Since I read the astounding mountain adventure book, Beyond Possible by Nimsdai Purja, I’ve gotten interested in knowing more about high alpine mountaineering.
In recent news, Mingma G has summited the true summit of Manaslu with his Sherpa and client team from Imagine Nepal. One of the strongest climbers in the community, he has shared a video to justify his claim. Manaslu has been shrouded in mystery and controversy for quite some time as many teams have taken their clients to false summits either knowingly or unknowingly.
For me both are commendable and am not a person who has ever ventured into this sport and I have deep respect for everyone who has even reached base camps. These are treacherous and really risky mountains and no one but a climber is allowed to judge anyone.
What entices me is the analogies it has with life. Each of us in some way is on a mountain and there are many peaks in life to be conquered. But if we don’t see the mountain that we are climbing for what it is and just believe what has been done to be the truth, it is like blindly trusting the rope to reach the false summit and believing it to be true. It takes great courage to move beyond what is already done, in the hearts and in the mind but it keeps you away from deceiving yourself.
I hope there will be no more fore summit in future. Top is always Top, no more ups, everything below you. - Mingma G