The mountain gods were protective of Manaslu, a two-pronged peak in the Nepal Himalaya, and one of the world’s fourteen 8,000m peaks.
Many years ago, a Japanese team tried to climb it, but the gods had sent an avalanche in their wake which destroyed a monastery and set the local people against them. When they returned the next year, they were met with sticks and stones, stripped naked and sent home with red cheeks.
Horrell and his two friends Mark and Ian shared a dream to climb an 8,000m peak, but it seemed the gods were against them, too. They had made no fewer than eight attempts without success (though they had managed to return with their clothes on).
With towering ice walls, monsoon rainstorms, arm-twisting crevasses and – most dangerous of all – welcoming teahouses ready to entrap them, would it be different this time?
Horrell has been on numerous expeditions around the world including Mount Kenya (2002), Kilimanjaro (2002, 2016), Ras Dashen & Bwahit (2004), Stok Kangri (2005), Cerro Bonete (2005), Mount Stanley (2006), Mount Speke and Mount Baker (2006), Lhakpa Ri (2007), Muztag Ata (2007), Yangchan Kangri (2007), Chulu Far East (2008), Iztaccihuatl (2008), Pico de Orizaba (2008), Nevado de Toluca (2008), Mera Peak (2004, 2009), Rucu Pichincha & Ruminahui Central (2009), Gokyo Ri (2009), Island Peak (2009), Gasherbrum I & II (2009), Antisana (2009), Cotopaxi (2010), Cho Oyu (2010), Baruntse (2010), Aconcagua (2006, 2010), Ritacuba Blanco (2011), Manaslu (2011), Denali (2013), Everest (2007, 2012, 2014), Elbrus (2012), Volcan Tajumulco (2013), Ishinca (2014), Jebel Toubkai (2003, 2014), Ouanoukrim (2014), Urus Este (2014), Cholatse (2014), Pumori (2014), Peak Lenin (2015), Iliniza Norte (2015), Pasochoa Norte (2015), Corazon (2015), Cayambe (2016), Chimborazo (2016), Mount Meru (2016), and Yala Peak (2017).
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