to return to base camp. Unfortunately a preliminary helicopter search failed to yield any results today. Weather permitting, a new search and rescue operation is scheduled for tomorrow morning.

Nelson is a highly accomplished alpinist and skier with over 40 expeditions to her name in 16 different countries. In 2012 she became the first woman in the world to climb Everest and Lhotse in under 24 hours, while in 2018 she and her partner completed the first integral ski descent of Lhotse (8516m), skiing directly from the summit to the Camp 2 at 6400 meters.

Conditions on the fourth highest mountain in the world have been difficult during this post-monsoon period, nevertheless there are an estimated 1000 mountaineers at base camp. The mountain is extremely crowded and between 300 - 400 summits were expected to take place in these days.