Thursday, October 8, 2009
Getting To Know Ama Dablam and Pumori, the "Other" Himalayan Peaks!
Alan Arnette has a good story today on what he calls the "other" Himalaya climbs, in which he turns the spotlight on both Ama Dablam and Pumori, two popular climbing destinations in the region.
Both mountains fall below the legendary 8000 meter peak line, which keeps them a bit below the radar, despite the fact that they are both demanding climbs in their own right. Ama Dablam stands 6848 meters (22467 feet) in height, while Pumori tops out at 7161 meters (23494 feet). The two mountains are located completely within Nepal, meaning they haven't been subjected to China's closing of Tibet in recent years. They are also popular fall climbs as well, with mountaineers looking to tackle Everest or one of the other big peaks in the spring.
Alan points out that there are a number of teams on both Pumori and Ama Dablam at the moment. For instance, the Peak Freaks have a team on Pumori and it also the target peak for the Climb With Us Team as well. Ama Dablam is hosting teams from IMG, Field Touring Alpine, and Adventure Consultants as well.
Sometimes it is very easy to get caught up in the what is happening on Everest and the other 8000 meter peaks, and you tend to forget that there are plenty of other amazing, challenging, and beautiful mountains in the Himalaya. Thanks to Alan for reminding us that there are "other" peaks out there that are deserving of respect and attention.