Three strong Japanese teams are attempting three separate first ascents. A team from Doshisha University will head to remote western Nepal, Pilot d’Or winner Yasushi Yamanoi is off to Himachal Pradesh, and Yudai Suzuki’s team is in Pakistan to take on Ghamubar Zom.
Targeting the first ascent of the north face of Ghamubar Zom
Yudai Suzuki, who in May established a new route on Ausangate, is currently in Pakistan with his partners Kei Narita (who climbed with Suzuki on Ausangate) and Yuu Nishida (who climbed Moonflower Buttress on Mount Hunter with Suzuki and also made the first ascent of an unclimbed peak in Zanskar, India in 2017).
View of the north face of Ghamubar Zom from Darkut, Yasin Valley, Pakistan. Photo: Safarnama Travel and Tours
The trio aims to make the first ascent of the north face of Ghamubar Zom (6,518m), located in the Hindu Raj range in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. Ghamubar, also written as Ghamobar, is sometimes called Dhuli Chhish. It has several summits and was first climbed in 1973 by Italians Platter, Riz, and Vaia via the southeast ridge, according to Dutch climber Bas Visscher.
In 1990, a Japanese party attempted the south ridge but ran out of time and retreated from 6,280m.
In 2019, Visscher wrote that the best unclimbed route for future parties would be the north-northwest ridge. Previously, French climbers attempted to climb the north face, but the entire north side of the massif may remain unclimbed.
Yudai Suzuki during the first ascent of the north face of Nevado Ausangate (6,384m). Photo: Yudai Suzuki
Piolet d’Or winner Yasushi Yamanoi to Himachal Pradesh
Piolet d’Or winner Yasushi Yamanoi is aiming to carry out the first ascent of the west face of the Dibibokri Pyramid (approximately 6,404m or 6,491m depending on the source) in Himachal Pradesh, India.
Yamanoi intends to start the expedition on September 8. Yamanoi’s expedition partners are Takaaki Furuhata and Toshihiro Ueda. Furuhata was Yamanoi’s partner during an attempt to climb the north face of Kangchung Nup.
Two days ago, before their departure to Nepal, Yasushi Yamanoi, Takaaki Furuhata, and Toshihiro Ueda spent time training together. Photo: Takaaki Furuhata
Doshisha University team heads to an unclimbed peak in western Nepal
Yuma Uno, Hiroki Senda, Atsushi Kato, and Hiyori Akita are going to far western Nepal, aiming to make the first ascent of 6,527m Lama Peak.
The Doshisha University team has previously made first ascents of 7,132m Api and 7,030m Saipal in the same region. We recently wrote a detailed story on this region and the first ascents of these peaks.
Lama Peak is close to Saipal, although it is not listed in the Himalayan Database.
The unclimbed Lama Peak in far western Nepal. Although it isn’t listed, it does exist. Photo: Mr.Uno
The team may also try climbing nearby Raksha Urai Peak (around 6,500m). The Doshisha Alpine Club will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2025.
Thank you to Hume San and Karim Shah Nizari for sharing these expeditions with ExplorersWeb.
