Chamlang

Chamlang

Chamlang is a 7,319-meter (24,012-foot) mountain in eastern Nepal, rising south of Makalu in the Mahalangur Himal of the central Himalayas. Some recent mountaineering literature gives its elevation as 7,321 meters, but 7,319 meters remains the figure used by Nepalese government records and modern topographic databases.

The mountain is immediately recognizable for its unusual shape. Rather than forming a single compact pyramid, Chamlang stretches along a remarkably long, high summit ridge containing several subsidiary summits. The main summit occupies the western end of this crest, while Chamlang Central and Chamlang East rise several kilometers farther east.

Chamlang was first climbed on May 31, 1962, when Soh Anma and Pasang Phutar III reached the summit during a Japanese expedition from the Academic Alpine Club of Hokkaido. Their ascent followed the difficult south ridge after weeks of route preparation, fixed ropes, icefall climbing, and a high bivouac.

For decades afterward, Chamlang remained rarely climbed. Its immense northern walls instead became prized objectives for modern alpine-style mountaineers. In 2019, Marek Holeček and Zdeněk Hák completed the first ascent of the enormous northwest face by the UFO Line, an achievement honored with a Piolet d’Or. Two years later, Charles Dubouloz and Benjamin Védrines established another major direct route on the north face.

⚡ Fast Facts

Fact	Details
Continent	Asia
Country	Nepal
Province	Koshi Province
Mountain Range	The Himalayas
Subrange	Mahalangur Himal
Regional Section	Barun / Makalu region
Elevation	7,319 m / 24,012 ft
Alternative Modern Figure	7,321 m / 24,019 ft
Prominence	Approximately 1,193 m / 3,914 ft
Isolation	Approximately 15.37 km / 9.55 mi
Nearest Higher Neighbor (NHN)	Makalu Southeast Peak
Key Col	Approximately 6,126 m / 20,098 ft
Coordinates	Approximately 27.7770° N, 86.9809° E
Main Summit Position	Western end of the Chamlang summit ridge
First Ascent	May 31, 1962
First Ascenders	Soh Anma and Pasang Phutar III
Expedition Leader	Dr. Seiki Nakano
First-Ascent Expedition	Academic Alpine Club of Hokkaido
First-Ascent Route	South Ridge
Major Modern Route	UFO Line, northwest face, 2019
North-Face Route	À l’Ombre du Mensonge, 2021
Terrain	Glacier, icefall, steep snow, mixed terrain, rock, seracs, and high ridges

🏔️ Where Is Chamlang?

Chamlang rises in eastern Nepal, south of Makalu and close to the remote Hongu and Barun valleys.

It belongs to the Mahalangur Himal, the Himalayan subdivision containing some of the greatest mountains on Earth, including Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu.

Chamlang lies south of the main high chain connecting the Everest and Makalu regions. Makalu, the world’s fifth-highest mountain, rises roughly 16 kilometers to the northeast.

Baruntse stands to the north-northwest, while the Hongu Valley lies along the western side of the Chamlang massif.

This location gives Chamlang an unusual combination of proximity and isolation. It stands near some of the most famous mountains in the Himalayas but lies away from the heavily traveled climbing routes used to reach Everest and Makalu.

📏 How High Is Chamlang?

Chamlang’s official and most widely accepted elevation is 7,319 meters (24,012 feet).

Nepalese government mountaineering records use 7,319 meters, as does Peakbagger.

Some recent American Alpine Journal reports use 7,321 meters, a difference of only two meters.

Minor discrepancies of this kind are common among Himalayan peaks because different maps, surveys, and digital elevation models may produce slightly different summit heights.

At 7,319 meters, Chamlang ranks around 77th among the world’s mountains exceeding 7,200 meters when a minimum prominence threshold of 500 meters is applied.

It is therefore higher than nearly every mountain outside the Himalayas and Karakoram.

