The Himalayan Club expresses its profound sorrow at the tragic loss of all ten members of the expedition team in the recent avalanche.
The mountains have claimed a remarkable group of climbers, guides, and explorers whose lives reflected courage, commitment, and a deep respect for the high places of our world. Their passing is an immeasurable loss not only to their families and friends, but also to the global mountaineering community.
We remember with deep respect:
- Nirmal Purja “Nimsdai” (Nepal)
- Pur Bahadur Gurung “Yukta” (Nepal)
- Nima Sherpa (Nepal)
- Kili Pemba Sherpa “Kilu” (Nepal)
- Nawang Thindu Sherpa (Nepal)
- Gyalu Sherpa (Nepal)
- Sohail Sakhi (Pakistan)
- Mallory Geis (United States)
- Nadhira Al Harthy (Oman)
- Wang Zhong (China)
Each of them carried a unique story, a shared passion for the mountains, and a legacy that will continue to inspire future generations of climbers worldwide.
This tragedy also brings to mind a poignant chapter from the pages of the Himalayan Journal. Nearly seven decades ago, the Journal chronicled the successful first ascent of Broad Peak, followed by the tragic final climb of Hermann Buhl on Chogolisa. On what he described as “the loveliest day of the whole expedition,” the mountain had other plans. The search that followed could not reach him as avalanches swept relentlessly across the face, and his companions left the Baltoro carrying only silence, memory, and the enduring image of Broad Peak—his last summit.
Today, another generation of mountaineers has been lost in the mountains they loved. The names have changed, the era has changed, and the equipment has changed—but one truth remains unchanged: in the high mountains, achievement is never greater than humility. The mountains continue to remind us that every summit is a privilege, never a certainty.
In this moment of grief, we stand in solidarity with their loved ones and with the international mountaineering fraternity. May they rest in peace, and may their memory endure in the mountains they so deeply loved.
The mountains remember every step. So shall we.
Reference & Courtesy:
Dawn.com
Himalayanclub.org (The Himalayan Journal 21)
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