Makalu Avalanche Kills 53-Year-Old U.S. Climber, Injuring 2 at 7,000 Meters

16 articles · Updated · ExplorersWeb · May 12

Shelley Johannesen, 53, died around 4 a.m. on May 11 after a wet slab avalanche hit four climbers descending Makalu from the summit, leaving her and Tawa Sherpa unable to move after a roughly 400-meter fall.
Severe weather delayed rescuers until about 3 a.m., and teammates said Johannesen was already in very bad condition by then, with hypothermia believed to have caused her death.
David Ashley stayed with Johannesen while Phurba Sonam Sherpa descended alone to Camp 2 to raise the alarm; rescuers later reached Ashley and Tawa, who were helped down and airlifted to a Kathmandu hospital.
The slide struck below Camp 3 on Makalu's normal route after Johannesen had summited the 8,485-meter peak on May 9 with Ashley and two Sherpas.
Johannesen's death is Makalu's second fatality this season, after 38-year-old Czech climber David Roubinek died of altitude sickness on Makalu II.

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