8 May 2023 Prakash Devkota
Nepal is popular as the country with one of the tallest ranges of mountains. The country’s tourism highly depends on these mountains as mountaineers and trekkers enjoy climbing and trekking here. These treks and mountain climbs come in range based on their difficulty level. Some are fairly simple, while others are very tough. Here, we will give you a rundown of some of the most difficult mountains to climb in Nepal.
Most of the mountains on this list are eight-thousander. So, climbing this mountain is highly difficult based on its height and oxygen level. People also find it difficult to climb them due to the long hiking days required. The weather, unprecedented snowfalls, and avalanches also make climbing mountains a huge risk. However, that is just the tip of the iceberg. Mountain climbing has so many other technical difficulties. Stick with us to learn about the 5 most difficult technical mountain to climb in Nepal.
Annapurna I
Annapurna I, the tenth-highest mountain in the world, is considered one of the biggest mountain climbing challenges. The peak lies in the northeastern Himalayan range and is housed between a protected area of alpine jungle. The peak is deemed difficult to climb primarily due to its tallness. It stands at a staggering height of 8091 meters. Along with such height naturally comes tons of difficulty for mountain ascents. Venturing for its climb requires people to hike long distances for weeks. Along with that, Annapurna Mountain is notorious for having bad weather. It is only safe to climb the mountain or trek its vicinity during certain times of the year. Cases of avalanches, rockfalls, and accidents are very common here. So people consider it a very dangerous climb.
Along with these generic difficulties of mountain climbing, Annapurna I is specifically considered technical for one reason. The North-west face to the summit is a very technical climb. It has a very steep icy wall that is 2500 meters higher than the base camp. The section also has a complicated maze full of ice and rocks, seracs, crevasses, and icefalls.
This part of the climb will not just involve walking uphill. You will have to climb up literal layers of ice with axes and climb through steep layers filled with snow. The climb will require good placement of strong anchors. Tools like ice screws and crampons are highly essential for the climb.
The general difficulties of a mountain climb exacerbate the North-West face’s technical difficulty. The high altitude can make even simple actions like breathing and sleeping difficult. Weather conditions can also be unpredictable, with high gusts, heavy snowfall, and sudden storms adding to the difficulty.
See also: Annapurna South Expedition
Makalu
Makalu is another eight-thousander in the list of one of the 5 most difficult technical mountains to climb in Nepal. It is the fifth-highest peak in the world and is a very tough climb as well. The mountain stands tall at the height of 8485 meters.
Although its tall height may be the primary reason for its difficulty, there are many other factors aiding it being a technical mountain to climb. Makalu lies in a very isolated region of Nepal. You must trek for days to reach the base camp and summit the mountain. The mountain has many changes of accidents caused by weather issues. Avalanches, snowstorms are quite common in Makalu too. You might also find rockfalls that seriously threaten people climbing the mountain.
However, the most technical part of Makalu is the infamous French Couloir and the Knife Edge ridge. The French Couloir stands at 7000 meters of Makalu and is a narrow, steep gully. It is a very difficult route that leads you to the summit ridge. On the other hand, the knife edge ridge is the exposed narrow ridge near the summit of Makalu.
Both these sections are very challenging parts of the climb. You need an advanced level of mountaineering skills and experience to climb past it. These sections become tougher as they come with a very complex maze of ice, rocks, seracs, crevasses, and icefalls. Such tough terrains are steep, and climbers need to face them with caution. Using reliable anchors with special ice screws and crampons is highly necessary for the climb.
Along with just these technical, narrow, steep terrains, these places are highly prone to rockfalls too. Small melts of snow and ice formations could easily lead to deadly disasters caused by rockfall. So, climbing these sections of Makalu is considered very technical. Along with these comes generic mountain climbing difficulties amalgamating with it. The thin air brings altitude sickness, fatigue, and other illness during the climb.
Read also: How Many People Climbed Makalu?
Manaslu
Manaslu, yet another eight-thousander, lies at a height of 8163 meters. The Manalsu Himal is located in the west-central part of Nepal, a very remote region. The mountain itself is very steep and poses a lot of difficulty to climb. Apart from the mountain itself being difficult to climb, you also ought to make hikes to remote trails of Nepal to get to the peak. These remote trekking trails also come with a lot of exhaustion and hurdles. Due to weather uncertainties, you can travel to the mountain region only during certain times of the year. These are the generic ideas as to why climbing Manaslu could be difficult.
Being specific about just Manaslu, we can compute its technicality separately too. The most technical part of the Manaslu ascent is the upper sections higher than Camp 3. These sections are very steep and shaped like a pyramid. People call it the summit pyramid. This part of the mountain requires proper preparation, elite mountaineering skills and experience. You have to climb through steep icy terrain and rock faces. The gear and equipment such as ice axes, crampons, and ropes you use must be especially well-tailored for such a technical climb.
