The remains of Mallory Geis, a 39‑year‑old climber from San Antonio, were found by rescue teams after a catastrophic avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak on Thursday. The incident shook the mountaineering community worldwide.
The 10‑member group, led by Nepal‑born alpinist Nirmal Purja, was attempting to summit the 8,047‑metre peak when heavy snow slid down the slope, sweeping away several members. In addition to Geis, bodies of Omani climber Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy and Nepali climber Pur Bahadur Gurung were identified.
Rescue helicopters, dispatched by the Pakistan army, eventually located Geis’s body on Friday and transported it to a hospital for formal identification. The Alpine Club of Pakistan reported that only two bodies, plus a body part, have been recovered so far; a third tracker remains unlocated, and worsening weather conditions have complicated the search.
Teams are still debating whether to give up the search as hostile winds and low temperatures hamper rescue efforts and threaten survivors’ chances of survival after 24 hours of exposure to the harsh conditions.
Broad Peak is one of the most dangerous climbing objectives, ranking the world’s 12th‑highest peak. The first successful ascent in 1957 involved an Austrian team, and the mountain has claimed dozens of lives in subsequent expeditions.
