Mark Horrell
@markhorrell.bsky.social
Indie author & mountaineering writer | Bit of a mountain history geek | Baldest digital comms professional to climb Everest (probably) | Occasionally frivolous
"A massive avalanche struck the base camp at 7,126m Himlung... 2 Nepalese mountain guides and 14 kitchen staff were staying at the camp."
Another manmade tragedy in Nepal. It seems astonishing that someone chose to set up base camp beneath an avalanche slope 😢 🇳🇵
abenteuer-berg.de/en/avalanche...
Another manmade tragedy in Nepal. It seems astonishing that someone chose to set up base camp beneath an avalanche slope 😢 🇳🇵
abenteuer-berg.de/en/avalanche...
Avalanche hits base camp on Himlung Himal: 16 fears to be dead - Adventure Mountain
The string of disaster reports from Nepal just won’t stop. A massive avalanche struck the base camp at the foot of the 7,126-meter-high Himlung Himal today in the morning local time. The tents set up ...
abenteuer-berg.de
September 28, 2026 at 7:53 PM
"A massive avalanche struck the base camp at 7,126m Himlung... 2 Nepalese mountain guides and 14 kitchen staff were staying at the camp."
Another manmade tragedy in Nepal. It seems astonishing that someone chose to set up base camp beneath an avalanche slope 😢 🇳🇵
abenteuer-berg.de/en/avalanche...
Another manmade tragedy in Nepal. It seems astonishing that someone chose to set up base camp beneath an avalanche slope 😢 🇳🇵
abenteuer-berg.de/en/avalanche...
"Oh, yes... The monks get very excited." 😠
But not about what you might expect.
(from "To a Mountain in Tibet", by Colin Thubron) 📚
But not about what you might expect.
(from "To a Mountain in Tibet", by Colin Thubron) 📚
September 23, 2026 at 9:34 PM
"Oh, yes... The monks get very excited." 😠
But not about what you might expect.
(from "To a Mountain in Tibet", by Colin Thubron) 📚
But not about what you might expect.
(from "To a Mountain in Tibet", by Colin Thubron) 📚
The numbers on Manaslu this year are close to those of the record-breaking spring season on Everest.
Meanwhile, a man from Samagaun will begin a hunger strike at base camp to draw attention to climate change in the Himalayas (via @springinsfeld.bsky.social)
abenteuer-berg.de/en/record-ru...
Meanwhile, a man from Samagaun will begin a hunger strike at base camp to draw attention to climate change in the Himalayas (via @springinsfeld.bsky.social)
abenteuer-berg.de/en/record-ru...
Record rush on the eight-thousander Manaslu - Adventure Mountain
There have never been as many climbers attempting to summit the 8,163-meter-high Manaslu in western Nepal as there are this fall.
abenteuer-berg.de
September 22, 2026 at 6:28 AM
The numbers on Manaslu this year are close to those of the record-breaking spring season on Everest.
Meanwhile, a man from Samagaun will begin a hunger strike at base camp to draw attention to climate change in the Himalayas (via @springinsfeld.bsky.social)
abenteuer-berg.de/en/record-ru...
Meanwhile, a man from Samagaun will begin a hunger strike at base camp to draw attention to climate change in the Himalayas (via @springinsfeld.bsky.social)
abenteuer-berg.de/en/record-ru...
🌟 New blog post ✍️
Situated at a confluence of the Bhote Khosi, Trisuli and Langtang rivers, Syaphru Besi was the gateway to Langtang and a major pilgrimage route.
That was until last month.
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/sy...
Situated at a confluence of the Bhote Khosi, Trisuli and Langtang rivers, Syaphru Besi was the gateway to Langtang and a major pilgrimage route.
That was until last month.
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/sy...
Syaphru Besi: the trailhead village buried by mud
Situated at a confluence of the Bhote Khosi, Trisuli and Langtang rivers at the end of the road from Kathmandu, Syaphru Besi was the gateway to the Langtang trek, Tamang Heritage Trail, and pilgrim…
www.markhorrell.com
September 17, 2026 at 4:40 PM
🌟 New blog post ✍️
Situated at a confluence of the Bhote Khosi, Trisuli and Langtang rivers, Syaphru Besi was the gateway to Langtang and a major pilgrimage route.
That was until last month.
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/sy...
Situated at a confluence of the Bhote Khosi, Trisuli and Langtang rivers, Syaphru Besi was the gateway to Langtang and a major pilgrimage route.
That was until last month.
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/sy...
"What it doesn't show is how intimidating that ridge can be in cloud, rain or strong winds or how quickly a manageable situation can become a serious emergency."