Furthermore, the point from Camp 4 to the summit is also a technical climb. It requires a steep and exposed ascent through a section known as the “Yellow Band.” Then comes the final part of the summit pyramid leading to the top. This section will be particularly gruesome due to thin air, very high altitude, and cold weather. Such harsh conditions make climbers exhausted and lose focus. Moreover, these sections of the mountain pose high risks of avalanches and rockfalls. Snow melts, or warm weather easily triggers these accidents. Hence, climbing Manaslu must be approached with a lot of caution and exercise.
Read more:
- How long does it take to climb Mount Manaslu?
- Manaslu Expedition In Winter
- 5 Things You Should Know Before Climbing Manaslu
- Climbing Manaslu Without a Guide
Baruntse
Baruntse is a relatively smaller mountain in this list. It stands at a height of merely 7129 meters. Despite its shorter height, the mountain is quite tough to ascent. The weather, altitude, and thin air pose a general risk during the Baruntse climb. However, a comparatively smaller mountain like Baruntse is particularly dangerous due to the ample number of glaciers here.
There are several glaciers en route to Baruntse, the major one being the Barun Glacier. It is the largest one in the area. The Barun Glacier is a huge river of ice that streams down the southern face of the peak. It is a significant hurdle for climbers when they attempt to reach the summit. The glacier needs to be navigated via mazes of crevasses of the river. It has very hazardous ice towers that need very much caution and technical skill to pass through. There are many icefalls en route, and their course is affected due to the movement of the glacier. This makes the journey so much trickier to navigate. So climbers must move forward with extreme caution.
The region has other glaciers like Hunku, Imja Khola, Amphu, and Labsa. Most of these are located on the mountain’s western flank and are very aesthetically pleasing. They, however, do not pose as serious a threat as the Barun Glacier during your ascent to Baruntse.
Besides the glaciers and the general mountain climbing difficulty, Baruntse has some specific technical parts too. Usually, these technical parts depend on the route you choose to travel and the weather conditions. The most technical section usually is the icefall that lies between Camp 1 and Camp 2. The Icefall has a network of crevasses, seracs, and ice towers. There are many ladders, fixed ropes, and protective devices needed to cross this icefall section.
You will also encounter steep snowy terrain, icy slopes, exposed ridges, and tricky rocks. Overall, navigating the Baruntse climb is a tough nut to bust.
Everest
At last, we have Everest, which could be the best one on this list. This 60 million years old majestic mountain, widely known as Everest, is located in the northeastern section of the Himalayas in Nepal. It is, without a doubt, the peak of the world. Lying at the staggering height of 8849 meters, Everest is considered the most difficult climb in the world. The initial ascents of Everest were so tough that it took more than three decades to figure out how to climb it successfully. People attempted to practice climbs on mountains nearby to figure out how to summit Everest.
There are certain sections of the mountain, making the climb of Everest more technical. They are The Khumbu Icefall, the Lhotse Face, and the Hillary Step.
The Khumbu icefall is one of the first technical challenges during your climb. It lies between the base camp and camp 1 of the mountain. It is a cobweb of crevasses, ice towers, and sliding ice blocks. There are various ladders, fixed ropes, and other climbing equipment fixed here for climbs. This point is a dangerous part of the climb and is notorious for avalanches.
The Lhotse face is another technical part of the climb. It is a steep icy slope that stands at 1125 meters in height between Camp 3 and Camp 4. This section also requires you to use fixed ropes to ascent, especially when you carry heavy loads. The weather conditions are very extreme in this region, so you must be cautious. You must be very resilient and skilled to pass this part of the climb.
The Hillary step, on the other hand, is the final, most gruesome part of the climb. It is a rocky outcrop that lies near the summit of Everest. It is a steep terrain with exposed rock. People ought to wear crampons while carrying bulky equipment during this part of the climb. This section is usually crowded with climbers. This, in turn, increases the risks of ascents and adds up to this section being more challenging.
See also:
- Dangers of Climbing Mount Everest
- Best Month to Climb Mount Everest
- How Hard Is It To Climb Mount Everest?
- How To Train For Climbing Mt Everest?
Prakash Devkota
Managing Director and Team Leader
Mr. Prakash Chandra Devkota is an established name in the Tourism Sector in Nepal. He is a focused individual gifted with a brilliant mind. He is also hugely dedicated to social work. Born in the Gorkha district, a beautiful hilly region of Nepal, he first entered the tourism industry as a guide in 1997. He has gained extensive experience in almost all the trekking and climbing routes like Mera, Island, Lobuche and, Ama Dablam, etc.
He registered Nepal Guides Treks & Expedition in 2009 AD. Due to his passion for adventure and efforts to provide quality personalized service to his clients, he has established himself as a successful tourism entrepreneur. He has dedicated most of his time working diligently to elevate the tourism industry and collected more than 15 years of experience in organizing trekking and expeditions in Nepal, Bhutan, and India. He believes in the power of the tourism industry and the employment opportunities that can be created through it. He constantly looks for innovative ways to run the company.
Mr. Devkota has always been an avid practitioner of eco-friendly tourism and has always promoted environmental conservation throughout his career. He motivates his staff to embrace eco-friendly tourism through responsible tourism practices. He believes promoting eco-tourism will preserve natural resources and positively impact the environment.
