The Expedition Operators Association of Nepal (EOA-Nepal) and Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) jointly gave a formal send-off to the seven-member rope-fixing team for Mt. Manaslu on 23 August 2026 during a program held in Kathmandu.
The Autumn 2026 expedition season in the Nepal Himalayas has begun, with expedition preparations already taking place swiftly, while international climbers have started arriving in Kathmandu for their dream climb. The rope-fixing team for Mt. Manaslu – the eighth-highest mountain peak in the world, at 8,163 meters (26,781 feet) – is heading towards the peak on Monday, 24 August 2026.
Commercially, Mt. Manaslu is climbed during the autumn (September–October) season as the weather is generally more stable, with clear skies, more predictable, and lower snowfall than in other seasons. The jet stream shifts northward in autumn, reducing extreme winds on the upper, exposed ridges making this season better than other to climb Manaslu.
In the formal ceremony and handover program, the Manaslu summit flag and ropes were formally handed over to the team. The program was conducted by Satori Adventures’ Managing Director Mr. Rishi Ram Bhandari, also the General Secretary of EOA-Nepal. In the program, EOA President Dambar Parajuli, NMA President Phur Gelje Sherpa, TAAN President Sagar Pandey, Member of House of Representatives at Federal Parliament of Nepal - Mingma David Sherpa, and EOA executives were also present and extended their best wishes to the rope-fixing team.
Team leader of the rope-fixing team, Chhiring Bhote, received the Nepali national flag, along with the flags bearing the logos of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and EOA-Nepal, which will be representatively placed at the summit of Mt. Manaslu throughout the climbing season.
Another important highlight for Satori Adventures is that this rope-fixing operation will be coordinated by our MD, Mr. Rishi Ram Bhandari, also the General Secretary of EOA-Nepal. Proudly, the seven-member rope-fixing team consists of three expert mountain guides from Satori Adventures: Lopsang Bhote, Ngima Sherpa, and Pasang Gyaljen Sherpa. Other team members are Chhiring Bhote (Team Leader), Pam Dorjee Sherpa, Furi Sherpa, and Karma Sarki Sherpa.
What it Means about Rope Fixing in the Nepal Himalayas
In a major mountain peaks where large numbers of climbers attempt to ascend, fixed ropes along difficult sections of the climbing route are essential to facilitate climbing. This process of installing fixed ropes along the climbing route is called rope fixing. In this process, proper climbing route will be also open and established.
Rope fixing is extremely helpful during expeditions as it improves safety, makes difficult sections accessible to climbers, helps climbers ascend and descend safely and comfortably, and reduces climbing time and exposure.
This task is carried out by specialized Sherpa teams in the Nepal Himalayas, who establish the proper climbing route before expedition members attempt the summit.
Sherpas who fix the ropes in the mountains also trailblaze the route for this season, installing fixed ropes across steep snow and ice slopes, exposed ridges, crevasses, icefalls, and technically difficult sections.
Who are Satori Sherpas in Rope-fixing in Manaslu?
One team member of Mt. Manaslu rope-fixing team is our trusted Sherpa guide Lopsang Bhutia (Bhote), who is an elite high-altitude climbing guide with over two and a half decades of Himalayan expedition experience.
He has successfully climbed major 8,000-meter peaks, including Mount Everest (8,848.86m/29,032ft) three times, Mount Kanchenjunga (8,586m/28,169ft) three times, Mount Annapurna I (8,091m/26,545ft) twice, Mount Makalu (8,485m/27,838ft) twice, and Mount Lhotse (8,516m/27,940ft). He also has extensive technical experience on prominent peaks such as Mount Kamet (7,756m/25,447ft), Nanda Devi East (7,434m/24,390ft), Mt. Trishul I (7,120m/23,360ft), and Mount Shivling (6,543m/21,467ft), with more than two dozen ascents of various 6,000m peaks across Nepal and India.
Second member Ngima Sherpa is also an experienced climbing Sherpa with Satori Adventures, with extensive Himalayan mountaineering experience and training in general mountain safety, basic mountaineering, rescue, wilderness first aid, and rock climbing.
He has successfully summited several major 8,000m, 7,000m, and 6,000m peaks, including Mount Everest (8,848.86m/29,032ft) twice, Mount Lhotse (8,516m/27,940ft) three times, Mount Manaslu (8,163m/26,781ft) twice, and Mount Makalu (8,485m/27,838ft).
He has also successfully climbed Mount Ama Dablam (6,812m/22,349ft) six times, Mount Putha Hiunchuli (7,246m/23,773ft), and numerous 6,000-meter peaks, including Island Peak (6,189m/20,305ft) 61 times, Mera Peak (6,476m/21,247ft) 55 times, Lobuche Peak (6,119m/20,075ft) 21 times, Yala Peak four times, and Naya Kanga twice.
Another rope-fixing member Pasang Gyaljen Sherpa is a young and brilliant emerging climber who brings amazing knowledge of photography into the climbing career. He is equipped with some trainings like general mountain safety, mountain and trekking guide, first aid and rescue. He has successfully summited Mount Everest (8,848.86m/29,032ft) three times in the spring seasons of 2024, 2025, and 2026, Mount Himlung Himal (7,126m/23,379ft) in 2025, and Mount Ama Dablam (6,812m/22,349ft) twice in 2024. He also summited Lobuche East Peak (6,119m/20,075ft) in spring 2026.
We at Satori Adventures wish the rope-fixing team a safe and success in their mission, which will support more than 300 climbers attempting to summit Mount Manaslu Autumn 2026 season.