📐 Prominence and Isolation

Chamlang has approximately 1,193 meters (3,914 feet) of topographic prominence.

Its key col lies at roughly 6,126 meters (20,098 feet).

This makes Chamlang a highly substantial mountain, although it falls short of the 1,500-meter prominence required for classification as an ultra-prominent peak.

Its true topographic isolation is approximately 15.37 kilometers (9.55 miles).

The nearest higher terrain lies toward Makalu Southeast Peak, part of the enormous Makalu massif northeast of Chamlang.

These numbers help explain the mountain’s visual presence. Although Chamlang sits near much higher Makalu, it rises sufficiently independently to dominate the landscape of the Hongu Valley.

🪽 What Does Chamlang Mean?

The original Japanese first-ascent account gives the meaning of Chamlang as something close to “big bird flapping its wings.”

This description fits the mountain remarkably well.

Chamlang is not simply a pointed summit. Its high ridge stretches for several kilometers across the skyline, giving the appearance of a huge white shape extending horizontally above the surrounding valleys.

Japanese expedition leader Seiki Nakano compared the mountain’s chain of summits with a gigantic bird spreading its wings.

The name has also sometimes been translated simply as “big bird.”

As with many Himalayan names, precise translations should be treated cautiously because local languages, Tibetan-derived terminology, and historical transliterations can produce several slightly different interpretations.

🗻 The Long Chamlang Summit Ridge

One of Chamlang’s defining geographical features is its extraordinary summit ridge.

The high crest extends roughly east-northeast from the 7,319-meter main summit for several kilometers.

Historical climbing accounts describe the full ridge as approximately five miles long, with relatively little elevation loss along much of its length.

The main summit stands at the western end.

Farther east lie several intermediate high points, including Chamlang Central, followed by the major eastern summit usually called Chamlang East.

Modern topographic measurements place Chamlang East near 7,287–7,290 meters, though older climbing reports sometimes used substantially lower figures for individual points along the ridge.

This long elevated crest gives the mountain an unusual character. Climbers can reach a subsidiary summit or the ridge itself without necessarily having climbed the 7,319-meter main summit.

🗺️ Chamlang Main, Central, and East

Historical expedition reports sometimes create confusion because different climbers used different elevations for Chamlang’s secondary summits.

The western Chamlang Main is the highest point.

Chamlang East lies several kilometers away and is now generally placed near 7,287–7,290 meters.

Chamlang Central is a lower intermediate summit along the ridge.

Some older accounts called a roughly 7,235-meter point “Chamlang East,” while newer mapping distinguishes this from the higher eastern summit farther along the crest.

For this reason, historical summit claims need to be read alongside the maps and terminology used by each expedition.

The distinction became particularly important during attempts from the north, where climbers often reached the central or eastern parts of the ridge rather than the main western summit.

📜 Early Exploration

Chamlang was known before anyone seriously attempted to climb it.

The mountain received closer attention during the Himalayan exploration boom of the 1950s.

In 1954, a New Zealand Alpine Club expedition led by Edmund Hillary explored parts of the Barun and Hongu regions.

Climbers examined Chamlang and concluded that several of its visible faces and ridges appeared extremely difficult.

The following year, Norman Hardie and A. J. Macdonald participated in a survey expedition that studied the mountain more closely.

Hardie’s observations suggested that an approach through the Hongu basin might provide a possible route.

Japanese climbers took particular interest in those reports.

🇯🇵 Planning the First Ascent

The Academic Alpine Club of Hokkaido selected Chamlang as an expedition objective for 1962.

The team was led by Dr. Seiki Nakano.

Other Japanese members included Takeo Okamoto, Susumu Kobayashi, Toshikazu Nagamitsu, Hisashi Kukimura, Soh Anma, and Yoshihiro Suzuki.

None had previously participated in a Himalayan expedition, although they were experienced winter climbers in Japan.

