There was a time when climbers revealed their plans publicly months in advance, to raise interest for fundraising or solicit beta from climbers who’d been to the area. We now live in more secretive times, where everyone worries that letting a good idea out of the bag prematurely may tempt other climbers to snatch it. So when Lucien Boucansaud of France recently detailed plans for a solo first ascent of Nepal’s Khangri Shar this fall, we wondered…why.
“For me, announcing my plans and admitting how little I know about this mountain is like an open call to everyone in the climbing community to look for adventure, to try climbs we don’t even know if they are possible,” he told ExplorersWeb.
The soloist
We discovered Lucien Boucansaud when he soloed Pumori in the fall of 2023. Days earlier, Boucansaud had done an alpine-style ascent of the west face of Cho Polu with David Goettler and Guillaume Pierrel. He then used some free time in Nepal to hike up the Khumbu Valley and try Pumori. The aesthetic yet difficult peak rises immediately opposite Everest.
Boucansaud had no idea how far up he would get. But despite difficulties and exposed sections, he summited alone on Oct. 28.
While climbing Pumori, Boucansaud looked westward and noticed a peak nestled between Nepal and Tibet. It usually went unnoticed because Pumori cast a long shadow over it.
Boucansaud on the summit of Pumori. Photo: Lucien Boucansaud/Instagram
“At the end of that expedition, I met a team that had attempted the summit and told me about it,” he said. “That peak remained in my mind since then, and now the moment has come. I’ll try to solo in the same style and with the same attitude I had on Pumori.”
Several attempts
According to The Himalayan Database, the peak has had several attempts, including some by commercial teams. A Japanese team made the first attempt in 2003. In 2004, an Adventure Peaks group from the UK, led by Tim Blakemore, also tried. The year 2018 featured two attempts, one by the late Noel Hanna of Northern Ireland and another by Luke Smithwick of the U.S. and Frederik Strang of Sweden. Adventure 14 organized a team for Delphine Reymond of Switzerland.
Last year, a South Korean team led by An Chi-Young attempted Khangri Shar. All attempts came from the Nepal side, all were unsuccessful, and all attributed their failure to bad conditions and objective hazards.
The South Face of Khangri Shar. Photo: Wikipedia
According to Nepal Himal Peak Profile, Khangri Shar is 6,811m, but The Himalayan Database identifies it as 6,792m. It also lists a 6,658m Khangri Shar West.
This fall, Boucansaud will make the first solo attempt, in pure alpine style. “To reach an untouched summit is an alpinist’s dream,” he said.
Asked whether he is concerned about other climbers stealing his idea, Boucansaud seemed surprised.
“I hope not,” he said. “But, well, I guess that should be okay. Everyone has the right to climb the peak.”
