Azerbaijani mountaineer Israfil Ashurly has returned to Nepal for another expedition.
As İdman.Biz reports, after climbing Annapurna (8,091 metres), the world's 10th-highest mountain, in April, he returned to the Himalayas to attempt an ascent of Dhaulagiri (8,167 metres), the world's seventh-highest eight-thousander.
Ashurly said he had originally planned to climb Dhaulagiri in April. However, frostbite injuries sustained during his Annapurna expedition prevented him from doing so.
“The morning after climbing Annapurna, on April 19, I was sitting at Camp 3, looking west. Majestic Dhaulagiri towered above the clouds. I had to say goodbye to my dream of climbing this peak immediately after Annapurna, as the frostbite injuries I sustained on summit night required an emergency evacuation...
Five months later, I am at the foot of this mountain. Together with my old and new teammates, we will try to reach the summit, taking advantage of a brief window of favourable weather,” Ashurly said.
However, the summit remained out of reach this time as well.
“Unfortunately, we have become part of the statistics showing that not everyone succeeds on their first attempt to climb Dhaulagiri.
Looking at the mountain, I remember the words of Lionel Terray, who saw Dhaulagiri for the first time in 1950, as quoted in Maurice Herzog's book Annapurna: ‘Dhaulagiri will never be conquered...’” Ashurly reflected.
He also addressed the members of the international team who took part in the expedition with him:
“My old and new friends who brought us together, do not be discouraged. The mountain will remain where it is and wait for us.
This was a valuable experience. I hope it will help us complete the task we left unfinished today in the future. Until we meet again, Dhaulagiri!”
