Manaslu, the 8th Highest Mountain on Earth
Manalsu, standing at 26,781 feet in the heart of the Nepalese Himalayas, is one of the world’s premier 8000 meter peaks. It is unique among the Himalayan giants in that an expedition to its summit is an achievable undertaking for ambitious intermediate climbers, making it the perfect entrance into the world of high-altitude Himalayan climbing. Manaslu is an excellent stepping stone towards Mount Everest, along with being a remarkable climb in its own right.
While the challenge of high-altitude climbing cannot be underestimated, the technical nature of the ascent is moderate. Our route is composed of snow slopes with short sections of ice and rock scrambling, using occasional fixed ropes for speed and risk mitigation. We climb in classic Himalayan expedition style, employing Sherpa who assist with load carrying and camp preparation. The assistance of expert Sherpa, many of whom have guided with us on Mount Everest, greatly increases our chances of success. We move up and down the mountain a series of times while establishing camps and acclimating to the extreme altitude. Supplemental oxygen is used for the summit attempt and while sleeping at High Camp. We build in extra days in our itinerary for inclement weather and slow acclimatization. The relatively short duration of the climb adds to the attraction of this tremendous ascent.
This is a fully guided ascent, led by Alpine Ascents guides who climb the mountain with you. We are one of few outfitters offering this comprehensive type of support, and as a result we have a high success rate and an outstanding safety record. Bottled oxygen is included in the expedition, generally using 4 bottles per climb from Camp III onwards. It is worth noting that most outfitters merely offer a supported trek, where a single guide facilitates the logistics but does not act as a guide during the ascent.
In no small part due to this high standard of support, we had 100% climber summit success in the 2023 season.
This year’s climb will be led by legendary Ben Jones, our Mount Everest Lead Guide.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EXPEDITION
- Alpine Ascents will continue to only operate small team sizes.
- Scheduled lead guide for 2025: Ben Jones
- Small team sizes allows us to carefully select a summit day and last few seasons have been 1 of very few teams on the summit
- As in past years, we offer 1:1 Sherpa-to-climber ratio (on summit day)
- Wi-Fi available at Base Camp
- Excellent quality base camp with group tents, personal tents and dining tents
- We provide oxygen during the climb
- We are committed to small team size, operating one fully guided expedition for increased risk mitigation, climber care, and environmental concerns at Base Camp
- Consistent with past years, we are committed to wages on the high end of the pay scale for Sherpa team and staff, often setting industry standards
- 40+ years of experience guiding high altitude Himalayan peaks, including Everest, Cho Oyu, Manaslu, and Shishapangma.
Alpine Ascents Success on Himalayan Peaks
Alpine Ascents has been a mainstay of Himalayan climbing since 1992. Our reputation in the Himalayas is superb and includes 301 summits of Everest to date and 83 Cho Oyu summits to date. In addition to our annual Everest climb, Alpine Ascents has led successful climbs of Lhotse, Shishapangma, Baruntse, Manaslu, and Island Peak.
As on Everest we offer one style of trip— a fully guided expedition with a low climber-to-guide ratio, with a well appointed base camp and Oxygen included in the cost ( typically Oxygen used from Camp III onwards ) This style has led to our historically high summit success rate, an excellent safety record, and extremely satisfied climbers.
A Brief Overview of Sherpa Life
Often inseparable from mountaineering, the Sherpas of Nepal inhabit much of the lower portion of the Himalayas known as the Solu-Khumbu or Khumbu. While their reputation as climbers is nothing short of historic, local Buddhist, animist, and cultural traditions have equally nurtured and impacted a fascinating relationship with Westerners and Western thought.
Sherpas became prominent to the West when British mountaineers began to set their sights on conquering Himalayan peaks. With the first Mt. Everest expedition in 1921, the skill, expertise, honesty, and dedication of Sherpas as guides and partners became an integral part of Himalayan climbing. The affinity of outsiders for Sherpa/Buddhist civilization has blossomed into an ever-increasing sharing, understanding, and friendship between cultures.
Prior to British expeditions, Sherpas revered the great mountains of the region as dwelling places of gods and goddesses, to which the thought of climbing was considered blasphemous. (“Chomolungma,” the Tibetan name for Everest, is the residence of Miyo Lungsungama, the goddess of humanity and prosperity.) Sherpas traditionally worked as traders, farmers, and religious folk. Along with these ancestral roles, leading climbs and treks has recently become a mainstay of the Sherpa economy.
“Sherpa” refers both to a tribal group and a job capacity as porter, climber, or trek leader. The term “Sherpa” means Easterner, referring to their origins in Eastern Tibet. The migrations of this Tibetan culture began sometime in the early 1400’s. Today, the Sherpa population in the Khumbu is about 5,000, with a total of roughly 35,000 living in Nepal.
SHERPAS ON EVEREST
The first notable and successful Everest climbing Sherpa was Tenzing Norgay. In 1952, Norgay accompanied Raymond Lambert to within 800 vertical feet of the still-unclimbed Mt. Everest. A year later, Norgay was asked to join the British team led by Col. John Hunt, which successfully summited Everest following the same route as Norgay and Lambert. Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary were the first climbers to reach the summit. By the mid 1980’s, Sherpas had summited Everest many more times than Westerners. Ang Rita Sherpa, the most well-known climbing Sherpa, had amassed seven summits of Everest by 1995. In 1993, Pasang Lhamu Sherpa became the first Sherpa woman to summit Everest.