- 147 rescues in 2020
- 308 in 2023
- 359 in 2025
- 440 projected in 2026
Embarrassing really 😚
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
- 147 rescues in 2020
- 308 in 2023
- 359 in 2025
- 440 projected in 2026
Embarrassing really 😚
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Eryri mountain rescue callouts 'not sustainable'
Llanberis Mountain Rescue want people enjoying Eryri - Snowdonia - but they must be prepared.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 14, 2026 at 7:27 PM
"What it doesn't show is how intimidating that ridge can be in cloud, rain or strong winds or how quickly a manageable situation can become a serious emergency."
- 147 rescues in 2020
- 308 in 2023
- 359 in 2025
- 440 projected in 2026
Embarrassing really 😚
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
- 147 rescues in 2020
- 308 in 2023
- 359 in 2025
- 440 projected in 2026
Embarrassing really 😚
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
🌟 New blog post ✍️
I’ve made several visits to the Black Mountains over the years, but I had never climbed its highest peak, Waun Fach ⛰️
This year I decided to put this omission behind me by climbing it twice, once from the east and once from the west 🧭
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/wa...
I’ve made several visits to the Black Mountains over the years, but I had never climbed its highest peak, Waun Fach ⛰️
This year I decided to put this omission behind me by climbing it twice, once from the east and once from the west 🧭
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/wa...
Waun Fach, Two Fach: the highest peak in the Black Mountains from both sides
I’ve made several visits to the Black Mountains over the years, but I had never climbed its highest peak, Waun Fach (811m), so this year I decided to put this omission behind me by climbing it twic…
www.markhorrell.com
September 2, 2026 at 4:46 PM
🌟 New blog post ✍️
I’ve made several visits to the Black Mountains over the years, but I had never climbed its highest peak, Waun Fach ⛰️
This year I decided to put this omission behind me by climbing it twice, once from the east and once from the west 🧭
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/wa...
I’ve made several visits to the Black Mountains over the years, but I had never climbed its highest peak, Waun Fach ⛰️
This year I decided to put this omission behind me by climbing it twice, once from the east and once from the west 🧭
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/wa...
"The outdoor industry has shown little appetite for publicly confronting the allegations, controversies or the behaviour of Purja’s supporters."
What will Nims' legacy be now? A rare article looking at the other side by @ashrouten.com
www.thegreatoutdoorsmag.com/opinion/nirm...
What will Nims' legacy be now? A rare article looking at the other side by @ashrouten.com
www.thegreatoutdoorsmag.com/opinion/nirm...
Nirmal Purja was modern mountaineering's biggest star, but his legacy hints at an older, darker macho cult of personality
"Nirmal Purja brought global eyeballs to an industry that was and is happy to look the other way," Ash Routen writes.
www.thegreatoutdoorsmag.com
August 31, 2026 at 7:24 PM
"The outdoor industry has shown little appetite for publicly confronting the allegations, controversies or the behaviour of Purja’s supporters."
What will Nims' legacy be now? A rare article looking at the other side by @ashrouten.com
www.thegreatoutdoorsmag.com/opinion/nirm...
What will Nims' legacy be now? A rare article looking at the other side by @ashrouten.com
www.thegreatoutdoorsmag.com/opinion/nirm...
Reposted by Mark Horrell
The source of the flood in Nepal is a collapsed glacier 🧪⚒️
August 26, 2026 at 10:40 AM
The source of the flood in Nepal is a collapsed glacier 🧪⚒️
Terrible news. There are many Bhote Khosi rivers between Tibet and Nepal (bhote=border). This is the one to Syapru Besi, gateway to the Langtang and Tamang Heritage trails. A big trekking region 😢🇳🇵
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
Flash floods on Nepal-Tibet border leave scores dead and hundreds missing
At least 157 people dead and hundreds of tourists among missing after roads, bridges and power plants swept away
www.theguardian.com
August 26, 2026 at 8:16 PM
Terrible news. There are many Bhote Khosi rivers between Tibet and Nepal (bhote=border). This is the one to Syapru Besi, gateway to the Langtang and Tamang Heritage trails. A big trekking region 😢🇳🇵
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
🌟 New blog post ✍️
Deep in montane forest in the Dominican Republic, we heard a mournful sound like an orchestra tuning up 🎵
It was all around us, but we never saw the bird that made it. The locals had their own name for it, but what was it? 🐦
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/ho...
Deep in montane forest in the Dominican Republic, we heard a mournful sound like an orchestra tuning up 🎵
It was all around us, but we never saw the bird that made it. The locals had their own name for it, but what was it? 🐦
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/ho...