In Nepal, the team was joined by liaison officer Manik Tuladhar, Pasang Phutar III, who served as sirdar, and several other Sherpas.

The expedition planned to approach Chamlang from the west through the Hongu Valley.

At the time, this was still exceptionally remote terrain.

🥾 The 1962 Approach

The expedition left the lowlands near Dharan in April with approximately 100 porters.

The route passed through Dhankuta, Tumlingtar, Dingla, and Gudel before turning north into the Hongu Khola.

The journey was much harder than expected.

Heavy snow covered sections of the route, bad weather arrived almost every afternoon, and the caravan had to cross five passes between roughly 4,000 and 4,500 meters.

Many porters dropped out.

A journey expected to take roughly one week instead required about two.

The first Base Camp was established on May 3 at approximately 4,200 meters.

Because this location proved too far from the mountain, the expedition later moved higher to approximately 4,800 meters.

🧊 Finding the First-Ascent Route

Even from Base Camp, the route remained uncertain.

Reconnaissance parties spent roughly a week examining the mountain without finding a satisfactory line.

The team finally selected a route through the glacier between Chamlang’s west and south ridges.

Camp I was established at approximately 5,200 meters.

Camp II followed at roughly 5,700 meters, after the climbers negotiated a dangerous icefall filled with crevasses and seracs.

On May 20, Camp III was placed on the south ridge at approximately 6,300 meters.

Above this point, the technical difficulties increased significantly.

🪜 Fixed Ropes and Ladders

The south ridge presented steep and exposed climbing that required substantial preparation.

The expedition installed large quantities of fixed rope and rope ladders to overcome difficult sections.

Later mountaineering accounts estimated that the first-ascent expedition used roughly 3,500 feet of fixed rope.

High winds, snowfall, and severe cold slowed progress.

Camp IV was finally established at approximately 6,650 meters on May 27.

A large dark rock gendarme stood above the camp and prevented a straightforward one-day summit attempt.

The climbers needed to solve this obstacle before they could reach the upper mountain.

🧗 The High Bivouac

On May 30, Soh Anma and Pasang Phutar III left Camp IV.

They climbed toward the large gendarme and spent several hours negotiating the obstacle with pitons.

After passing it, they continued upward.

Rather than return to Camp IV, they dug a snow cave at approximately 6,850 meters.

The pair spent an uncomfortable night in this primitive high-altitude bivouac.

They were now within reach of the summit but still faced several hundred vertical meters of climbing.

🏆 First Ascent — May 31, 1962

Anma and Pasang Phutar left the snow cave at approximately 6 a.m. on May 31.

Strong winds and bitter cold made the upper ridge exhausting.

After roughly eight hours of climbing, they reached the summit at 2 p.m.

The weather was clear enough for them to see Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu across the Himalayan skyline.

Chamlang had been climbed for the first time.

During the descent, Pasang Phutar slipped on ice and injured his hip or waist area, though fortunately not seriously.

The two climbers reached Camp IV at approximately 7 p.m.

Deteriorating weather prevented another summit attempt, and the expedition soon began withdrawing from the mountain.

🗻 An Unusual Summit History

Chamlang did not quickly become a frequently climbed Himalayan peak.

More than two decades passed before its main summit received a confirmed second ascent.

This was unusual during a period when many Himalayan peaks were attracting increasing numbers of international expeditions.

The difficulty of the original south ridge, the mountain’s isolated approaches, and the dangerous glacier terrain all discouraged repeat attempts.

At the same time, the enormous northern side began attracting climbers interested in exploration rather than simply repeating the original route.

🧗 Messner and Scott on the North Side

In 1981, legendary mountaineers Reinhold Messner and Doug Scott, together with Pasang Sherpa and Ang Dorje, climbed on Chamlang’s northern side.

Their objective was not the main summit.

The party ascended from the Chamlang Glacier and gained the long high ridge.

They reached a minor summit or high point around 7,010 meters before descending.

