An experienced American climber died in her partner’s arms in Nepal after being swept up in an avalanche while climbing the world’s fifth-tallest peak.
Shelley Johannesen, a mom-of-three from Oregon, was killed as she was descending from the summit of Mount Makalu on Monday.
The 53-year-old, who was a co-founder of the US-based outfitter Dash Adventures, was with her partner and two Nepali guides at the time.
Shelley Johannesen, a mom-of-three from Oregon, was killed as she was descending from the summit of Mount Makalu in Nepal on Monday. Shelley Johannesen/Facebook “I am heartbroken to share that my beloved Shelley Johannesen passed away in the early morning hours on Nepal’s Mount Makalu on Monday,” her partner, Dave Ashley, said in a social media statement.
“She died in my arms high on the mountain due to injuries sustained from an avalanche at approximately 24,000 feet.”
Johannesen, a self-described high altitude mountaineer, had only just reached the mountain’s peak when the avalanche struck.
The 53-year-old, who was a co-founder of the US-based outfitter Dash Adventures, died in her partner, Dave Ashley’s arms. Shelley Johannesen/Facebook She died at the scene as she was being treated by medics, The Kathmandu Post reported.
Her body was later flown to a hospital in Kathmandu.
“Shelley was not just an incredible person, but lived her life with no limits and chased her passions around the world,” her partner said.
