Mountaineers Honoured on 70th Anniversary of First Manaslu Ascent

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Kathmandu, June 11: Mountaineers and organizations involved in mountain conservation and promotion were honoured on Wednesday to mark the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of Mt Manaslu.

The programme was organized by Chumanubri Rural Municipality of Gorkha in Kathmandu. Among those honoured were Phunjo Jangmu Lama, Diki Lhamu Lama, Poornima Shrestha, Purna Bahadur Gurung, Yukta Gurung and several other climbers from Gorkha.

Organizations including the Nepal Mountaineering Association, National Trust for Nature Conservation and the Manaslu Conservation Area Project were also recognized, according to Chumanubri Rural Municipality Chairperson Nima Lama.

Mt Manaslu was first climbed on May 9, 1956, by Toshio Imanishi of Japan and Gyalzen Norbu Sherpa. The first Nepali to summit the mountain was Urken Tshering Sherpa on April 22, 1973.

Standing at 8,163 metres, Mount Manaslu is the world’s eighth-highest mountain and Nepal’s seventh-highest peak. According to organizers, 3,742 domestic and foreign climbers have summited the mountain so far.

Speaking at the event, Phunjo Jangmu Lama, who holds the record for the fastest ascent of Mt Everest by a woman, expressed concern over the growing impact of climate change on Nepal’s mountains.

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