Ama Dablam also known as "Matterhorn of the Himalayas," is located in the eastern Himalayan range. The lower western peak is 6,170 metres (20,243 feet) high, while the main peak is 6,812 meters (22,349 feet) tall. Ama Dablam, which translates to "Mother's Necklace," is named for the hanging glacier and long ridges that resemble the arms of a mother (ama) shielding her child. Ama Dablam is also the name of the traditional double pendant that Sherpa women wear to honour the gods.
The Ama Dablam expedition is a physically and technically difficult climb due to the sheer faces and steep portions of ice and rock to traverse. Typically, three camps have been set up along the southwest ridge, with camp III being located below the hanging glacier (the Dablam). The trek is mild till camp 1, but from camp 1 to camp 2, it becomes more difficult because of the technical terrain along the narrow granite ridge edges. As you move from camp 2 to camp 3, this difficulty increases even more. Sometimes, Glacier falls certainly carry some risk, but as the saying goes, "If you get the chance to embark on an adventure, take the risk."
Altitude sickness is one of the most frequent issues encountered when climbing these peaks, which is why it is important to take your time on the way to Base Camp and from there, to continuously ascend to avoid any problems. Also, climbers need to be habituated to climbing at high altitudes. There are taller mountains to climb, but Ama Dablam is more difficult and puts your technical abilities to the test. Also, there is nowhere to hide on the exposed steep cliffs, so the weather must be ideal before climbing to the summit.
In Nepal's Khumbu region, Mt. Ama Dablam is located south of Mt. Everest and Mt. Lhotse. You can count on seeing some absolutely breathtaking vistas of these enormous mountains on your trek, and of course, from the summit, even more, fantastic views. Ama Dablam towers over the well-known Tyangboche Monastery, a must-see before the challenge ahead. It's a nice opportunity to pray when you visit the monastery which you will see as guides always carry out this action prior to a climb.
Ama Dablam Route
Your journey starts in Kathmandu, followed by a flight to Lukla (2840 meters), then by a trek to the villages of Phakding (2610 meters) and Namche Bazaar (3440 meters), where we will spend the day acclimatizing before moving to higher elevations. We take the trail to Tyangboche (3860 m), then to Ama Dablam Base Camp, where our climbing journey begins (4600 m). While building up our stamina and reducing the risk of altitude sickness, we will spend time here getting ready for our ascent, practicing, and climbing to several higher camps. We have given climbers a 15-day timeframe for them to reach Ama Dablam's peak (6,812m). Sometimes, due to inappropriate circumstances or weather, it could be essential to postpone the climb. This has been thought about before the expedition. The remaining days will be spent refining and improving your climbing techniques so that you can complete the climb safely.
Once we have reached the summit, we will return to Namche Bazaar (3441 meters) and then to Lukla, where we will take a picturesque flight down to Kathmandu where we can celebrate our accomplishment.
Alternative Ama Dablam Climbing Route
There are a total of eight alternative climbing routes to Ama Dablam's summit. However, guides who are leading climbers to the top mainly take the Southwest Ridge Route. The remaining routes are typically only used by experienced mountaineers.
However, there are several ways to reach Ama Dablam's top, including:
- After the Southwest Ridge Route, the Lower Route was the second route to be successfully climbed in April 1979.
- Since its first ascent in October 1979, the North Ridge Route has grown to be one of the primary alternatives to the Southwest Ridge Route.
- The East Ridge route, which is more difficult, was only recently successfully ascended after 1983.
- The 1985 first winter climb of Ama Dablam took place on the Northeast Route, which was the steepest.
- On the west face, the Ariake-Sakashita Route
- In 1996, Vanja Furlan and Toma Humar were the first to climb the Stane Belakrauf Memorial Route on the northwest face.
- Northwestern Ridge Route. It has only ascended to the top once, in 2001.
Strategy for the Ama Dablam Expedition:
Strategy 1: Advanced Base Camp at 4750 meters to Camp I at 5700 meters
Amazing scenery can be seen from base camp, with a stream meandering through lush meadows, the Ama Dablam massif towering above, and Mount Taweche's valley opening up below. From this point, the path winds eastward through the gravel that is frequently frozen and grassy moraine ridges until it reaches a large plateau at 5150m, from where the Mingbo La pass may be seen. The trail heads north from the plateau and ascends rapidly to a sizable boulder field. Our Advanced Base Camp is located at 5300 meters, directly below the bolder field.
Slabs traverse deep cracks towards the end of the boulder field, and an ascent using fixed ropes is required to reach the appropriate ridge. Camp I, which has four or five tent platforms, may be reached at 5700m through an easy climb along the east side of the ridge.
Strategy 2: Camp I (5700 metres ) to Camp II( 5900 metres)
Following an exposed rocky slope dotted with soaring rock fingers, the route leaves Camp I. The ridge can be quite narrow at times, and there are many crevices to traverse on slabs.
Easy terrain is followed to the beginning of an east-face traverse that leads to Yellow Tower's base. Fixed ropes are needed to ascend a steep 15-meter pitch to Camp II, which is located at 5900 meters. The climb's hardest pitch is this one. There is a severe lack of tent space, and Camp II is rather exposed.
Strategy 3: Camp II (5900 meters) to Camp III (6300 meters)
The route is more "mixed" from Camp II onwards, with snow and iced-up rock. Between the Grey Tower and the lower rock wall, the trail crosses a gorge as it skirts a bulge of red rocks before descending to follow a snowy ridge. Before the trail reaches the well-known Mushroom Mountain 6300m, a sheltered area on the east side of the ridge, it must pass through a few steep snowy sections of this bottomless snowy valley.
Strategy 4: Ama Dablam on Summit Day
The altitude and snowy weather present the largest difficulties on Summit Day. To reach Ama Dablam's eastern side, the trail ascends above on snow and ice. The ascent heads straight up snow slopes to the visible ice top after crossing the hanging glacier, or Dablam, to a tiny snowfield. Ice fields ascend to a dangerously exposed spot where they meet a snow rib that slopes between 40 and 60 degrees, then the spectacular summit. From the summit, you may get spectacular views of Everest, Nuptse, Baruntse, Pumori, Lhotse Shar, Makalu, and Cho Oyu.
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