Annapurna drama

As anyone reading this blog (all two of you) is well aware, I like climbing, and all things climbing related. Here's something that is currently holding my attention.

Annapurna Newsflash: Inaki Ochoa in trouble?

Three climbers are currently (as in - right....now) stalled at 7,400m (24,278ft) on descent from Annapurna in the inner Himal. All three are highly experienced on 8,000m peaks. The team was forced to turn around just below the summit initially due to frostbite issues but two have since fallen prey to either pulmonary edema, cerebral edema, or stroke...incapacitating both and leaving their teammate with the essentially impossible task of rescuing either one (to say nothing of both) from their current location.

Two rescue teams are working to reach them. One is delayed below basecamp, the other is higher on the mountain but pausing to rest at 6,900m.

This is happening right now.

I hesitate to make any comparisons to the idiocy that routinely takes place on Everest for the whole world to see...but what is happening on Annapurna is an example of both the worst that can happen in the mountaineering world...and the best. Climbers (fully qualified to be where they are - imagine that!!!) in trouble and other climbers putting their own lives on the line to try to bring them home safe.

Annapurna is, statistically, the most dangerous 8,000m peak in the world - 130 successful summits against 53 deaths - 41%. Here's hoping for a good outcome.