Climb Island Peak in the Himalayas

0 ft

Elevation

Nepal

Country

Days

2B

Difficulty

Apr-May

Start

Oct-Nov

End

About the Mountain

WHY CLIMB IT?

Island Peak (20,305 ft) is the perfect introduction to Himalayan mountaineering. It’s challenging, while still being accessible to advanced beginner climbers. You’ll need basic skills in snow and ice climbing, glacier travel, and crevasse rescue before attempting it, but much of these can be learned in a short mountaineering course. The real trial on Island Peak is the altitude. Doing anything above 20,000 feet is hard work, especially if you aren’t in top fitness and well-acclimatized. So if you take on Island Peak, give yourself the best chance of success by choosing an itinerary with plenty of acclimatization time before the summit attempt. Then follow a training plan to build up your strength and endurance, both of which you’ll be glad for when every step feels like a Herculean task.

“The Himalayas are a holy land, dotted with sacred lakes, divine peaks and blue glaciers that gleam and soar in the collective imagination of the sub-continent.”

- Susan Jagannath

As far as climbing regions go, Island Peak is situated in one of the most beautiful and revered regions on Earth. The journey starts along the Everest Base Camp trek, where you’re likely to encounter climbing teams descending from an epic adventure to the world’s highest summit. You’ll then have a chance to summit Kala Patthar (18,187 ft) to help with your acclimatization, which has stunning views of Mount Everest (29,029 ft) on clear days. If you make it to the top of Island Peak, you’ll be surrounded by Himalayan giants, like Lhotse (27,940 ft), Makalu (27,820 ft), and Ama Dablam (22,501 ft). Few experiences can match being so close to some of the highest mountains on the planet. The scale alone is breathtaking, especially when you consider all the life-changing adventures happening on the slopes of those mountains at any given moment.