How Merlin uncovered the ghostly sound of the Hispaniola mountains
Deep in montane forest above 1,500m in the Dominican Republic’s Cordillera Central, we heard a mournful sound like an orchestra tuning up. It was all around us, everywhere we travelled, but w…
www.markhorrell.com
August 20, 2026 at 4:45 PM
🌟 New blog post ✍️
Deep in montane forest in the Dominican Republic, we heard a mournful sound like an orchestra tuning up 🎵
It was all around us, but we never saw the bird that made it. The locals had their own name for it, but what was it? 🐦
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/ho...
Deep in montane forest in the Dominican Republic, we heard a mournful sound like an orchestra tuning up 🎵
It was all around us, but we never saw the bird that made it. The locals had their own name for it, but what was it? 🐦
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/ho...
"A paper in a leading chemistry journal had to be retracted because the authors used an AI tool. The tool used the phrase “mass killing of an ethnic group” instead of “final solution”, though the paragraph in question was about a zinc nanogel."
Oops 😳
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Oops 😳
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Claude to start watermarking AI-generated text – but will it make quality worse?
Anthropic says it will change way chatbot makes small, random choices, to comply with EU regulation
www.theguardian.com
August 17, 2026 at 8:15 PM
"A paper in a leading chemistry journal had to be retracted because the authors used an AI tool. The tool used the phrase “mass killing of an ethnic group” instead of “final solution”, though the paragraph in question was about a zinc nanogel."
Oops 😳
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Oops 😳
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
"I don't accept the idea that enormous experience automatically produces good judgment.
Experience gives you information. Judgment determines what you do with it."
Wise words by @alanarnette.bsky.social about the Broad Peak tragedy.
www.alanarnette.com/2026/08/13/l...
Experience gives you information. Judgment determines what you do with it."
Wise words by @alanarnette.bsky.social about the Broad Peak tragedy.
www.alanarnette.com/2026/08/13/l...
Learnings from Broad Peak Tragedy
Two weeks ago today, on July 30, 2026, ten climbers died in a single avalanche on Broad Peak. The event has received extensive media coverage, in part because Nirmal “Nims” Purja, one o…
www.alanarnette.com
August 14, 2026 at 5:07 PM
"I don't accept the idea that enormous experience automatically produces good judgment.
Experience gives you information. Judgment determines what you do with it."
Wise words by @alanarnette.bsky.social about the Broad Peak tragedy.
www.alanarnette.com/2026/08/13/l...
Experience gives you information. Judgment determines what you do with it."
Wise words by @alanarnette.bsky.social about the Broad Peak tragedy.
www.alanarnette.com/2026/08/13/l...
If you want to know the exact timing of the solar eclipse in your location tomorrow evening, timeanddate.com had this useful tool where you can type in your nearest town and Bob's your uncle 🌞🌙
There is even a video showing exactly what it will look like 🌒
www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@...
There is even a video showing exactly what it will look like 🌒
www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@...
August 12, 2026 Partial Solar Eclipse in Cirencester, England, United Kingdom
Start time, end time, animation, and detailed viewing information for the upcoming eclipse in Cirencester, England, United Kingdom
www.timeanddate.com
August 11, 2026 at 8:27 PM
If you want to know the exact timing of the solar eclipse in your location tomorrow evening, timeanddate.com had this useful tool where you can type in your nearest town and Bob's your uncle 🌞🌙
There is even a video showing exactly what it will look like 🌒
www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@...
There is even a video showing exactly what it will look like 🌒
www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@...
Terrible news. 10 climbers missing after an avalanche on Broad Peak, including Nirmal Purja.
Apparently, around 9:30 am local time on July 30, at 6,600m, a massive avalanche on Broad Peak, 8,047 meters / 26,401 feet, affected at least 10 climbers, including Elite Expeditions co-founder Nirmal Purja. #Broadpeak2026. www.alanarnette.com/2026/07/31/t...
Tragedy on Broad Peak
I always hesitate to post about climbing accidents too early, as there is a tremendous amount of misinformation in the mainstream media and especially on social media; thus, this is a preliminary p…
www.alanarnette.com
July 31, 2026 at 9:09 PM
Terrible news. 10 climbers missing after an avalanche on Broad Peak, including Nirmal Purja.
Reposted by Mark Horrell
This is one of the worst football matches I have ever seen, and I support SWINDON.
July 19, 2026 at 8:39 PM
This is one of the worst football matches I have ever seen, and I support SWINDON.