The climb became famous for a rather unusual reason.

While climbing, the team reported seeing a bright, box-like object apparently hovering above them.

Decades later, this strange episode inspired the name of one of Chamlang’s greatest modern climbing routes.

🧗 Chamlang East and Central

In 1984, Doug Scott returned to the region during a major expedition that also climbed Baruntse and attempted Makalu.

Scott, Jean Afanassieff, Michael Scott, and Ang Phurba climbed from the northern side.

They reached what their expedition described as Chamlang East, at approximately 7,235 meters, and then traversed to a central summit around 7,180 meters.

Modern mapping has revised the summit terminology, but the expedition represented an important exploration of Chamlang’s long northern ridge.

A Netherlands women’s expedition successfully climbed an eastern summit from the north in 1989, negotiating hard ice that reached approximately 80 degrees.

These climbs demonstrated that Chamlang was not a single summit objective but an entire high-altitude ridge system offering numerous difficult routes.

🧗 Second Ascent of the Main Summit

The main summit was finally climbed for the second time in 1986.

A large Japanese expedition established a new route on the west-southwest ridge.

The climb required conventional expedition tactics, with fixed ropes and prepared camps.

This ridge would become important in later climbing history because it offered a practical descent or finishing line for teams approaching Chamlang from its massive northern faces.

The Japanese climb also confirmed that the 1962 south ridge was not the only viable route to the main summit.

🧗 The 1990 Alpine-Style Ascent

A German expedition reached the Hongu Valley in 1990.

Climbers Bernd Eberle and Stefan Köhler set out to climb Chamlang in alpine style.

Rather than follow the lower west ridge, they climbed the right side of the northwest face and gained the west ridge at approximately 6,600 meters.

They then followed the upper part of the 1986 Japanese route.

Eberle and Köhler reached the summit on October 21, 1990.

Their ascent took roughly three days up and a day and a half down.

It represented the fourth recorded ascent of Chamlang’s main summit and showed that the mountain could be climbed without the extensive siege tactics used on earlier routes.

🧗 The West-Southwest Ridge in Alpine Style

In 2015, Basque climbers Alberto Iñurrategi, Juan Vallejo, and Mikel Zabalza arrived hoping to climb the north face.

Snow conditions prevented a safe attempt.

Instead, they turned to the west-southwest ridge first climbed by the Japanese in 1986.

The three climbed the ridge in alpine style.

They left Base Camp on October 17 and reached approximately 6,100 meters that day.

After negotiating the narrow and exposed ridge, they bivouacked around 6,600 meters.

On October 19, they overcame several steep pitches and reached the summit around midday.

Their climb was the second complete ascent of the west-southwest ridge and approximately the sixth recorded ascent of Chamlang’s main summit.

🧱 The Great Northern Walls

Chamlang’s northern side is among the mountain’s most impressive features.

For more than eight kilometers, enormous faces, pillars, glacier basins, and subsidiary summits form a continuous wall above the Hongu and Chamlang glacier systems.

Some of the largest faces rise roughly 2,000 meters.

The northwest face became particularly famous among elite alpinists.

Several parties investigated or attempted it without success.

The combination of technical rock and ice, unstable seracs, avalanche exposure, rockfall, and almost nonexistent bivouac sites made the face an intimidating objective.

By the 2010s, it had become one of Nepal’s most coveted unclimbed walls.

🧗 UFO Line — 2019

Czech climbers Marek Holeček and Zdeněk Hák arrived beneath Chamlang in spring 2019.

Holeček had dreamed of climbing the northwest face since first seeing it in 2001.

The pair acclimatized on Mera Peak before returning to Chamlang.

Conditions were difficult.

There was little snow on the wall and large quantities of hard ice. Rockfall and ice avalanches swept portions of the lower face.

On May 17, Holeček and Hák began climbing from approximately 5,300 meters.

Above them lay nearly 2,000 vertical meters of steep mixed terrain.

