Key Takeaways:

• NMA formally seeks UIAA recognition for six additional 8,000-metre peaks
• Expert study finds the summits have distinct identities and separate climbing routes
• Proposal includes four peaks in the Kanchenjunga massif and two in the Lhotse range
• Issue raised during the 2026 UIAA General Assembly in Kathmandu

KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 30 The Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) has formally appealed to the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) to recognise six additional Himalayan summits as separate mountains above 8,000 metres, a move that would significantly reshape the global map of high-altitude mountaineering. NMA President Phur Gelje Sherpa raised the issue during the inaugural session of the 2026 UIAA General Assembly, which began in Kathmandu on Thursday. Addressing delegates from the international mountaineering community, Sherpa said Nepal's mountain heritage extended beyond the eight officially recognised eight-thousanders and that six additional summits already opened for mountaineering by the Government of Nepal deserved formal consideration. The six proposed peaks are: Kanchenjunga massif

• Kanchenjunga South (8,476m)
• Kanchenjunga West (8,077m)
• Kanchenjunga Central (8,473m)
• Yalung Khang (8,595m)

Everest-Lhotse massif

• Lhotse Middle (8,410m)
• Lhotse Shar (8,400m)

Sherpa said the issue had been repeatedly pursued by former NMA leaders and executive committee members but had yet to receive the international recognition Nepal believes the mountains deserve. 'All six are known by their own names and recognised as distinct peaks by local communities. Each has its own geographical identity and a separate route to its summit. Climbing one summit does not mean reaching another,' Sherpa told the assembly. He argued that every ascent above 8,000 metres requires exceptional endurance, technical ability, experience and preparation, making each summit a significant mountaineering achievement that merits objective assessment on its own. Scientific assessment presented The NMA said it has conducted an extensive study of the six mountains through a team of experts formed specifically to examine the proposal. According to the association, the team assessed and measured the peaks by compiling evidence relating to their geographical identities, distinct summits and separate climbing routes. To support Nepal's case, Sherpa announced that a specialist team led by Madhu Sudan Adhikari had prepared a detailed technical presentation for UIAA representatives. 'Our aim is not simply to increase the number of recognised mountains,' Sherpa said. 'We want to ensure that their distinct identities, local names, geographical characteristics and separate summit routes receive fair and professional consideration.' He added that while science can measure the independence of mountain peaks, determining the threshold at which a summit should be recognised as a separate mountain ultimately requires international consensus. Sherpa said Nepal hoped not only to secure recognition for the six proposed peaks but also to help lead efforts towards a clearer scientific framework for classifying mountains throughout the Himalaya. Recognition could reshape global mountaineering Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadak Raj Poudel described the proposal as a historic initiative that could significantly expand Nepal's place on the world mountaineering map. In remarks shared after the event, Poudel said recognition of the six summits would increase the number of globally recognised mountains above 8,000 metres from 14 to 20. Nepal's tally would rise from eight to 14, meaning the country would be home to 14 of the world's 20 eight-thousanders. 'That would be a remarkable achievement in itself,' Poudel said. He said international recognition would further establish Nepal as the world's premier destination for high-altitude mountaineering while opening new opportunities in adventure tourism, scientific research, mountain economies and international tourism promotion. Poudel stressed that Nepal's proposal was not merely about adding names to a list. 'This is also an effort to establish Nepal's mountain geography, natural heritage and mountain identity before the international community through facts, research and scientific evidence,' he said. Climate change dominates discussions Alongside the recognition proposal, climate change emerged as a major theme of the General Assembly. Opening the gathering, Poudel urged the international mountaineering community to pay greater attention to the accelerating impacts of climate change on the Himalayas. 'We need to act now and raise this critical issue to the world,' he said. UIAA President Peter Muir echoed those concerns, saying recent disasters in Nepal highlighted the vulnerability of mountain regions. 'These tragedies serve as a harsh and immediate reminder of the stark reality of climate change,' Muir said. 'When the mountain environment turns unforgivingly on local populations who are simply striving to live their daily lives, it forces an unmistakable lesson upon us all.' Muir described the NMA as one of the UIAA's most active member federations and said the international body would continue supporting Nepal's climbing community through safety and development initiatives. Kang Joon-seok, chief executive officer of Black Yak, also highlighted the need for greater attention to global warming and its impact on mountain communities. Global gathering underway The annual UIAA General Assembly is the federation's highest decision-making body, bringing together member associations, commissions, partners and mountain-sport stakeholders from around the world. Nepal last hosted the prestigious gathering in 2011. The 2026 edition marks the third time the country has organised the UIAA General Assembly, following earlier editions in 1982 and 2011. Nepal's recognised eight-thousanders Nepal currently hosts eight internationally recognised mountains above 8,000 metres:

• Everest (8,848.86m)
• Kanchenjunga (8,586m)
• Lhotse (8,516m)
• Makalu (8,463m)
• Cho Oyu (8,201m)
• Dhaulagiri (8,167m)
• Manaslu (8,163m)
• Annapurna I (8,091m)

'The Government of Nepal has already endorsed these six new peaks,' Sherpa told delegates, urging the UIAA and the wider mountaineering community to give the proposal serious and evidence-based consideration.