Island Peak Climbing

Island Peak 6169m also known as Imja Tse is one of the popular trekking peak in Nepal for climbing on Himalayas. From Dingboche the mountain is seen as an island peak in a sea of ice. The summit is interesting and attractive with a highly glaciated west face rising from the Lhotse Glacier. The ridge rising to the south from this point leads to the summit of Island Peak. Imja Tse not only provides an enjoyable climb but also provides some of the most spectacular scenery of Himalayas in Khumbu region. Seen from the summit the giant mountains/ Everest , Nuptse (7,879m), Lhotse (8,516m), Lhotse Middle Peak (8,410m) and Lhotse Shar (8,383m) make a semi circle in the north. The views of Makalu (8463m) in the east, Baruntse and Amadablam in the south add more charm in climbing Island Peak. For many mountaineers climbing Island Peak marks the beginning of climbing on Himalayas to prepare for a big Himalaya expedition in Nepal in later years. For some mountaineers the peak stands for the purpose of acclimatization before heading to bigger mountain climbing. Trekking to Kalapatthar or Everest base camp is best suited for acclimatization before proceeding Island Peak climbing.

The normal route for climbing Island Peak is South East Flank & South-West Ridge Normally, the Island Peak base camp is set at Pareshaya Gyab (5,087m), between Imja Tse and the lateral moraine of the Imja Glacier. Proper care should be taken to avoid the possible avalanche in the event of heavy snow fall. From the base camp, a well acclimatized party in good conditions can make the summit and return to the base camp in a day. However, most of the climbers prefer alpine style camping at high camp which adds the joy of climbing and helps a safe ascent.