'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
American ski mountaineer Hilaree Nelson went missing after she reached the top of Nepal's Manaslu mountain before slipping and falling into a 2000 foot crevasse during a ski descent.
As per the Guardian, the 49-year-old was skiing down Manaslu - the world's eighth highest mountain - with her boyfriend, Jim Morrison on September 26.
Witnesses have stated that Nelson slid and appeared to fall into a crevasse, which can be described as a crack in the ice, barely 15 minutes after reaching the summit of the 26,781 ft mountain. Soon after this, Morrison descended the mountain and reported Nelson missing.
While speaking with AFP, the expedition organizer of Shangri-La Nepal Treks, Jiban Ghimire, said:
“She had an accident yesterday as she was descending shortly after her summit. We are trying to get clarity on what happened.”
The incident took place on the same day as an avalanche that killed one person and wounded over a dozen at the same summit, according to Nepal's tourism department.
Rescue operations for Hilaree Nelson were delayed due to weather condition
After Morrison safely returned to the campsite, sources claim that he immediately reported his girlfriend missing. However, search operations were delayed owing to poor weather conditions.
On Monday, September 26, the area experienced constant rainfall and snow which hindered helicopters from flying to the area to conduct rescue operations. However, AFP reported that the weather conditions improved on Tuesday, September 27 and a helicopter was sent to the site. Jim Morrison was accompanying the search team.
A little about North Face's mountaineer Hilaree Nelson
According to the North Face website, Hilaree Nelson's career spans across two decades and she is known as one of the most prolific ski mountaineers of her time.
The 49-year-old was the first woman to ascend Everest and Lhotse, both 8000m peaks, in a 24 hour push. In 2018, she went to Nepal with Morrison and they became the first duo to ski down Lhotse, the world's fourth-highest mountain at 27,940 feet.
Hilaree Nelson resides in Telluride, Colorado with her two sons, 15-year-old Quinn and 13-year-old Graydon. The boys live with Nelson's ex-husband while goes on the expeditions.
While talking to The Outside Journal, Hilaree Nelson revealed what her children thought of her adventurous job and said:
"Skiing and mountain climbing to them, it has always just been a part of their lives as long as they can remember. I don't think they fully appreciate the dangers of it, but I also think they understand that it is dangerous. I don't know if they are okay with it, but it's just what I do, and they love what I do."
In 2018, Nelson received the title of National Geographic Adventurer of the year after her trips to Papsura, India, and Denali, Alaska.
Avalanches in Manaslu are not a rare sight and are sometimes life threatening. As per the BBC, a 2019 avalanche at the summit ended up killing nine climbers.
