{"id":47694,"date":"2025-04-07T10:43:32","date_gmt":"2025-04-07T16:43:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/?p=47694"},"modified":"2025-04-12T13:00:20","modified_gmt":"2025-04-12T19:00:20","slug":"annapurna-2025-summit-and-missing-sherpas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2025\/04\/07\/annapurna-2025-summit-and-missing-sherpas\/","title":{"rendered":"Annapurna 2025: Summit and Missing Sherpas"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Multiple teams, including 8K, Imagine, Pioneer, and Seven Summits Treks, reported summits on April 6 and 7, perhaps over 45. However, as of 8:ooPM, April 7 local time, two Sherpas are missing between Camps 2 and 3 due to an avalanche. This area was the most concerning for everyone, as South Africans\u00a0Warren Eva and John Black<\/a> posted an excellent video update from base camp. Warren summited while John turned back.<\/p>\r\n

Tough Conditions<\/h2>\r\n

According to long-time Sherpa climbers, Annapurna is experiencing some of the worst conditions ever. After an abnormally dry winter, the lower mountain, usually snow-covered, is bone dry, and the upper mountain is hard-packed, blue ice. Climbers are not using their mountaineering boots or crampons to reach Camp 1.<\/p>\r\n

Large, wide, and deep open crevasses pose problems. In a twist, heavy snowfall is predicted in a few days, forcing teams to rush their summit plans. The fixed ropes were only to Camp 3, and it was deemed to forgo the traditional Camp 4, so all summit pushes began from C3, making for an extraordinarily long summit push.<\/p>\r\n

Missing Sherpas<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n

I’m getting information from Annapurna that the missing Sherpas were with Seven Summits Treks and working the fixed line between Camps 1 and 2, a well-known area for avalanches despite the dry winter. A RECCO-equipped helicopter arrived at BC at 17:04 and left at 17:11, dusk, to search the area. SST had equipped all of its Sherpas and members with RECCO reflectors.<\/p>\r\n

Dawa Sherpa posted this detailed update:<\/p>\r\n

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A huge avalanche swept down from above Camp II (+ 5600meters) at around 12 PM (Nepal time) today on Annapurna and we suffered a terrible disaster. While ferrying oxygen cylinders for the summit push, 2 of our climbing Sherpas, Ngima Tashi and Rima Rinje were swept away. Pemba Thenduk, who was also caught in the avalanche, managed to hold himself and immediately began searching for them. Nawang Thindu and Nima Wangdak were on the route and joined the search. Afterwards, Lakpa Temba and Mingtemba joined. 5 Sherpas began actively searching for the lost men but no luck. Ngima Tashi and Rima Rinje were well prepared and had just climbed Chulu West as preparation climb before heading to Annapurna.

We deployed a Helicopter to locate them as soon as we heard the news and Captain Sobit Gauchan flew until evening to find Ngima and Rima. No luck still. The route between Annapurna Camp 2 and Camp 3 is hugely disrupted by this avalanche. We\u2019ll do our best to fix the line by tomorrow.

Despite our best efforts, we haven\u2019t been able to locate them. We aren\u2019t losing hope and are sending an additional Heli with Search and Rescue team early tomorrow morning.

I am not losing hope. We\u2019ll do our best to locate and rescue our men.

Pray \u2764\ufe0f<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

Dawa posted this video of the avalanche on his Instagram<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Annapurna 2025 Avalanche<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

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2,918 views<\/div>
2025 Annapurna Avlanche. Courtesy of Chhang Dawa Sherpa, Seven Summits Treks<\/div><\/div>\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t2025 Annapurna Avlanche<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n
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RECCO<\/strong> is a novel solution for finding buried skiers. In 1973, before any electronic aids existed, Sweed Magnus Granhed and his friends were left to search for skiers caught in an avalanche with their ski poles. Motivated to find a better solution, they developed a radar-based solution, the RECCO system.<\/p>\r\n

\"RECCO<\/a>
RECCO Reflector in Pants<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

\"Recco<\/a><\/p>\r\n

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Like an avalanche beacon, a searcher must search for the reflector using a unique detector device weighing 1kg\/2.2 pounds. The reflector does not require batteries, activation, or a subscription. It<\/span> is often sewn into a skier’s clothing, usually their ski bibs, but there are attachable reflectors for helmets and backpacks that sell for $38.00. A RECCO SAR Helicopter Detector allows professional rescuers to perform rapid searches for missing people on a larger scale outdoors. Searching with 100-meter-wide corridors, the RECCO SAR Helicopter Detector can cover about 1km2\/0.39 miles within 6 minutes.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Summits<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

