The Happiness Quotient

An avalanche has buried the base camp of Himlung Himal in Nepal. We examine the latest reports from this unfolding disaster.

On September 27, 2026, severe reports emerged regarding a massive slide that struck the base camp of Himlung Himal. Teams were actively preparing for guided expeditions to summit the peak when the event occurred. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable risks inherent in Himalayan expeditions, even before climbers reach the higher altitudes.

RESOURCES FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

Manaslu Slams Shut: Why 500 Climbers Were Sent Home:
https://youtu.be/zmg-zARF-Wg

Manaslu vs. Everest: Who is Winning the Race to the Bottom?:
https://youtu.be/Pr25Sf4ESFI

Nims Purja, the Broad Peak Avalanche, and the Questions No One Wants to Ask:
https://youtu.be/5GYX_azq_HA

The Juniper Fund, Supporting HIMALAYAN mountain workers,
their families and communities:
https://www.thejuniperfund.org

Explorers Web update from Angela Benavides, 28 Sept
https://explorersweb.com/himlung-avalanche-four-bodies-found-no-survivors

The Kathmandu Post, 28 Sept:
https://kathmandupost.com/national/2026/09/28/four-bodies-found-after-himlung-avalanche-12-still-missing

Nepal National Mountain Guide Association Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/nnmga


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Today on Manaslu, climbing isn't just an expedition—it’s an active conveyor belt. Nearly a thousand people are on the mountain right this second, creating thousands of pounds of waste while operators collect royalties.

But this is not a eulogy for the mountain. It’s a blueprint. 

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CAMP FOUR:

Henriette Pi
Barbedwire
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Surgery complete. Six of Konstantin Smirnov's fingers are gone. He believes the man whose job was to bring him down Makalu left him to die in the death zone. Today, for the first time, he tells the whole story — and he is not asking for your sympathy.

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Thank you!
Thom Dharma Pollard

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On August 26th, the Himalaya came apart. The disaster began high along the Lende Khola near the Nepal Tibet border, then poured south into the Trishuli River system heading downstream toward the lower valleys of central Nepal. A wall of water and debris. Communities were destroyed. Roads and bridges disappeared. Hydropower facilities were overwhelmed and destroyed and people disappeared with them. 

**THANK YOU TO OUR HIGH ALTITUDE SPONSORS**:
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CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS FOR FLOOD RELIEF

IFRC / Nepal Red Cross Society:
https://www.ifrc.org/emergency/nepal-flash-floods-2026

Government of Nepal Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund:
https://www.donate.gov.np

UNICEF Nepal:
https://www.unicef.org/nepal

Provisions For Humanity, expanding access to practical, sustainable solutions that help individuals and communities: 
https://www.provisionsforhumanity.org

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After the Broad Peak avalanche that took ten lives, the municipality where Nirmal Purja was born proposed renaming Annapurna I in his honor, to Nimsdai Annapurna. In this video I trace the epic of the mountain itself — the 1950 French first ascent and the cost it took from Maurice Herzog — and the right way to honor Nimsdai without un-naming a goddess.

**THANK YOU TO OUR HIGH ALTITUDE SPONSORS**:
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RESOURCES FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

Nims Purja, the Broad Peak Avalanche, and the Questions No One Wants to Ask:
https://youtu.be/5GYX_azq_HA

NEWS FLASH: Nimsdai's Troubles HEAT UP & 2024 Season Recap:
https://youtu.be/1mnq5WY0p2I

Patreon newsletter August 9, 2014, Broad Peak: Ambition, Ego, and The Questions That Remain After Ten Deaths: 
https://www.patreon.com/everestmystery/posts/broad-peak-ego-166132724?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

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There’s a scene in 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible that tells me almost everything I need to know about the Broad Peak disaster. Ten climbers died on July 30th—but the avalanche is only part of the story. This video asks the harder question: why were they there at all?

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"So these uh fingers, they are dead and you  know they they sound like stone, like a piece of bone." 

Listeners might want to check out the video version of this podcast episode, found here: https://youtu.be/xBW_6ZNYI8M

The fascination with the abandonment on Makalu has resonated profoundly. It may well reshape the guiding industry forever. 

Konstantin Smirnov faced the ultimate betrayal on the slopes of Makalu. Abandoned in the death zone, his survival ignited a legal battle that challenges the ethics of commercial mountaineering and could change the guiding industry forever is his court battle is successful. 

Be sure to leave a comment in the comment section to join the conversation.

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If you've been enjoying the podcast and find value in the content, we'd be incredibly grateful for your support. Your monthly contribution helps ensuring that we can continue delivering great content for you to enjoy.

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Thank you!
Thom Dharma Pollard

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In 2023, the Norwegian climber rewrote the record books by summiting all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks in just 92 days, alongside her close friend and climbing partner, Tenjen Lama Sherpa. It was one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of high-altitude mountaineering.

Beyond the headlines and the polarizing reception of Kristin Harila’s 14 Peaks project we explore the human cost and the industry mechanics behind modern high-altitude record-chasing. This is an unfiltered conversation about what it takes to operate at the edge of human endurance, the reality of the commercialized "circus" on Everest, and the weight of being the focal point of a rapidly changing mountaineering landscape.#everestmystery 

This is Kristin Harila, unplugged and wide open.

**THANK YOU TO OUR HIGH ALTITUDE SPONSORS**:
CAMP FOUR:
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RESOURCES FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

How Kristin Harila Climbed 14 Peaks in 92 Days | Tenjen Lama Sherpa Disappearance
https://youtu.be/IeV4xL4INec

K2's Deadly Moment | Kristin Harila's Firsthand Account of the Muhammed Hassan Tragedy
https://youtu.be/gyIuZBBBAFk

Savage Mountain documentary:
https://www.nfi.no/en/films-and-series/savage-mountain

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Thank you!
Thom Dharma Pollard

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For nearly 30 years, the climber long referred to as "Green Boots" has remained one of Mount Everest's most haunting and recognizable landmarks. Now, after DNA testing, the Government of India says the climber has finally been identified, and an extraordinary recovery mission is being considered.

But should it happen?

I welcome rigorous debate on the ethics, decisions, and systemic issues of Mount Everest. Please share your thoughts in the comments section. 

SMALL CLARIFICATION: During the segment I refer to the 1996 Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition as pursuing a "first Indian ascent." I intended to say the first Indian ascent of Everest from the North (Tibetan) side.

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The investigation into the abandonment of Hillary Dawa Sherpa reveals systemic corruption within Everest’s commercial climbing industry. Evidence of oxygen fraud, staffing failures, and criminal negligence is examined in light of current investigations.

**THANK YOU TO OUR HIGH ALTITUDE SPONSORS**:
CAMP FOUR:
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Barbedwire 
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Ursula Dimberger
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