🧗 Climbing the Northwest Face

The lower face provided almost no easy climbing.

Poor rock lay beneath thin snow, while falling debris forced the climbers to choose bivouacs carefully.

Higher sections offered difficult mixed climbing and steep ice.

The pair carried a small rack, a single lightweight rope, food for only several days, and minimal bivouac equipment.

They continued upward through icefields and technical mixed sections, climbing progressively closer to Chamlang’s summit ridge.

The route eventually reached difficulties around WI5 and M6.

After four bivouacs on the face, the climbers reached the upper ridge.

🏆 The Summit and Difficult Descent

Holeček and Hák reached Chamlang’s summit on May 21, 2019.

The climb was not over.

Their planned descent followed the original 1962 south ridge, but route-finding proved much more difficult than expected.

Poor visibility, complicated terrain, and exhaustion forced them to spend two additional nights on the descent.

They had run out of food.

After difficult downclimbing and rappelling, the pair finally reached the valley on May 23.

They had spent seven nights away from Base Camp.

The climbers named their route UFO Line, recalling the mysterious object Messner and Scott reported seeing during their 1981 climb on Chamlang.

🏅 A Piolet d’Or

The UFO Line was widely recognized as one of the outstanding Himalayan climbs of 2019.

The route climbed the complete northwest face for the first time and involved roughly 2,000 meters of technical terrain followed by a traverse of the mountain.

Marek Holeček and Zdeněk Hák completed the climb in lightweight alpine style rather than relying on fixed camps and ropes.

The achievement was selected as one of the Piolets d’Or 2020 honored ascents.

The award reinforced Chamlang’s transformation from an obscure 7,000-meter summit into one of the major arenas for modern technical Himalayan climbing.

🧗 The Direct North Face — 2021

Another important chapter followed only two years later.

French climbers Charles Dubouloz and Benjamin Védrines targeted the direct north face in autumn 2021.

Védrines already knew the area.

In 2019 he and Nicolas Jean had attempted the unclimbed north pillar before switching objectives and climbing a northeast couloir to a high point around 7,240 meters on the eastern ridge.

In 2021, Védrines returned with Dubouloz for a much more direct objective.

The pair acclimatized on Mera Peak and examined conditions on the north face before committing to the climb.

🧗 À l’Ombre du Mensonge

Dubouloz and Védrines established a direct line through the north face.

The route involved sustained technical climbing on ice and mixed terrain.

Difficulties reached approximately WI5+ and M5+, with ice approaching 90 degrees in places.

The pair eventually joined the upper portion of the 2019 UFO Line.

They reached Chamlang’s summit at approximately 3 p.m. in strong winds.

Rather than descend the complicated south ridge used by the Czech climbers, they crossed the summit and descended by the west ridge.

The route was named À l’Ombre du Mensonge, meaning roughly “In the Shadow of Lies.”

It added another major alpine-style line to Chamlang’s formidable northern side.

🧊 Glaciers and Terrain

Chamlang is surrounded by extensive glacier systems.

The Hongu Valley provides access to the western and northwestern sides, while the Chamlang and Lower Barun glacier systems lie farther north and east.

The first-ascent expedition encountered complicated icefalls, crevasses, and seracs before even reaching the south ridge.

Modern climbers on the northern walls face an even more complex combination of hazards.

Rockfall can accelerate down steep faces as daytime temperatures rise.

Seracs release ice avalanches without warning.

Fresh snow can trigger slab avalanches, while glacier approaches contain hidden crevasses.

The mountain’s enormous summit ridge adds another difficulty: reaching the ridge does not necessarily mean the main summit is close.

🌦️ Climate and Weather

Chamlang lies on the southern side of the central Himalayan divide and receives significant moisture from the South Asian monsoon.

Summer brings heavy precipitation to the lower valleys and large amounts of snow to higher elevations.

