Avalanches Rock Annapurna Injurying Three Climbers

As the winter climbing season draws to a close in the Himalayas, two avalanches rocketed down the steep slopes of Annapurna over the weekend above Camp 2. The first avalanche missed the only climbing team remaining on the mountain. A second avalanche hit mountaineer Mattia Conte of Italy and five Sherpas from Seven Summit Treks, all of whom survived the blast of snow and ice though three climbers were injured. The event ended the hopes of the climbing team trying to make a winter ascent of Annapurna this season. According to an Article written by Angela Benavides for ExplorersWeb, the six climbers were working on the route and ropes when they escaped the first avalanche in the gully below Camp 3. (Journalist Alessandro Filippini reported.) They couldn’t avoid the second avalanche that hit the climbers when they were secured to the ropes, which saved their lives. “Pursang Sherpa is now in the hospital to have his back checked, Mattia Conte suffered a subluxation of his left shoulder, and Chhepal Sherpa, whose