Seven Summits Treks<\/a> gave an update:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We are glad to announce that SST has achieved the first success of the season on Annapurna I. On the 6th of April, our climber Cesar Chinchay (No O2)from Peru successfully summited Annapurna at around 10 am Nepal time, thus, marking the beginning of the success on Annapurna. After fixing the last 500 meters on Annapurna in collaboration with other expedition agencies, the second window\u2019s summit push was in action yesterday and this morning (7th April) we are glad to share that 5 members with 4 Sherpas have successfully summited Annapurna I (8091 m).
Successful Summiters:
1. JORGE EGOCHEAGA RODRIGUEZ
2. SEYEDHAMIDREZA HASHEMI
3. PAULA BIRGITTA STRENGELL
4. AFSHIN ASGHARZADEHLEDARI
5. SIRBAZ KHAN (No O2)
6. MINGMA JANGBU SHERPA
7. RIDAR LAMA BHOTE
8. NGIMA DORCHI SHERPA
9. CHHANGBA SHERPA
Exped. leader @14dawa<\/a>
Congratulations to all climbers and guides.
We wish the very best to our climbers for the next summit push.<\/blockquote>\r\n
And Imagine Nepal<\/a>\u00a0reported:<\/div>\r\n
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We\u2019re thrilled to announce that on April 6, 2025, at 10:10 AM (Nepal time), our Imagine Nepal team successfully made the first 8,000-meter summit of the Spring 2025 season!Summit Team:<\/div>\r\n
– Mr. Zhao YiYi (China)<\/div>\r\n
– Mr. Dipan Gurung (Nepal)<\/div>\r\n
– Mr. Phinjo Dorjee Sherpa (Nepal)<\/div>\r\n
The summit of Annapurna-I wasn\u2019t easy\u2014it came after an earlier attempt on March 26 was called off due to harsh weather above 7,500m. After weeks of acclimatization and rotations starting March 10, the team pushed forward with determination, ultimately reaching the top during their second summit push. Imagine Nepal also proudly took the lead in fixing the ropes on Annapurna-I this year, guiding the path for all future climbers this season.<\/div>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

8K Expeditions<\/a> reported that they also played a key role in fixing the summit route’s fixed ropes and had summit success:<\/p>\r\n

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Today on 7th of April 2025, our 8K Annapurna I (8,091 M) Expedition team have successfully summited world 10th highest and one of the most dangerous mountain among 14x8K Peaks. Taking the crucial responsibilities of rope fixing on the last 800m, our senior and most veteran climbing guide Mr. Lakpa Nurbu Sherpa takes The lead with coordination of other climbing guides.\u00a0

Details about summiteer name and time are below:\u00a0 Summit Time: 8:22 AM\u2022 Ms. Anni Katri Penttila (1st Finland Female climber to summit Annapurna)<\/p>\r\n

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\u2022 Mr. Lakpa Nurbu Sherpa \u00a0Summit Time: 9:10 AM
\u2022 Mr. Bartlomiej Andrzej Paczoski \u00a0\r\n
\u2022 Mr. Sanu Sherpa \u2013 Double 14 Peaks Record Holder
\u2022 Ms. Liliya Ianovskaia (Oldest woman to summit Annapurna I)
\u2022 Mr. Migma Dorchi Sherpa \u00a0<\/div>\r\n
\u2022 Mr. Dawa Nurbu Sherpa \u00a0<\/div>\r\n
\u2022 Ms. Zeng Xiaoyun (1st Singaporean climber to summit Annapurna I)\u00a0<\/div>\r\n
\u2022 Mr. Pem Lakpa Sherpa Summit Time: 9:20 AM<\/div>\r\n
\u2022 Mr. Pavlo Sydorenko \u00a0<\/div>\r\n
\u2022 Mr. Lakpa Nurbu Sherpa \u00a0Summit Time: 11:00 AM\u00a0<\/div>\r\n
\u2022 Mr. Nathaniel James Douglas \u00a0\u00a0<\/div>\r\n
\u2022 Mr. Pechhumbe Sherpa<\/div>\r\n
I wish all my\u00a0 brave summiters a good luck for their safe descent.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n
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Pioneer Adventures<\/a> also noted summits on April 7:<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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We are incredibly proud to announce the successful summit of Mt. Annapurna I (8,091m) by the following courageous climbers:
Climber – WARREN NEIL EVA (First South African)<\/div>\r\n
Climbing Guide – KAJI SHERPA Time: 08:38 AM
Climber – SUNIL KUMAR
Climbing Guide – NIMA TASHI SHERPA Time: 10:15 AM
Climber \u2013 NARENDER KUMAR
Climbing Guide \u2013 PHURBA SHERPA Time: 10:30 AM
Climber \u2013 GURSHIMRAN SINGH
Climbing Guide \u2013 PASTEMBA SHERPA
Time: 11:05 AM
Stay tuned \u2013 more climbers from our team are on their summit push as we speak. Wishing them safe passage and clear skies ahead!<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

I haven’t seen any updates on Italian Gianluca Cavalli and Peruvian C\u00e9sar Rosales attempting to open a new route on Annapurna’s northwest spur.<\/p>\r\n

Congratulations to all, and I hope the Sherpas will be found safe.<\/p>\r\n

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Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything<\/p>\r\n

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The Podcast on alanarnette.com<\/h2>\r\n

You can listen to #everest2025 podcasts<\/strong>\u00a0on Spotify<\/a>,\u00a0Apple Podcast<\/a>, Breaker<\/a>, Pocket Casts<\/a>, RadioPublic<\/a>, Anchor<\/a>, and more. Just search for “alan arnette” on your favorite podcast platform.<\/p>\r\n

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Previous Everest 2025 Season Coverage Posts<\/h2>\r\n