Ama Dablam

Sat, 03/03/2007 - 12:24 — Gavin
The classic shot of Ama Dablam, viewed from the west. The SW ridge, my route of ascent, is the prominent ridge running up the right hand side of the mountain. While a December summit will be much colder, I am hoping to take advantage of the far fewer climbers on the mountain at this time of year, as well as the generally very settled weather. Time will tell! Ama Dablam dominates the skyline throughout much of the Khumbu, as it does looking south from Kala Patar, 5545m. View of Ama Dablam from about 5000m, at the top of a small pass above Dughla, a few hours south of Lobuche, en route to Everest base camp. Prayer flags and cairns are common sights atop Himalayan passes. It is believed that the Buddhist prayers written on the flags blow across the world, while the small rock pillars known as cairns serve as helpful land markers in bad weather, but also have an inherently sacred aspect, as nature is considered sacred in Buddhist Sherpa culture) .

AMA DABLAM
6856m, 22494feet

Eight years ago I gazed up at Ama Dablam from the village of Pangboche (which is situated almost 3 vertical kilometres under its summit), and I immediately knew that I would one day climb the mountain that is known as the ‘Matterhorn of the Himalayas’. In the winter of 2007 I will be!

Ama Dablam requires little introduction. It is one of the most recognisable, impressive and irresistable mountains in the world. Its steep, exposed yet graceful ridgelines and faces, combined with its location in the heart of the Khumbu, make Ama Dablam one of the most coveted summits for the Himalayan climber.

There are two main routes of ascent: the SW ridge and the North ridge. I will be climbing the SW ridge, which despite being the 'standard' route on Ama Dablam, is still very much a serious and committing climb. The altitude, exposure and steepness of the route, together with the technical and mixed (rock, snow and ice) nature of the climb, combine to make Ama Dablam a very challenging and exciting climb.

Most climbers attempt Ama Dablam in the pre and post-monsoon period, with the post-monsoon period (Oct/Nov) being the more popular of the two. I have chosen to climb Ama Dablam in early winter (with a December summit attempt). There are two main reasons for this. In recent years congestion on the upper slopes of the mountain has become a factor in the immediate post-monsoon period.  While the large meadow used for base camp can accommodate many expeditions, above base camp space for tents is very limited. Heavy traffic on the mountain has also meant frustrating delays for climbers, who have been forced to wait while other climbers descend on the fixed lines. The other reason for choosing early winter is the weather, which at this time of year is characterised by cold, but generally very settled and stable conditions. All being well, I will summit in the second week of December. I am confident this is the right strategy for success.

I will be joining a commercial expedition for Ama Dablam. I have researched more than a dozen companies, many of which offer climbs on Ama Dablam, three of which are offering climbs in the early winter period. These are Jagged Globe from the U.K, DCXP from Australia, and Alpine Ascents from the United States. I have been discussing with these companies what they offer and I plan to make a final decision soon.

Ama Dablam Update

After weeks of research and discussion, I have decided that I will climb Ama Dablam with DCXP. The DCXP expedition, from November 20 to December 20, is one of the last of the season and certainly qualifies as a "winter" climb. It is possible that no other climbing team will be on the mountain when we are going for the summit.

Why did I choose DCXP? While there are many good outfits running climbs on Ama Dablam, I am confident that climbing the mountain after dozens of other expeditions have packed up and left is the right strategy. Sure, it will be quite a bit colder when I am high on the mountain, but I feel the lack of crowds on the mountain in late November and December will not only add to the rawness of the experience, but it will also make it a safer one.

DCXP is Adelaide based and I have to admit there is something reassuring about organising this climb with a company based in the city in which I was born and lived for the first 20 years of my life. More importantly, they have been running safe and successful high altitude expeditions to the Himalayas, including Ama Dablam, for many years now. I am very confident that the logistics and support - from Kathmandu to the summit and back to Kathmandu - will be of an exceptional standard. DCXP have a strong reputation in the Himalayas for running first-class expeditions and I also believe that they represent great value for money.

While reaching the summit will primarily depend on my own thorough preparation and training, I am certain that the logistical and climbing support provided by DCXP will give me an excellent chance of getting there!

Altitude Profile For The Expedition

More information on the route, high altitude considerations and my acclimitisation plan prior to the expedition coming soon!