Langtang Lirung Tragedy. The two American climbers, leader Daniel Newell and Elliot Spake and Sherpa Gyalgen were killed by an avalanche on October 18 at 4900 meters when they were trying to descend to their 3775-meter Base Camp. They are believed to have reached the site of their Advance Base Camp at 5000 meters on the 16th and been stuck there with heavy snowfall on the 17th. They were on a buttress leading to the northeast ridge when they were swept to their deaths by the avalanche. The expedition’s only other climber, British David Atkinson, had left the expedition days before it reached Base Camp.

Michael J. Cheney, Himalayan Club, and Elizabeth Hawley