Hilaree Nelson Dies On Manaslu

29/9/2022

US big mountain skier and alpinist Hilaree Nelson has died after an accident when skiing Manaslu (8163m). She summited the peak with her partner around 10am Monday morning, but was caught in a small avalanche after beginning the ski descent and was swept down a steep 5,000ft slope on the southern side of the mountain.

Nelson, 49, is a high-profile mountaineer, sitting on the Board of the American Alpine Club and captain of The North Face athlete team. In her career spanning two decades she has made numerous firsts. In 2012, she became the first woman to climb both the summit of Everest and the peak of adjacent mountain Lhotse within 24 hours. She made the first descent of Lhotse, with her partner Jim Morrison, in 2018.

She is survived by her partner Jim and two sons.

A statement from the American Alpine Club is here.