The Japanese Alpine Club (JAC) has reported summiting 6,524m Phungi, a peak near Manaslu on the border with Tibet.
Phungi opened for climbing in 2014. Another Japanese team tried it two years ago, but according to the JAC and The Himalayan Database, it remained unclimbed until this latest attempt.
Some confusion
The peak is part of a massif with several points that might lead to confusion, as it can be mistaken with another Phungi, climbed by Piolet d’Or winner Yury Koshelenko and Aleksei Lonchinskii of Russia in 2017. They summited after a two-day, alpine-style push up its southeast face.
The Himalayan Database registered the Russians’ ascent as Phungi Himal and categorized it as a peak and not as a range (which is strange because Himal is Nepalese for range). This Phungi Himal is also listed as 6,538m high, some meters higher than the point recently summited by the Japanese.
The summit ridge of Phungi Himal during the Russian 2017 expedition. Photo: Yuri Koshelenko
The JAC has shared no further details on the climb. We will have to wait until they find an internet connection.
Japanese teams in action
The group that climbed Phungi is just one of several Japanese teams currently in Nepal. The Phungi team, led by Takumi Inoue, is comprised of university students involved in a mentorship and training program by the JAC. Its overall aim is to continue the tradition of alpine-style climbing in the Japanese mountain culture. Other members are Ryoya Odaka, Fumiya Yokomichi, Masahiro Nakazawa, and Taiyo Ashizawa. They flew to Nepal on September 5.
Another team of young Japanese students are attempting the first ascent of Sanctuary Peak (6,207m) in the Kanjiroba Himal. Dubbed the Himalaya Camp Expedition, the team reached base camp at 4,600m today after a nine-day trek.
We also expect to hear soon from Tatsuya Aoki and Tayuka Mitoro, currently attempting Nilgiri North.
