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Breaking the 7000m barrier

Becky Coles high on Peak Lenin, climbing towards Camp 3
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Written by David Hamilton, September 2017

David Hamilton has led 18 expeditions to 8000m peaks and 11 expeditions to 7000m peaks. He recently returned from leading Jagged Globe's 2017 Peak Lenin expedition, and will be leading the 2018 expedition to Kun. Here is his advice for anyone thinking about attempting a 7000m peak for the first time.

7000m is the altitude where expedition climbing gets serious. All the peaks above this height are in the Greater Himalaya. For some people with previous 6000m experience a 7000m expedition will be their ultimate climbing goal. For others it may be a stepping stone in their preparation for an 8000m peak.

All Jagged Globe's 7000m expeditions last 3-4 weeks. They normally cost more than a trip to a 6000m peak but are a lot less expensive than 8000m expeditions. There are four 7000m expeditions in the current programme: Pk Lenin 7134m, Kun 7087m, Dhaulagiri VII 7246m, and Lhakpa Ri 7045m.

The first 3 are traditional expedition style climbs with a fixed base camp and multiple camps on the mountain. Lhakpa Ri is a different type of expedition travelling through Tibet to the north side of Everest. The trip is structured as an extremely high altitude trek visiting Everest ABC at 6,500m with opportunities to make single day climbs to Lhakpa Ri and Everest's North Col. Several years ago this trip offered an economical way to reach the magic 7000m mark. In recent years the Chinese authorities have increased the permit price considerably making this trip much more expensive. This expedition can be run in the Spring or Autumn. The 2018 dates are in April/May.

Pk Lenin 7134m is the shortest and least expensive of the four expeditions and is normally run in July/August. Visa free travel to Kyrgyzstan and the short drive from Osh to base camp makes this an attractive option for those with limited time. The travel section of the programme is quite compressed to give sufficient time for acclimatization and climbing on the mountain. This is a popular peak and there are liable to be several hundred other climbers at BC and on the mountain. There are two camps on the peak above ABC and the summit day is long.

Kun 7087m is an attractive peak in the Zanskar region of the Indian Himalaya. This expedition is slightly longer and slightly more expensive than Peak Lenin but also runs in July/August. The expedition is supported by experienced Nepalese sherpas. There is a short acclimatization trek crossing a 5280m pass before travelling to base camp at 4350m. Above this there are three camps on the mountain. This is not a busy peak and it is unlikely that there will be more than two or three teams climbing at any one time.

Dhaulagiri VII 7246m is a rarely climbed but technically straightforward mountain in a remote region of western Nepal. The expedition starts with a 10 day trek though seldom visited valleys to a remote base camp at 4,950m. Above this there are three further camps on the mountain. Nepalese sherpas support the group during the trekking and climbing phases of the expedition. Like many climbing projects in Nepal this expedition is scheduled for October. This is the most expensive of the current 7000m expeditions largely due to the logistical challenges of operating in a remote area.

Several other peaks have featured previously and may be reintroduced again in the coming years including: Muztagh Ata 7546m, Baruntse 7129m, Spantik 7029m.

Muztagh Ata 7546m is commonly thought to be the highest 'non-technical' peak in the world. It is located in Xinjiang province in the extreme NW of China. The uniform gentle slopes make it an ideal ski mountaineering objective and the peak has become increasingly popular in recent years. Jagged Globe has organised a total of 10 expeditions to this peak the most recent in 2010. Ski groups prefer to climb in June/July while groups without skis tend to prefer July / August.

Baruntse 7129m is a stunning snow peak located in the upper Barun valley between Everest and Makalu. Jagged Globe has organised 3 expeditions to this peak most recently in 2009. Despite the obvious attractions of this peak experience has shown that summit attempts are often thwarted by problematic crevasses or high avalanche risk. It has therefore been removed from the programme in favour of other peaks with fewer objective hazards. In common with other peaks in Nepal the popular time to climb is October.

Spantik 7029m is in the Pakistan Karakoram. The west face approached from the Hunza valley is a steep rock face. The east side of the peak, approached via Skardu and Askole has a moderately angled 8km long ridge leading to the summit. This gives an atmospheric and scenic climb that is nowhere difficult. Jagged Globe has organised a total of 4 expeditions to this peak the most recent in 2006. David Hamilton will be visiting the Karakoram in summer 2018 to assess conditions and Jagged Globe may reintroduce Spantik to the 2019 pogramme.

If you are interested in climbing any of these peaks contact Tom at the Jagged Globe office. This will ensure that the peaks you want to climb can be added to next year’s programme.

There are two other peaks that deserve a mention despite the fact they are under the magic 7000m height. Aconcagua 6969m is just a few meters short and an expedition to the highest peak outside the Himalayas shares many characteristics with climbing larger mountains. The fact that the climb will be largely snow free in normal conditions is the main thing that distinguishes Aconcagua from the lower Himalayan 7000m peaks, and makes it an 'easier' climb. Denali 6124m, is well short of the 7000m mark but its northerly location means that it is colder with more unstable weather than most Himalayan 7000m peaks, and this (plus the absence of porter support) means that it is usually considered a more difficult climb.

