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  Death on Pumori: The report from the expedition leader


 

Hello Everest news! it is a pleasure to write to you and tell you about the accident on Pumori. My name is Christian Denicolo and I was the leader on the climb on Pumori last October when an avalange has killed for climbing Sherpas....days in general were always good and snow conditions not bad even if September was a very snowy period because of the monsoons....we went several times from base camp 5300mt to our deposit 5700mt..no problem at all then after several days that we were there and good acclimatised, our Sherpas 1 of my team Jangbu, 2 of a Japanese team and 1  Phurba that was with Josef Einwaller from Austria, they started to fix ropes from deposit up reaching a height of 6200 mt where we were going up 2 days later after sleeping in deposit for acclimatizing.....weather was good....we had visit on base camp of Angelo Giovanetti an Italian guide that was summiting Pumori last year with Jangbu our sherpa and he said that there was too much snow in his opinion on top of Pumori, could be dangerous and difficult after camp 2 on 6500mt...but our Sherpas were looking so determinate and shure in all...fit, fast like the wind ,really great climbing machines...we had always contact with them during they climb asking about snow conditions and info in general...
the day they decided to continue fix ropes from 6200mt to camp 2 6500mt we had contact several times and they told us many times every thing is ok with snow ,weather ecc...just the time to put the radio away...looking up to see the little points moving in snow a huge avalange moved from top and passing exactly where the 4 Sherpas were....I can not describe the feelings and thoughts we had in our minds in that seconds.....the power of snow.....after the avalange stopped after falling for more then 1000mt we tried to check for the Sherpas but no sign....and as Angelo said "that is not a good sign" I cold my 2 friends from Italy, Ivan and Luciano and was trying to go and see what we could do or find. I belong to the mountain rescue in the Dolomiti so it was a normal instinct to go and help. after 1 hour the only sherpa I could find was Phurba just the hand came out of snow, my friends were much higher up, I was there alone digged him out and brought him down for about 150mt out of the snow till the border between snow and rocks.....
With these descriptions of the accident I would really like to tell to rimind the hard work that all the porters, and especially climbing Sherpas are doing on the mountains for us, how much they risk for all the climbers every time for not very much money...The 4 climbing Sherpas we had are now dead...they not exist physically anymore but  I will remember they laugh, the generosity and happiness they had for the rest of my life...Thanks for having had the time to share such a great moment with you!!!
Christian

 

 

 

 

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