Manaslu's autumn climbing season is officially finished. After heavy storms buried tents and triggered avalanches across the mountain, outfitters including Summit Force and Madison Mountaineering have pulled the plug. Summit Force's Nga Tenji Sherpa said continuing was 'no longer safe or practical', while all of Madison's team is heading to Ama Dablam instead in late October. Strangely, permit numbers for Manaslu kept climbing through the chaos, hitting a record 500 — leaving many guided climbers uncertain whether they'll see any refunds.
Dhaulagiri is a different story. The 8K Expeditions team is still at Base Camp, shovelling snow and waiting out the aftermath of huge avalanches. Climber Paul Clarke flew a drone 1,000 vertical metres up to scout the North Face, since the route above isn't visible from camp. He spotted heavy snow but strong winds stripping the summit, which could help clear the mountain. The team plans to wait four to five days before heading up to Camp 1. Polish ski-mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel, who wants to ski down Dhaulagiri, has landed in Kathmandu with his team, adding to the sense that this mountain isn't done yet.
Meanwhile, a Russian team is en route to Namche Bazaar for a no-oxygen Everest attempt on a non-standard route, and a three-person squad is planning an alpine-style push on Makalu — likely Russians Denis Aleksander and Artem Tsensenivski, who had originally hoped to acclimatise on Manaslu.
Good news for trekkers: most trails are reopening. The Manaslu Circuit, including Larke Pass, is open again, along with Khumbu routes. The Everest Base Camp trek is doable, and climbers are flying into Lukla this week to acclimatise around Namche Bazaar before tackling 6,000m peaks. Paths are snow-covered, so progress is slower, but trekkers are reporting a stunning white landscape under clear skies. Not everything is back: the Thorong La pass on the Annapurna Circuit and the Tilicho Lake Trek in Manang remain closed.
For travellers, this is a useful snapshot of how quickly Himalayan conditions can shift. If you're planning an autumn trek in Nepal, check route status with local tourism associations before you go — some passes reopen within days, others stay shut. Climbers with Manaslu or Annapurna ambitions this season should confirm directly with operators whether itineraries are still viable.
