American mountaineer Hilaree Nelson found dead after fall from Nepal's Mount Manaslu

[Judi Lynn]

Source: ABC/AFP

By Andrew Thorpe, with wires
Posted 1h ago

The body of mountain climber Hilaree Nelson has been found on Nepal's Mount Manaslu, according to AFP reports, two days after the pioneering American fell while descending the peak with her partner.

Ms Nelson, 49, was one of the world's most successful climbers, having conducted more than 40 expeditions over a two-decade-plus career.

She was the first woman to climb both Mount Everest and Mount Lhotse in a single 24-hour period, and became captain of the North Face Athlete Team in 2018.

. . .

Ms Nelson's body was recovered by three rescuers on Wednesday morning and is being taken to a nearby village.

Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-28/hilaree-nelson-found-dead-mount-manaslu-fall/101482748

[truthisfreedom]

1. Risky sport.

I gave up climbing in my twenties. Didn’t have the nerve. RIP Hilaree. You died doing something you loved.

[Ziggysmom]

2. The press hardly mentions the poor sherpas that do the real work for the celebrity climbers.

In another incident the same week, a huge avalanche on Manalsu in Nepal struck a dozen climbers, killing Sherpa Anup Rai. RIP to all the lost souls.

[Demovictory9]

16. Thanks for this

[Ray Bruns]

3. Are we sure he wasn't next to a window in Russia?

[sarisataka]

10. First, she

Second, crass

[ybbor]

4. Tragic

I knew Hilaree when I lived in Telluride in the 90s and early 00s. We weren’t good friends or anything, but I was fortunate to be surrounded by many of these amazing athletes. She was incredibly cool and lived life to the fullest!

She will be sorely missed by many of my friends who still live there and am seeing many of them paying respects and mourning on FB these past few days. Terribly sad.

God speed Hilaree! May you keep an eye on your children from wherever you now reside and hopefully they will be able to appreciate you for the incredible woman and mountaineer you were.

Your love for the mountains was your passion, I’m sorry you couldn’t successfully navigate your last tour of them.

Peace!

[chowder66]

5. I'm so sorry. I basically grew up in Telluride during the summer months but that was before

you lived there. It's where my family took us each year for vacation. Knew a lot of locals and had a small letter published in the paper after a friend died in Trout lake. This was when there was one road in, same road out and before mountain village was built. I've only been back once since.

I do hope her family finds peace over time.

[ybbor]

6. Amazing place

I feel so fortunate that I was able to live there for a decade. It was still early in its development. Mtn Village was a mud parking lot at the base of the chair. There were still empty blocks in town. Rentals were in double-wide trailers. And there were still miner shacks for ski bums to live in at an affordable rent. It’s crazy now! Still have so many friends there, was lucky to have one come visit me last weekend.

I fancied myself a mountaineer, but knew I wasn’t shit compared to the badasses that lived in town. Definitely got myself into some gnarly shit, but nothing to their level. My wife says i did my retirement at the front end, and I don’t regret it.

Hilaree was just a normal human who loved living on the edge. She was a badass, and will be greatly missed. Just finished reading some incredible tributes to her on FB from friends who were her inner circle.

RIP Hilaree!

[chowder66]

7. Yeah it stuck in my heart. I wasn't a climber. Heck I wasn't even adventurous except when some

local boys took me and my friend up the trail (and then some) over behind Manitou Lodge. We crossed a sloped snowbank which I slipped on and lucky was grabbed onto, otherwise it was lights out for me. This was a spontaneous trek. No one was wearing the right clothes, we didn't have any gear. Hell, I was in a pair of white jeans which were ruined by the time I came back. I didn't care about them though. Still we had the run of Colorado Ave and went to the Bluegrass Festival, went to the Theater - which is where I saw Caveman lol.
There was a guy who lived in a shack (and was known around town) who wanted to copy my teeth in wood. He also taught us how to use our arms to prop ourselves sideways on a street sign pole. I lost touch with my friends there. A couple of others moved away after our friend died.

Telluride was practically empty of tourists most of the time we went but that's because it was summer. I wasn't too fond of Mountain Village when I went back but I'm sure it helped out revenue wise.

Now I want to go back. Sigh.

p.s. How neat that you got to know her there!

[ybbor]

8. The Manitou

So that trail was most likely the trail that locals that lived on the east end of town would use to ski into town. Kinda like a bobsled run through the trees.

You also have the bear creek trail that has it’s trailhead right at the Manitou.

I first lived in the Fall Line condos, down the street from the “Buck”, well, after couch surfing for a few months. You know, ski bumming.

Great town! Great people! Great memories!

So glad you saw it when it was still pure. It’s a lot different now. Still incredible, but not the same.

[chowder66]

9. I don't even think they had condos back when I was there but maybe they did.

I went to the Buck when I was back in the 00's but was too young when we went each summer. I remember going in looking for my parents though once.

We mainly went to the Floradora Saloon, The Sheridan, Baked in Telluride and The Icehouse when it was still a restaurant.

Those were the days!!!

[maxsolomon]

11. Tragic and unsurprising. You can take every precaution, but ultimately,

you're a captive of Fate.

Once you have kids, it's time to hang it up.

RIP.

[roody]

12. This is a sport of the well-to-do.

Poor people don't get thrills from risking their lives.

[maxsolomon]

13. Yes and no. It's a passion pursuit.

Once you're a sponsored climber, it's basically your job. Many climbers also make a living from guiding.

[GenThePerservering]

14. Many people in extreme endeavours

do it for the love of it and don't have much money. Others work in the field and will never be wealthy, but they are happy.

As for the rest of us, you'd be surprised at what we poor, shabby folk get up to. I was the brokest downhiller adrenaline junkie you might ever meet.

[EX500rider]

15. Nonsense, I road raced motorcycles in the AMA/CCS for 6 years and was making under 20 grand a year.

People of all incomes can be attracted to thrill sports.