While the climbing season in Pakistan is winding down it won't be too long before the fall season in the Himalaya begins to pick up. Soon the seasonal monsoon will begin to dissipate and mountains that have been off limits for the past few months will suddenly become quite popular once again. This fall we'll get the opportunity to follow one expedition in particular very closely as our friend Alan Arnette has announced that he will climb Manaslu this fall. 

Standing 8163 meters (26,781 ft) in height, Manaslu is the fifth tallest mountain in the world. It is located inside Nepal,  approximately 65 km (40 miles) east of Annapurna and is one of the lesser climbed 8000 meter peaks. First climbed by a Japanese team back in 1956, Manaslu's most popular route to the summit follows its Northeast Ridge and requires the establishment of four camps on the way to the top. Alan notes that the biggest obstacles to success include heavy snow and avalanches that occur on the upper slopes.

This will be Alan's eighth expedition to an 8000 meter peak. He has attempted Everest four times, successfully topping out once, and also has experience on Broad Peak, Cho Oyu and Shishapangma. As usual, he'll be climbing with the Altitude Junkies and if all goes according to plan, they'll be eyeing a summit bid sometime in early-October. The expedition will also be used to raise funds for the Cure Alzheimer's Fund, which holds a particular significance to Alan who lost his mother to that horrible disease and prompted him to launch his Memories Are Everything campaign.

If you are familiar with Alan's blog you know that he covers the mountaineering scene very well and writes from a place of experience. His posts are always interesting and extremely well done and that includes when he sends dispatches back from his own climbs. That means that later this year we should get a very good narrative about what it is like to climb on Manaslu. I have no doubt that he'll keep us well informed about every step of the journey and make us feel like we're on the mountain with him. I know that I am already looking forward to following the climb in the weeks ahead.

Good luck Alan! Climb safely!

Standing 8156 meters (26,759 ft) in height, Manaslu is the eight tallest mountain in the world. It also happens to be the focus of an amazing competition known as the Manaslu Trail Race, which is run in the High Himalaya of Nepal each year. During the race, competitors will cover a total of 212 km (131 miles) over seven stages, going as high as Manaslu Base Camp located at 5100 meters (16,732 ft). It is a difficult and demanding event that rewards runners with stunning views and an almost spiritual connection with the world around them.

The video below is an amazing introduction to this trail race. It is a 10-minute long mini-documentary that will leave you inspired to want to run this route yourself while pulling no punches with how difficult the run actually is. The short film begins in Kathmandu and takes viewers through the various stages of the race, giving us a sense of what it is like out on the trail. This seems like an incredible mix of cultural immersion, breathtaking scenery and an unbelievable physical challenge.

The next edition of the Manaslu Trail Race will take begin on November 9 of this year. There is still time to enter and get training.

MANASLU TRAIL RACE PROMO (LOW RES) from Adventure Types on Vimeo.