Renowned British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal "Nims" Purja's final social media message has gained renewed attention following his death in an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Purja, who was leading an expedition on the mountain, had explained that the climb was never part of his original plan but became an opportunity to move closer to a historic mountaineering milestone. His expedition company, Elite Exped, confirmed on Saturday that Purja and several members of his team had lost their lives in the tragedy, bringing an end to one of modern mountaineering's most remarkable careers.
In a post shared on July 27, Purja revealed that his primary objective had been a different climbing project before reassessing his plans. He wrote that he had initially intended to climb only Gasherbrum II (G2), but after reviewing his record of successful 8,000-metre summits, he realised that climbing Broad Peak would leave him with only Cho Oyu to become the first person in history to summit all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres twice without supplemental oxygen. Calling the decision an unexpected opportunity, he described it as a chance to pursue another historic achievement.
Purja also acknowledged the dangers of high-altitude mountaineering in what would become one of his final public messages. He wrote that he never took any mountain for granted and asked Broad Peak only for safe passage up and back down. Stressing his approach to climbing, he said every expedition demanded complete commitment from the moment he left base camp. His words have since been widely shared by climbers and admirers as a reflection of his respect for the mountains and the risks involved in every ascent.
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Following the avalanche, there was initial hope that Purja and others might have survived after his tracking device reportedly indicated movement. Rescue teams initially believed he was alive and awaiting assistance. However, as search efforts continued, the chances of finding survivors diminished. Rescue personnel later reported that a drone launched from Base Camp identified what appeared to be the bodies of four climbers below Camp I on the Concordia side of Broad Peak. Search teams also indicated that all 10 climbers caught in the avalanche were feared to have died.
Born in Nepal, Purja served for 16 years in the military, including six years in the Gurkha regiment and 10 years with the United Kingdom's Special Boat Service (SBS). He rose to international prominence in 2019 by climbing all 14 mountains higher than 8,000 metres in less than seven months, a feat documented in the Netflix film 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible. Alongside fellow climbers Mingma David Sherpa and Tejan Gurung, he co-founded Elite Exped, a company specialising in guided expeditions on some of the world's highest mountains.
In the same final post, Purja reflected on criticism he had faced throughout his career, saying he never measured himself against others but focused only on improving beyond his previous achievements. He defended his earlier accomplishments, highlighting the rescues he carried out during expeditions, the logistical challenges he overcame, and his commitment to pushing the limits of high-altitude climbing. His final message, centred on perseverance, self-belief, and determination, now stands as a lasting tribute to a mountaineer whose achievements inspired climbers around the world.
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