Mountaineer Hilaree Nelson is found dead after 2 days missing
Adventurer and mother of two
"Skier, storyteller, mum (of two), and lover of wild places." That's how Hilaree Nelson introduced herself on her Instagram bio. She was passionate about adventure but, sadly, that passion cost her her life.
Photo: hilareenelson / Instagram
Missing for two days
The lifeless body of Hilaree Nelson, 49, has been found after missing for two days on the slopes of Manaslu, the eighth highest mountain in the world, located in Nepal.
Photo: hilareenelson / Instagram
Crowned at the top but fell to the bottom
The American adventurer, one of the world's top mountaineers, had reached the summit of Manaslu at 8,163 meters, but on the descent, she suffered a fall and her trail was lost.
Photo: hilareenelson / Instagram
Her inseparable companion
Hilaree Nelson had set off on this expedition with her partner, Jim Morrison, who was with her at the time of the fall.
Photo: jimwmorrison / Instagram
A complicated rescue
The mountain conditions, the amount of accumulated snow, and the constant avalanches made the rescue work extremely complicated.
Photo: hilareenelson / Instagram
Found at an altitude of 6,000 metres
Hilaree Nelson's body was finally found, buried under the snow at an altitude of over 6,000 meters.
Photo: hilareenelson / Instagram
Did she predict the misfortune?
Hilaree Nelson herself, days before the start of what would be her last adventure, confessed that she was not as sure and confident as she had been on previous expeditions.
Photo: hilareenelson / Instagram
"I don't feel so confident on Manaslu".
"I haven’t felt as sure-footed on Manaslu as I have on past adventure [sic] into the thin atmosphere of the high Himalaya. These past weeks have tested my resilience in new ways. The constant monsoon with its incessant rain and humidity has made me hopelessly homesick," she wrote on Instagram.
Photo: hilareenelson / Instagram
A post, hours before the accident
This post was the penultimate one she shared on her Instagram account, three days before her disappearance. She still had time to share another post, the day before her fateful fall.
Photo: hilareenelson / Instagram
A message for eternity
A post with a message that sounded almost like a farewell: she spoke of how her passion for adventure was born and how she had become the experienced mountaineer that she was.
Photo: jimwmorrison / Instagram
Her exploits are spectacular
No doubt this message will serve as an inspiration for future generations of mountaineers, as Hilaree Nelson's legacy is absolutely overwhelming.
Photo: hilareenelson / Instagram
History of mountaineering
In 2018, as 'Desnivel' reports, she and her partner became the first adventurers to ski down the 8,516-metre Lhotse.
Photo: jimwmorrison / Instagram
Adventurer of the Year 2018
This spectacular feat earned her the 'Adventure of the Year' award from National Geographic magazine.
Photo: hilareenelson / Instagram
Crowning and descending
Before this adventure, back in 2012, Hilaree Nelson was able to summit Everest and Lhotse in 24 hours and ski down from Cho Oyu or Denali, as 'Desnivel' recalls.
Photo: hilareenelson / Instagram
World Extreme Skiing Champion 1996
A world champion extreme skier in 1996, Seattle-raised Hilaree Nelson was based in Colorado, like many of her fellow adventurers.
Photo: hilareenelson / Instagram
Confirmation of her death
Her love of mountaineering started as a hobby and ended up becoming her job - always hand in hand with 'The North Face,' the company that eventually confirmed her death.
Photo: thenorthface / Instagram
From India to Nepal
And now, 20 years after her first expedition to India, Hilaree Nelson had her last adventure in Nepal.
Photo: hilareenelson / Instagram
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