Large expeditions are seemingly applying Everest tactics on all the Nepal 8000’ers: Strong Sherpa teams go ahead of clients and take shifts to break trail and fix ropes to the very top, thus achieving the first summits of the season.
Earlier today, the latest all-Nepali summiters stood atop the third and fifth tallest mountains on Earth, Kangchenjunga and Makalu. A large number of clients should follow them from Camp 4 tonight. The successful climbers included six on Kangchenjunga — Lakpa Sherpa, Dawa Phinjok Sherpa, Phurba Sherpa, Ang Dorchi Sherpa, Furwa Dorchi Sherpa and Mingmar Sherpa — and five on Makalu — Sanu Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Chhangba Sherpa, Mu Dorchi Sherpa and Lakpa Thinduk Sherpa.
The Kangchenjunga climbers summited by mid-afternoon, while those on Makalu reached the top of the so-called “Great Black” at 8:45am local time.
