Broad Peak avalanche wipes out a generation of Nepali climbing greats

The deaths of Nirmal Purja and five other mountain guides on Pakistan’s Broad Peak have dealt a severe blow to Nepal’s high-altitude climbing community, erasing decades of expertise and world-class achievement.

When a massive avalanche swept down Pakistan’s 8,051-metre Broad Peak on Thursday morning, it did more than claim six Nepali lives. It wiped out one of the most accomplished generations of high-altitude climbers the country has produced, taking with it decades of technical expertise, leadership and record-breaking achievement.