Avalanches Killed an American and a Nepali on Shishapangma

Rescue crews are scanning the slopes of 26,335-foot Shishapangma in Tibet following a series of deadly avalanches that swept away several climbers on Saturday, October 7.

According to a report in The Himalayan Times, the slide killed American climber Anna Gutu and her guide, Mingmar Sherpa of Nepal. The report says that two other climbers are missing: Gina Marie Rzucidlo of the U.S. and Tenjen Lama Sherpa of Nepal. Sources at Shishapangma base camp confirmed the news to Outside. 

Gutu and Rzucidlo were attempting to become the first American woman to climb the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 meters at the time of the disaster. Tenjen Lama Sherpa recently completed a record-breaking ascent of the mountains while guiding Norwegian Kristin Harila. The two scaled the peaks in 92 days.

Shishapangma is the world’s 14th highest peak.

Quoting eyewitnesses, the Himalayan Times said the group of climbers was approximately 300 feet below the summit when two avalanches swept down the main route to the top. Chinese news agency Xinhua reported that 52 total people were climbing to the summit when the avalanche struck. The avalanches hit at least seven climbers; in addition to the two dead and two missing, three others—Kami Rita Sherpa, Mitra Bahadur Tamang, and Karma Gyalzen Sherpa.

Climber Mingma G of guiding company Imagine Nepal Treks organized a rescue party to reach the group. According to The Himalayan Times, the rescuers found the bodies of Gutu and Mingmar Sherpa in the snow.

Website Explorersweb said that Shishapangma was the final peak for Gutu and Rzucidlo in their respective attempts to complete the 14 peaks. Gutu was attempting to scale all of the famed mountains in the same season—Explorersweb said she was on pace to complete the challenge in six months. She was climbing with Elite Exped. Gutu had ascended her 13th peak, 26,864-foot Cho Oyu, on October 4 and then headed to Shishapangma after completing the trek.

Rzucidlo, who hails from New York City, had started her quest in 2022 by climbing eight peaks. She ascended Cho Oyu on October 1 and then also headed to Shishapangma. Quoting sources at base camp, Explorersweb said that Gutu began her ascent of Shishipangma on Friday, October 6. Rzucidlo was already at a higher camp by then.

Shishapangma is one of China’s two 8000ers, alongside Cho Oyu. In 1999, an avalanche swept across the south face killing famed American climber Alex Lowe and cameraman David Bridges. American climber Conrad Anker was alongside the two and survived the slide. Sixteen years later, Swiss climber Ueli Steck found the bodies of Lowe and Bridges on the peak.

Giselle Cesin contributed to this report. This is a developing story—please check back with OutsideOnline for additional updates.