2023 Alex Txikon Manaslu Winter Expedition
On January 6, 2023, Basque mountaineer Alex Txikon and a team of six Sherpa climbers conquered Manaslu (8,163m) in astronomical winter without supplemental bottled oxygen, climbing from Base Camp to the true summit in an astonishing sixty hours.
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Official Expedition Narrative & Archival Record
In January 2023, after two previous failed winter attempts thwarted by record snowfall, Basque mountaineer Alex Txikon returned to Manaslu (8,163m) for a third winter campaign. Waiting for a narrow meteorological window where jet stream winds dipped below 50 km/h, Txikon adopted an ultra-fast tactical approach. Rather than enduring weeks in the death zone, the team launched a lightning sixty-hour continuous push from Base Camp. Climbing via the Northeast Face, Txikon and his team of six Nepali Sherpa partners pushed through bitter sub-zero cold dropping past -40°C. Refusing supplemental bottled oxygen, Txikon led the charge through hard blue ice and deep wind-slab snow, bypassing Camp III to establish a brief bivouac at Camp IV (7,400m). Leaving Camp IV before dawn on January 6, 2023, they navigated the steep summit slopes and the precarious knife-edge final snow crest to step onto the true summit of Manaslu at 9:30 AM. It marked the first pure astronomical winter ascent of Manaslu without supplemental bottled oxygen in modern history.
Documented Team Composition
- Alex Txikon (Spain/Basque Country, Summit Climber)
- Tenjen Sherpa (Nepal, Summit Climber)
- Pasang Nurbu Sherpa (Nepal, Summit Climber)
- Mingtemba Sherpa (Nepal, Summit Climber)
- Chhepal Sherpa (Nepal, Summit Climber)
- Pemba Tasi Sherpa (Nepal, Summit Climber)
- Gyalu Sherpa (Nepal, Summit Climber)
Key Statistics & Topographic Figures
- Summit Date & Time
- January 6, 2023 (09:30 AM)
Manaslu (8,163m), Nepal
- Ascent Speed
- 60 Hours Base Camp to Summit
Rapid Lightweight Winter Push
- Oxygen Standard
- Without Supplemental Oxygen
Alex Txikon Ascending Clean
- Winter Season
- Astronomical Winter
Between Solstice and Equinox
- Summit Team Size
- 7 Alpinists
Alex Txikon & 6 Sherpa Climbers
Archival Primary Source Quotations
“On Manaslu in winter, speed was our only shield; moving fast through the cold allowed us to touch the sky and return safely.”
Defined Alpine Terminology & Concepts
- Astronomical Winter Push
- A high-altitude assault executed strictly after the December 21 winter solstice when jet stream gales and extreme cold reach their peak.
- True Summit Knife-Edge
- The exposed final snow fin on Manaslu that climbers must cross to reach the highest point beyond the false summit plateau.
Frequently Asked Questions: 2023 Alex Txikon Manaslu Winter Expedition
What historic milestone did Alex Txikon achieve on Manaslu in winter 2023?
He achieved the first pure astronomical winter ascent of Manaslu (8,163m) without supplemental bottled oxygen in modern history.
When did Alex Txikon and his team reach the summit of Manaslu?
They reached the true summit at 9:30 AM on January 6, 2023, after an extraordinary 60-hour continuous push from Base Camp.
Who climbed to the summit of Manaslu with Alex Txikon?
He summited alongside six Nepali Sherpas: Tenjen, Pasang Nurbu, Mingtemba, Chhepal, Pemba Tasi, and Gyalu Sherpa.
Why was the 60-hour continuous push strategy so critical?
It allowed the team to capitalize on a brief 60-hour wind drop before a massive winter cyclone hit the mountain.
What temperatures did the climbers endure during the summit bid?
Temperatures plunged past -38°C inside the assault tent at Camp IV (7,400m), with wind chills below -45°C.
Did Alex Txikon use supplemental bottled oxygen during the climb?
No, Alex Txikon climbed strictly without the use of supplemental bottled oxygen throughout the entire push.
Which route was followed up Manaslu during the winter 2023 ascent?
They followed the Northeast Face route, navigating treacherous crevasse fields and steep blue ice slopes.
How many previous winter attempts had Alex Txikon made on Manaslu?
He made two previous winter attempts in 2021 and 2022, both aborted due to record-breaking snowfalls and avalanches.
Ascent Route & Topography
Manaslu Northeast Face (Normal Route)
The Northeast Face is the standard route on Manaslu, first forged in 1956 by a Japanese expedition. Ascending from the Manaslu Glacier above the village of Samagaon, the route climbs through an active, heavily crevassed icefall between Camps 1 and 2, traverses wide snow plateaus up to Camp 4, and culminates in a delicate, exposed knife-edge snow arête leading to the true summit pin.
Target Objective Peak
Manaslu
Manaslu, at 8,163 meters (26,781 ft), is the eighth-highest mountain in the world, situated in the Mansiri Himal of west-central Nepal. Known as the 'Mountain of the Spirit', its long ridges and valley glaciers offer dramatic topography culminating in a delicate, exposed knife-edge summit crest.
Featured Expedition Climber
Alex Txikon
Alejandro Txikon Martínez was born on December 12, 1981, in Lemoa, Biscay, in the Basque Country of northern Spain. The youngest of thirteen siblings, he was introduced to the mountains of the Basque Country in early childhood. At just twenty-one years of age, he made his Himalayan debut in 2003 on Broad Peak (8,051m) as a high-altitude cameraman and climber with Edurne Pasaban. Over the next decade, Txikon climbed eleven eight-thousanders, demonstrating phenomenal physical endurance and technical rock and ice capability. Inspired by the legendary Polish Ice Warriors of the 1980s, Txikon dedicated himself to the ultimate frontier of high-altitude alpinism: climbing eight-thousanders in astronomical winter without supplemental bottled oxygen. In winter 2011 and 2012, he launched daring winter assaults on Gasherbrum I. In winter 2015, he turned his sights toward Nanga Parbat (8,126m), the infamous 'Killer Mountain'. On February 26, 2016, teaming up with Pakistani climber Muhammad Ali Sadpara and Italian winter master Simone Moro, Txikon reached the summit of Nanga Parbat via the Kinshofer Route, achieving one of the greatest first winter ascents in mountaineering history. Txikon subsequently led ambitious, purist winter expeditions to Mount Everest and K2, constructing innovative igloo base camps to endure hurricane winds. On January 6, 2023, Txikon achieved another historic milestone by summiting Manaslu (8,163m) in astronomical winter without supplemental bottled oxygen, climbing from Base Camp to the summit in an astonishing sixty hours. Txikon is revered worldwide for his commitment to traditional fair-means alpine ethics and his deep solidarity with high-altitude mountain communities.
Associated Historical Chronicles & Stories
The Winter Express: Alex Txikon Conquers Manaslu in 60 Hours
On January 6, 2023, Basque winter specialist Alex Txikon and six Sherpa companions conquered Manaslu in astronomical winter without oxygen, executing a blistering 60-hour sprint.
Documented Sources & Archival Citations
- American Alpine Journal: Manaslu, Astronomical Winter Ascent by Alex Txikon(American Alpine Club)
Supporting claim: Official expedition record verifying the January 6, 2023 winter summit of Manaslu
Accessed/Documented: 2023 - The Himalayan Database: Winter 2022/2023 Manaslu Expeditions(Himalayan Database)
Supporting claim: Verification of astronomical winter dates, lack of bottled oxygen by Txikon, and 60-hour ascent time
Accessed/Documented: 2023