Russians Summit Manaslu’s Southwest Face

A major achievement on Manaslu – the Russian team led by Andrey Vasiliev has reached the summit of the 8,163-meter peak today at 1 p.m. local time after a grueling five-day alpine-style climb up the formidable Southwest Face.

Vasiliev and teammates Sergey Kondrashkin, Natalia Belyankina, Kirill Eizeman, and Vitaly Shipilov completed their ascent with no fixed ropes, no Sherpa support, and no pre-established route fully independent and alone on the mountain.

A New Line on a Legendary Face

The team set out to tackle one of Manaslu’s most difficult sides. Their plan was to open a direct line up the center of the Southwest Face, an area untouched since Reinhold Messner’s historic 1972 ascent via the Tyrolean Route on the left side. That climb – a no-oxygen epic -cost Messner’s partner Franz Jaeger his life.

Due to dangerous conditions on the central section, Vasiliev’s team was forced to adjust their plan and move leftward toward safer ground. According to short InReach updates shared by Vasiliev, the team successfully opened a new route to the summit ridge, where it joins Messner’s original Tyrolean line.

Five Days of Struggle

The climb began last week after the team reached the southwest side of the mountain. They were already well acclimatized, having summited Manaslu via the normal route just days earlier. On October 17, they reached 6,900m and scouted their chosen line, which appeared in good condition. By October 20, they had pushed to 7,500m, where they spent the night inside a snow cave – a test of endurance in freezing temperatures and fierce winds. The following morning, the climbers checked themselves for frostbite before resuming the ascent. That day, October 21, progress was painfully slow – just 200 vertical meters gained. But as Vasiliev wrote via satellite message:

“We reached the ridge at 7,700m and traversed some difficult terrain. From there, we hiked the classic route. Tomorrow, we’ll summit.”

Summit Success Amid Rising Winds

On October 22, the team stood on the summit of Manaslu at 1 p.m., completing one of the season’s boldest ascents. Later, Vasiliev sent another update through InReach:

“We went to the top and just returned to the tent. Tough. Wind is crazy up there.”

Their message captured both triumph and exhaustion – hallmarks of true alpine-style climbing.

A Race Against the Weather

As the team descends, strong winds continue to sweep the Himalaya, forcing them to hurry back to Base Camp before conditions worsen. More details about their new route and ascent style are expected once they are safely down.

A Remarkable Feat

This ascent marks a powerful achievement for modern Russian alpinism: a new route on Manaslu’s legendary Southwest Face, climbed in pure alpine style by a small, self-sufficient team. In a world of fixed ropes and guided ascents, their climb stands out as a bold reminder of traditional high-altitude adventure – determined, minimalist, and deeply human.

Andrey Vasiliev, at left, and his team in a temple during the approach trek to Manaslu. Photo: Andrey Vasiliev