After the November 3 Yalung Ri avalanche that killed an Italian climber and at least six others, Reinhold Messner argues the Himalaya are inherently hostile, urges preparation over easy blame, and notes the Panbari missing are a separate case.
Author: Reinhold Messner
Reinhold Messner (born September 17, 1944, in Bressanone/Brixen, South Tyrol) is an Italian mountaineer, explorer, and author renowned for pioneering high-altitude, oxygen-free climbing. With Peter Habeler he made the first Everest ascent without supplemental oxygen (1978), then achieved the first solo ascent of Everest, also without oxygen (1980), and became the first person to summit all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks (completed 1986). He later undertook major crossings of Antarctica, Greenland, and the Gobi Desert, founded the Messner Mountain Museum, served as a Member of the European Parliament (1999–2004), and has written numerous books on alpinism and exploration.