The Manaslu Adventure: Three hapless friends try to climb a big mountain

By Mark Horrell

Mark Horrell and his two friends Mark and Ian shared a dream to climb an 8,000m peak, but it seemed the gods were against them. They had made no fewer than eight attempts without success. With towering ice walls, monsoon rainstorms, arm-twisting crevasses and – most dangerous of all – welcoming teahouses ready to entrap them, would it be different this time?