Spring and autumn generally provide the most practical climbing periods.

Even during these seasons, storms can rapidly cover technical terrain with snow or create dangerous avalanche conditions.

The 1962 expedition repeatedly lost time to snowfall and strong wind.

Modern north-face climbers have also had to manage changing temperatures carefully because warmer conditions dramatically increase rockfall and serac activity.

Above 7,000 meters, severe cold and low atmospheric oxygen magnify every technical problem.

🌿 Flora and Fauna

The lower valleys surrounding Chamlang belong to one of the most biologically diverse parts of the Nepal Himalayas.

The nearby Makalu-Barun landscape rises through an extraordinary range of elevations, from subtropical valleys to permanent snow and ice.

Lower elevations support broadleaf forests, while higher areas contain rhododendron, fir, birch, juniper, and alpine vegetation.

Above the tree line, shrubs and grasses gradually give way to rocky alpine terrain and permanent snow.

The upper slopes of Chamlang itself are essentially devoid of vegetation.

Wildlife in the greater Makalu-Barun region includes red pandas, Himalayan black bears, musk deer, Himalayan tahr, serow, snow leopards, and numerous species of birds.

These animals inhabit forests, alpine grasslands, cliffs, and valleys far below Chamlang’s summit.

🏞️ The Hongu Valley

The Hongu Valley is central to Chamlang’s mountaineering history.

The first-ascent expedition entered the valley from the south in 1962, becoming one of the earliest major climbing parties to use that approach.

Modern climbers often reach the region from the west through the high country around Mera Peak or by crossing demanding Himalayan passes such as the Amphu Lapcha.

The valley remains much less developed than the main Everest trekking corridor.

Its landscape includes high pastures, glacial lakes, moraines, glaciers, and enormous views of Chamlang and Baruntse.

The relative isolation is part of Chamlang’s appeal, but it also makes climbing expeditions more difficult to supply and rescue.

🥾 Trekking Around Chamlang

Chamlang is not a conventional trekking destination, but experienced trekkers traveling through the Hinku and Hongu valleys can see the mountain.

The broader region is associated with routes around Mera Peak and high-pass crossings toward the Everest area.

These journeys are considerably more demanding than ordinary lodge treks.

High passes can exceed 5,500 meters, trails may cross glaciers and moraines, and some routes require camping or specialized support.

For trekkers with appropriate experience, the reward is access to a Himalayan landscape far quieter than the Everest Base Camp route.

Chamlang’s massive northern walls are among the dominant sights of the upper Hongu Valley.

🪨 Geology

Chamlang formed as part of the Himalayan mountain system created by the collision between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.

India’s continued movement northward compressed and uplifted enormous masses of rock along the Himalayan arc.

The Makalu and Mahalangur regions expose high-grade metamorphic and granitic rocks that were formed or altered deep within the crust before being uplifted toward the surface.

Erosion then sculpted the rising mountains.

Glaciers carved cirques, valleys, steep walls, and sharp ridges, while freeze-thaw action continues to break rock from Chamlang’s exposed faces.

These processes help explain the rockfall danger encountered by modern climbers.

🏔️ Nearby Mountains

Makalu is Chamlang’s dominant neighbor, rising to 8,485 meters northeast of the mountain.

Baruntse stands to the north-northwest and reaches more than 7,100 meters.

Everest and Lhotse lie farther northwest and are visible from Chamlang’s summit during clear weather.

The Hongu region also contains several lesser-known 6,000-meter peaks, including Hongu Chuli and other sharp glaciated summits.

Together, these mountains form part of the extraordinarily rugged southern Mahalangur Himal.

Chamlang’s relative separation from the main Makalu and Everest chains gives it a distinctive position within this crowded high-altitude landscape.

🧭 Can Chamlang Be Climbed Today?

Yes. Chamlang remains an officially recognized expedition mountain in Nepal.

Nepalese tourism statistics continue to record permitted expeditions and successful climbs on the mountain.

