August 23, 2012
Manaslu from Timang. (Eben Reckord)
IMG guides Mike Hamill and Peter Anderson are somewhere over the Pacific now, heading for Nepal. Just one change of plan—they have a different objective! Recent problems with the visas and permits for Tibet for this upcoming post-monsoon 2012 season has prompted IMG to switch our autumn Cho Oyu team over to Manaslu. Manaslu is in Nepal and is the world’s 8th highest peak, at 8,156 m (26,759 ft).
Ang Jangbu in Kathmandu reports that five of the IMG Sherpa team have now started trekking into the mountain, ahead of the climbers, with the job to get Base Camp all set up and ready to go. Phunuru, Chewang, Mingma Dorje, Mingma Tenzing and Pema  travelled one day west of Kathmandu to Gorkha and then on to Arughat accompanied by 95 porter loads of expedition food, fuel, and gear. They had one day of delay due to a landslide, but were able to link up with the porters who had been hired and were waiting, and now they are all heading for the small town of Sama Gaon (11,500 ft), on the north side of the Manaslu massif. They will base out of Sama Gaon (11,500 ft) until they get the actual Base Camp (15,750 ft) ready to go up at the foot of the glacier.
We are looking forward to following the team on a big adventure!
Eric Simonson