The situation
Real talk: the vibes in the Himalayas are officially off. At least 10 Nepali climbers are missing following a major avalanche that hammered a base camp on Himlung Himal this Sunday morning. The group—eight from Himalaya Holidays Trekking and two from another firm—were reportedly at a staging point prepping the route and fixing ropes ahead of a larger expedition.
How we got here
The 7,126-meter peak has been dealing with heavy snowfall lately, and the conditions have been treacherous. Bibhuti Chand Thakur of Himalaya Holidays Trekking confirmed the team was sent ahead to set up the camp. Unfortunately, rescue operations are currently a no-go; poor weather is keeping helicopters and ground teams grounded, so it's a waiting game.
This follows a streak of bad luck for the region’s climbing industry. Just earlier this week, climbers had to bail on Mount Manaslu because of avalanche warnings. It’s giving major 'the plot thickens' energy in the worst way, especially considering the broader instability in the area. We’re still seeing recovery efforts for thousands missing after that massive flood and landslide on the Nepal-Tibet border back in August, and regional extreme weather has already been fatal for dozens in nearby parts of India.
Why it matters
It’s a massive L for Nepal’s climbing tourism industry, which is a huge economic engine for the country. Plus, coming off the loss of six climbers—including the legendary Nirmal Purja—on Pakistan's Broad Peak only a couple of months ago, this serves as a brutal reminder of how quickly mountain conditions can turn deadly. Stay tuned, but the outlook for an immediate rescue is lowkey grim.