However, Chamlang should not be confused with a heavily commercialized 7,000-meter peak.

The mountain receives comparatively few expeditions.

Its established routes involve long approaches, glacier travel, steep snow and ice, exposed ridges, avalanche terrain, and significant technical climbing.

The northern faces are objectives for elite alpinists rather than conventional expedition clients.

Any attempt requires the appropriate Nepalese mountaineering permit as well as extensive high-altitude and technical climbing experience.

⭐ Why Chamlang Is Remarkable

Chamlang is one of the most visually and historically distinctive 7,000-meter mountains in Nepal.

Its long summit ridge resembles the wingspan suggested by its name. Its 7,319-meter western summit rises almost 1,200 meters above its key col, while its complex eastern ridge contains several additional summits approaching or exceeding 7,200 meters.

The mountain’s history also spans two very different eras of Himalayan climbing.

In 1962, the Japanese first-ascent expedition used around 100 approach porters, multiple high camps, thousands of feet of fixed rope, rope ladders, and weeks of work to overcome the south ridge.

Nearly six decades later, Holeček and Hák carried minimal equipment up the previously unclimbed northwest face, spent seven nights traversing the mountain, and completed one of the outstanding alpine-style climbs of their generation.

Dubouloz and Védrines followed with another direct northern line in 2021.

Chamlang may stand in the shadow of nearby Makalu on maps of the world’s highest mountains, but among alpinists its vast faces, unusual summit ridge, and exceptional climbing history make it one of the most compelling mountains of the Mahalangur Himal.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How high is Chamlang?

Chamlang is officially listed at 7,319 meters (24,012 feet). Some recent mountaineering sources use 7,321 meters.

Where is Chamlang?

Chamlang is located in Koshi Province in eastern Nepal, south of Makalu in the Mahalangur Himal.

What does Chamlang mean?

The name was translated in the original Japanese first-ascent account as approximately “big bird flapping its wings,” a reference that suits the mountain’s long spreading summit ridge.

Who first climbed Chamlang?

Soh Anma and Pasang Phutar III made the first ascent.

When was Chamlang first climbed?

The first ascent was completed on May 31, 1962.

What route did the first ascenders use?

They approached from the Hongu Valley and climbed through a glacier system to the south ridge, where fixed ropes and ladders were used to overcome difficult terrain.

Who led the first-ascent expedition?

Dr. Seiki Nakano led the Academic Alpine Club of Hokkaido expedition.

How prominent is Chamlang?

Chamlang has approximately 1,193 meters (3,914 feet) of topographic prominence.

Is Chamlang an ultra-prominent mountain?

No. Its prominence is about 307 meters below the 1,500-meter threshold required for Ultra status.

How isolated is Chamlang?

Its true topographic isolation is approximately 15.37 kilometers (9.55 miles).

What is Chamlang’s nearest higher neighbor?

The nearest higher terrain lies on Makalu Southeast Peak.

Does Chamlang have more than one summit?

Yes. The massif contains the main western summit, several central high points, and Chamlang East along a very long summit ridge.

What is the UFO Line?

UFO Line is the route climbed by Marek Holeček and Zdeněk Hák on the northwest face in May 2019. It was the first complete ascent of that enormous face.

Why is it called UFO Line?

The name recalls a strange bright object reportedly seen by Reinhold Messner and Doug Scott while climbing Chamlang’s north side in 1981.

Did UFO Line receive a Piolet d’Or?

Yes. The climb was selected as one of the honored ascents at the 2020 Piolets d’Or.

Has Chamlang’s north face been climbed?

Yes. Charles Dubouloz and Benjamin Védrines climbed a major direct route called À l’Ombre du Mensonge on the north face in 2021.

Can Chamlang still be climbed?

Yes. Nepal permits expeditions to Chamlang, but it remains a serious technical and high-altitude objective with comparatively few ascents.

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