THE NAME KHUMBU
The name Khumbu comes from its guardian deity Khumbila Tetsan Gelbu. The literal translation is “Khumbu country god.” The teachings of Sherpa Buddhism talk of a spiritual understanding between all beings. This is probably why the level of hospitality and acceptance of Westerners comes naturally to the Sherpa. It should, however be mentioned, that Tibetans are also considered fierce warriors.
—Gordon Janow, Alpine Ascents Program Director
Prior Years
We have been operating Everest expeditions since 1992 and have 40 years of experience guiding high altitude peaks in the Himalaya.
2013 proved to be a great season for us with 100% success of climbers who reached Everest High Camp making the summit, and over 80% of the climbers who joined our Everest climb reaching the summit. We were also thrilled to have two guides, three climbers, and two Sherpa reach the summit of Lhotse (both peaks reached within a 24-hour period). These percentages are very high when compared to other outfitters and we certainly encourage you to compare these statistics (using the same reference points) to other outfitters. Overall totals include 39 climbers on two Everest teams (13 Climbers, 6 Guides, 20 Sherpa).
2012 was another banner year for Alpine Ascents. Though a difficult season with tough summit conditions, Alpine Ascents was one of the few groups to have large-scale summit success. We attribute much of the success to our experience, which enabled us to choose a difficult but uncrowded Everest summit day and utilize the expertise of our guides and Sherpa. By the numbers, Everest 2012 saw 14 climbers reaching the summit.
2011: Alpine Ascents is proud to have 100% success for all those who joined our Everest expedition, with a number of climbers reaching Lhotse shortly thereafter. This was the first time climbers reached the summit of two 8,000 m peaks in 24 hours.
Everest 2010 had 100% success for those who reached High Camp with similar success to years past. We are happy to provide details of 20+ years of expeditions.
Recent 8000m Peak Experience
2024 celebrated summit success on Everest!
2023 met with 100% summit success on both Everest and Manaslu!
2022 Teams summit Everest, Lhotse, and Manaslu.
2021 Everest Team spent 4 days at high camp and returned to base camp after weather did not improve.
2020 No international trips to Nepal in 2020.
2019 Our team had over 90% success rate and all team members who started with us, completed the expedition on Everest!
2018 100% summit success (19 team members) and an Everest/Lhotse traverse.
2017 saw 11 climbers reach the summit of Everest! See our Cybercast for details.
2016 met with 100% summit success on Everest and Cho Oyu! See our Cybercast for details.
The 2014 and 2015 seasons were cancelled due to the natural disasters. We have been working directly with the local community and other organizations in the aftermath to help ensure that we meet the needs of all climbers and guides. For those that wish to learn more about our efforts and the Alpine Ascents Foundation, read more.
Climbing with Alpine Ascents
As in the past, Alpine Ascents will offer a fully supported expedition. We do not offer Sherpa-only guided, hybrid, guide-at-base-camp-in-radio-contact, or inappropriate climber-to-guide ratio as this is simply not our style. We feel this limited support approach strays from the goals of providing the best and most risk aware chance of climbers reaching the summit.
Our 2025 team will be led by Alpine Ascents Senior Guide Ben Jones. As always, we will employ our famed Sherpa staff. Our Sherpa team is legendary throughout the climbing community and will be the mainstay of our summit support team. We look to bestow our traditions and expertise on every climber.
Reading List
This is a highly recommended shortlist and we would be happy to pass on a longer reading list for those interested. These links will bounce to Amazon.com with reviews.
High Himalaya
by Art Wolfe, Peter Potterfield, Norbu Tenzing Norgay, Mountaineers Books
Everest; The Mountaineers Anthology Series
Foreward by Tom Hornbein, Peter Potterfield editor, Mountaineers Books
Everest
by Walt Unsworth, Mountaineers Books
Classic Hikes of the World
Peter Potterfield, W.W. Norton pub.
Fragile Edge : Loss on Everest
by Maria Coffey, Harbour Pub Co.
Coronation Everest
by Jan Morris, Burford Books
The Violet Shyness of Their Eyes : Notes from Nepal
by Barbara J. Scot, Calyx Books
Everest : The West Ridge
by Thomas F. Hornbein, Mountaineers Books
Eric Shipton: Everest & Beyond
by Edmund Hillary, Peter M.D. Steele, Mountaineers Books
Everest : The Best Writing and Pictures from Seventy Years of Human Endeavour
by Peter Gillman (Editor)
Life and Death on Mt. Everest : Sherpas and Himalayan Mountaineering
by Sherry B. Ortner, Princeton Univ Press
Tigers of the Snow and Other Virtual Sherpas : An Ethnography of Himalayan Encounters
by Vincanne Adams, Princeton Univ Press
Annapurna, First Conquest of an 8000-Meter Peak : (26,493 Feet)
by Maurice Herzog, The Lyons Press
Video Night in Kathmandu : And Other Reports from the Not-So-Far East (Vintage Departures)
by Pico Iyer, Vintage Books
The Snow Leopard (Penguin Nature Classics)
by Peter Matthiessen, Penguin USA (paper)
Trekking in Nepal : A Traveler's Guide
by Stephen Bezruchka, Mountaineers Books
Our climb was awesome! Better than I expected, and respected social distancing well. Our guides were effective leaders and well experienced. I mean, where else are you going to find a guide with multiple trips up Everest? So grateful for their experience and clear direction.