🌟 New blog post ✍️
I recently finished reading Mt Everest the Reconnaissance 1935 by Tony Astill 📚
The book was interesting to me for describing the first ascent of 7,045m Lhakpa Ri by Bill Tilman and Edmund Wigram, a peak that I climbed myself in 2007 🗻
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/ti...
I recently finished reading Mt Everest the Reconnaissance 1935 by Tony Astill 📚
The book was interesting to me for describing the first ascent of 7,045m Lhakpa Ri by Bill Tilman and Edmund Wigram, a peak that I climbed myself in 2007 🗻
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/ti...
Tilman and Wigram’s first ascent of ‘Gardefui’, now known as Lhakpa Ri
I’ve recently finished reading Mount Everest the Reconnaissance 1935 by Tony Astill. The book was interesting to me because it described the first ascent of 7,045m Lhakpa Ri by Bill Tilman and Edmu…
www.markhorrell.com
July 16, 2026 at 6:45 PM
🌟 New blog post ✍️
I recently finished reading Mt Everest the Reconnaissance 1935 by Tony Astill 📚
The book was interesting to me for describing the first ascent of 7,045m Lhakpa Ri by Bill Tilman and Edmund Wigram, a peak that I climbed myself in 2007 🗻
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/ti...
I recently finished reading Mt Everest the Reconnaissance 1935 by Tony Astill 📚
The book was interesting to me for describing the first ascent of 7,045m Lhakpa Ri by Bill Tilman and Edmund Wigram, a peak that I climbed myself in 2007 🗻
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/ti...
And the burning question is, did the Princess join the back of the queue for her summit photo on Snowdon, or did she barge to the front? 🤔
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Catherine shares photos reuniting with family after Three Peaks Challenge
The princess completed the challenge in aid of the hospital where she was treated for cancer.
www.bbc.co.uk
July 5, 2026 at 7:30 PM
And the burning question is, did the Princess join the back of the queue for her summit photo on Snowdon, or did she barge to the front? 🤔
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
This made me laugh. Yes, me too.
I remember getting thrashed by a team of Peruvian villagers while trekking the Huayhuash Circuit in 2002. ⚽
Not mentioned in this article: our football exploded while being carried up from a lower altitude. 💥
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
I remember getting thrashed by a team of Peruvian villagers while trekking the Huayhuash Circuit in 2002. ⚽
Not mentioned in this article: our football exploded while being carried up from a lower altitude. 💥
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Facing Mexico at the Azteca? Suddenly our expectations of England are unusually realistic | Max Rushden
Thomas Tuchel’s side have problems aside from the altitude: defeat in a Mexican haze would be no embarrassment
www.theguardian.com
July 5, 2026 at 9:27 AM
This made me laugh. Yes, me too.
I remember getting thrashed by a team of Peruvian villagers while trekking the Huayhuash Circuit in 2002. ⚽
Not mentioned in this article: our football exploded while being carried up from a lower altitude. 💥
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
I remember getting thrashed by a team of Peruvian villagers while trekking the Huayhuash Circuit in 2002. ⚽
Not mentioned in this article: our football exploded while being carried up from a lower altitude. 💥
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
🌟 New blog post ✍️
With the Everest season over and the usual stories about traffic jams, it seems a good time to report on a far more heinous example of queuing on mountaintops that has emerged in recent years. 🙄 www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/ho...
With the Everest season over and the usual stories about traffic jams, it seems a good time to report on a far more heinous example of queuing on mountaintops that has emerged in recent years. 🙄 www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/ho...
How to solve the problem of queuing for a summit photo on popular peaks like Snowdon / Yr Wyddfa
I only bring you the really important stories on this blog, and here’s one that will have you choking on your Kendal Mint Cake. With the Everest season over, along with the usual stories about traf…
www.markhorrell.com
July 2, 2026 at 6:37 PM
🌟 New blog post ✍️
With the Everest season over and the usual stories about traffic jams, it seems a good time to report on a far more heinous example of queuing on mountaintops that has emerged in recent years. 🙄 www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/ho...
With the Everest season over and the usual stories about traffic jams, it seems a good time to report on a far more heinous example of queuing on mountaintops that has emerged in recent years. 🙄 www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/ho...
