An American climber and her Nepalese guide have been confirmed dead following an attempt to scale Mount Shishapangma in Tibet, the world’s 14th-tallest peak. The incident occurred on Saturday, October 7, after two avalanches struck them around 26,000 feet.
Anna Gutu, a 32-year-old climber from the United States, and her guide, Mingmar Sherpa, were initially reported missing after the avalanches. Their bodies were later discovered by a mountaineering team beneath the snow on Sunday, October 8.
Mount Shishapangma, like other high-altitude summits, is classified as a “death zone.” This refers to areas above 8,000 meters in altitude (about 26,335 feet) with insufficient oxygen levels to support human life. The altitude where Gutu and Mingmar were at the time of the avalanche was close to this threshold.
In addition to Gutu and Mingmar, another American climber, Gina Marie Rzucidlo, and her Nepalese mountain guide, Tenzin “Lama” Sherpa, are still unaccounted for. They were among 52 climbers from various countries, including Britain, Romania, and Pakistan, attempting to reach the summit when the avalanches happened.
Karma Geljen Sherpa, another Nepalese mountain guide, was critically affected by the avalanches but was escorted to safety by rescuers. He is currently in stable condition.
The still-missing Sherpa, Tenzin, part of the team guiding Rzucidlo, had achieved a climbing record in July, completing ascents of the world’s 14 tallest peaks in just 92 days, which broke the record of 189 days. If he had succeeded in this expedition, the 35-year-old Sherpa would have become the youngest climber to achieve this feat twice.
Recent reports indicate that climate changes are increasing avalanche risks in the region, even during what’s considered the safer, post-monsoon season.
This incident comes shortly after another where a glacial lake overflowed, causing floods that resulted in 42 casualties in the region. Local officials are currently assessing the situation.