What are the main differences between a 6000m expedition and a 7000m expedition?

Base Camp life: A typical 6000m climb in Nepal involves a one or two day climb at the end of a trek (eg Mera Pk, Island Pk etc). The trek provides the acclimatisation phase of the expedition and the climbing part is a small proportion of the total duration. By contrast most 7000m expeditions operate out of a fixed base camp. It is normal to spend more than 50% of the total expedition days in base camp. It is important to use this time productively with an appropriate mix of training and resting. There is a lot of 'down time' and the people who cope with this best often perform best on the mountain. Some people read, some write and some listen to music. There is no 'correct' approach and different things suit different people. It is important for each individual to think this through and bring their own entertainment solutions (preferably not involving things that need electricity!)

Mountain Tent time: similar to base camp time! It is normal to move between mountain camps in the hours of darkness and spend the daylight time resting in small tents avoiding the heat of the sun. Not everyone can sleep the day away in a small hot tent. Make sure that some of your Base Camp entertainment can be carried easily and used on the mountain.

Clothing and equipment organisation: There are few opportunities to practice with 7000m clothes and kit in suburbia. Everyone brings a number of new and unfamiliar items with them on expedition. The key is to have a plan for how you are going to test the new items at the start of he expedition so that you are familiar with them by the time the summit push starts. Everyone needs a clear idea of what they have got and where it fits into their 'system'. Plus an understanding of what circumstances will cause then to swap or change clothing.

Tent organisation: this is helpful in base camp but crucial on the mountain. Practice having a ‘system’ for how to organise things in a tent. Keeping items like headtorch, water, pee bottle, etc in the same place enables you to find them easily at night and stay organised.

Cold issues: The body needs oxygen and fuel (food) to create warmth. Oxygen levels fall 50% above 6000m and many people struggle to eat well at altitude. This is in addition to lower external air temperatures. At lower altitudes there is always the option to move quicker to generate additional heat. This is not an option above 6000m where everyone generally moves slower. Even if you have not suffered from the cold on previous climbs prepare for this to be a factor when you climb higher.

Feet, face, hands: These are the 3 places where you will feel the cold. Good boots that are correctly sized will look after your feet. If your feet are between two boot sizes always go for the larger size. There are several solutions to fill the excess space (volume reducers etc) but there is nothing you can do if the boots are too tight. Bring the best gloves you can find and hope that they are warm enough. Gloves allow you to do far more than mitts. But bring mitts too as a back up. In cold and windy conditions you need to be able to cover your entire face while still being able to breathe and see where you are going. The best combination for most people is: hat, ski goggles, ski mask, buff. Balaclavas are over-rated and few people are able to make them work successfully.

Summit day (food/fluid): it is nice to be able to eat and drink on a long summit day, but this is not always possible. Practice doing 12-14 hrs of hard exercise without eating or drinking anything and learn how your body copes with this. Energy gels (carried in an inside pocket to prevent freezing) are a good option. Try different brands and flavours at home and bring your favourites on expedition.

Stop water freezing: A 1 Litre Nalgene bottle with an OR (Outdoor Research) insulated cover is the best way to keep water liquid. A lightweight (Lifeventure) 750ml thermos is a good addition.

Weight considerations: this is about equipment weight, not your weight (but if you are carrying a few kg too many around the waistline it is a good idea to lose them). Locally employed staff will usually carry group equipment to high camps on the mountain (tents, cooking kit, food etc). However you must often carry your own personal kit. If you go for the lightest options available (backpack, sleeping bag, mattress, harness, ice axe, crampons etc) you can keep this weight close to 10kg. If you are not careful it can weigh close to 20kg. For a few big, fit and strong people this extra weight is not a problem, but for most people the extra 10kg can mean the difference between success and failure.

Fitness issues: it is impossible to say how fit you need to be to climb to 7000m. Altitude affects different people differently and the higher you go the more unpredictable the outcomes. Some people make a smooth progression from low altitude fitness to high altitude fitness. While others, who are strong in the UK (and Alps), slow down disproportionately above 6000m. The only way to know how you will perform is to learn from experience. Treat your first trip to a new height as a learning experience and do not assume if you were among the strongest on a 6000m climb that the same will be the case on a 7000m climb.

And finally... do not rely on your iphone for summit pictures. It probably won't make it out of your pocket. If it does it will probably get dropped. They are hard to operate while wearing gloves, and the battery will probably be dead. Get a small cheap camera with a case that can be clipped to a rucksac strap, and bring a spare battery.

If you have any questions about any of these mountains, or about any of these tips contact David Hamilton via the Jagged Globe office.

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