Speaking as a high-altitude mountaineer I advise Tuchel to slow the game down against Mexico 🗻
Azteca Stadium is at 2,200m. England have just 3 days to acclimatise 🏴
The difference in performance once you're acclimatised is HUGE. If the game is played at a frantic pace, Mexico will win easily 🇲🇽
Azteca Stadium is at 2,200m. England have just 3 days to acclimatise 🏴
The difference in performance once you're acclimatised is HUGE. If the game is played at a frantic pace, Mexico will win easily 🇲🇽
July 1, 2026 at 7:35 PM
Speaking as a high-altitude mountaineer I advise Tuchel to slow the game down against Mexico 🗻
Azteca Stadium is at 2,200m. England have just 3 days to acclimatise 🏴
The difference in performance once you're acclimatised is HUGE. If the game is played at a frantic pace, Mexico will win easily 🇲🇽
Azteca Stadium is at 2,200m. England have just 3 days to acclimatise 🏴
The difference in performance once you're acclimatised is HUGE. If the game is played at a frantic pace, Mexico will win easily 🇲🇽
I'm not sure this bit's been fact-checked by the Guardian. It sounds like training in the birds and the bees may also be needed... 😳
June 25, 2026 at 6:49 PM
I'm not sure this bit's been fact-checked by the Guardian. It sounds like training in the birds and the bees may also be needed... 😳
🌟 New blog post ✍️
People talk a lot about whether oxygen should be used for notable ascents at high altitude. They don’t talk so much about HOW MUCH oxygen is used, and this is crucial. 😮💨
Here’s my take based on my own experience of using different flow rates.
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/fa...
People talk a lot about whether oxygen should be used for notable ascents at high altitude. They don’t talk so much about HOW MUCH oxygen is used, and this is crucial. 😮💨
Here’s my take based on my own experience of using different flow rates.
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/fa...
Fastest known times on Everest: how much oxygen is allowed?
Record claims require scrutiny. People talk a lot about whether oxygen should or shouldn’t be used at high altitude. They don’t talk so much about HOW MUCH oxygen is used, and this is absolutely cr…
www.markhorrell.com
June 17, 2026 at 5:59 PM
🌟 New blog post ✍️
People talk a lot about whether oxygen should be used for notable ascents at high altitude. They don’t talk so much about HOW MUCH oxygen is used, and this is crucial. 😮💨
Here’s my take based on my own experience of using different flow rates.
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/fa...
People talk a lot about whether oxygen should be used for notable ascents at high altitude. They don’t talk so much about HOW MUCH oxygen is used, and this is crucial. 😮💨
Here’s my take based on my own experience of using different flow rates.
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2026/fa...
"He described how he spent 2 days there waiting for someone to rescue him. Eventually, an avalanche fell into the crevasse and with fresh snow covering part of the hole, he managed to get out."
A remarkable story. The words Joe and Simpson spring to mind.
explorersweb.com/abandoned-on...
A remarkable story. The words Joe and Simpson spring to mind.
explorersweb.com/abandoned-on...
Abandoned On Everest, Sherpa's Case Triggers Investigations in Nepal » Explorersweb
While Hillary Dawa Sherpa recovers in the hospital from injuries sustained during six days abandoned on Everest, his family has demanded compensation.
explorersweb.com
June 16, 2026 at 6:59 PM
"He described how he spent 2 days there waiting for someone to rescue him. Eventually, an avalanche fell into the crevasse and with fresh snow covering part of the hole, he managed to get out."
A remarkable story. The words Joe and Simpson spring to mind.
explorersweb.com/abandoned-on...
A remarkable story. The words Joe and Simpson spring to mind.
explorersweb.com/abandoned-on...
Artificial, yes. But Intelligence? Not until it understands irony... 🤦♂️
June 11, 2026 at 6:21 PM
Artificial, yes. But Intelligence? Not until it understands irony... 🤦♂️
Tyler Andrews' fastest known time on Everest beats a 23-year-old record set by Lakpa Gelu Sherpa.
The story of Sherpa rivalry to set that Everest speed record is one of the many interesting stories in @pdpbasyal.bsky.social's book Sherpa 📚
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2025/12...
The story of Sherpa rivalry to set that Everest speed record is one of the many interesting stories in @pdpbasyal.bsky.social's book Sherpa 📚
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2025/12...
12 inspiring stories about the lives of Sherpa mountaineers
There have been many books about Sherpa mountaineers over the years, but few have been written from the perspective of Sherpas themselves. One that comes close is Sherpa by Pradeep Bashyal and Anki…
www.markhorrell.com
June 6, 2026 at 12:55 PM
Tyler Andrews' fastest known time on Everest beats a 23-year-old record set by Lakpa Gelu Sherpa.
The story of Sherpa rivalry to set that Everest speed record is one of the many interesting stories in @pdpbasyal.bsky.social's book Sherpa 📚
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2025/12...
The story of Sherpa rivalry to set that Everest speed record is one of the many interesting stories in @pdpbasyal.bsky.social's book Sherpa 📚
www.markhorrell.com/blog/2025/12...