Shelley Johannesen, 53, co-founder of US-based adventure travel firm Dash Adventures, died in her partner's arms after being swept away by an avalanche while descending from the summit of Mount Makalu, Nepal's fifth-highest peak, expedition organisers confirmed. The incident occurred on Monday, making it the latest fatality of the climbing season.
Details of the Accident
Johannesen, a native Oregonian, mother of three and adventure racer, had successfully reached the 8,485-metre summit before tragedy struck. She was hit by an avalanche at around 7,200 metres while descending, just below Camp 3, according to Nabin Trital, managing director of Expedition Himalaya. She was climbing with a three-member team that included her partner and Dash Adventures co-founder David Ashley, along with two Nepali guides, Tawa Sherpa and Phurba Sonam Sherpa.
Ashley shared his heartbreak on social media, stating that Johannesen 'died in my arms high on the mountain due to injuries sustained from an avalanche at approximately 24,000 feet.' He described her as an incredible person who 'lived her life with no limits and chased her passions around the world.'
Recovery and Investigation
Johannesen's body was recovered and brought to Kathmandu for a post-mortem examination, according to the Tourism Times. Makalu, a steep pyramid-shaped mountain southeast of Everest, is renowned for its technical challenges due to extreme weather and remote location.
Climbing Season Deaths
This death brings the season's tally to five climbers in Nepal, a cash-strapped South Asian nation heavily reliant on aid, remittances and tourism, where climbing is a key source of income and employment. Earlier this week, a Nepali Sherpa guide, Phura Gyaljen Sherpa, 21, died after falling into a crevasse on Mount Everest, marking the third death in two weeks on the world's highest mountain. Other recent fatalities include Nepali climber Bijay Ghimire Bishwakarma, 35, who died during an acclimatisation exercise at the Khumbu icefall, and Lakpa Dendi Sherpa, 51, who died on his way to base camp. David Ronbinek of the Czech Republic also died of altitude sickness on nearby Makalu II.
Climbing Conditions and Permits
In April, a towering block of ice delayed the opening of the route to Everest's summit by nearly two weeks, stranding hundreds of climbers at base camp. Seasoned climbers from the Expedition Operators' Association of Nepal are expected to fix ropes on the route by the weekend, allowing climbers to proceed if weather conditions are favourable. Nepal, home to eight of the world's 10 highest peaks, attracts hundreds of climbers annually during the spring and autumn seasons. Authorities have issued more than 1,000 permits this season for 30 mountains, including 72 for Makalu and a record 492 for Everest. Despite the Middle East conflict affecting travel and tourism, Everest continues to attract increasing numbers of climbers, according to Himal Gautam, an official of Nepal's tourism department.
