KATHMANDU: At least four climbers including an Irish national successfully scaled Mt Burke Khang (6,942 m) becoming the first ever climbers to climb the technical peak named after American climber Bill Burke.

According to Ang Tshering Sherpa, Chairman at Asian Trekking, Noel Hanna of Northern Ireland, high altitude climbing Sirdars Naga Dorje Sherpa, Pemba Tshering Sherpa and Samden Bhote stood atop the mountain on October 5. “This is the first ascent of Burke Khang.”

Asian Trekking's Burke Khang Expedition - Autumn 2017 was led by the legendary climber Bill Burke who is the oldest American climber to summit Mt Everest at the age of 72 years in 2014, Sherpa said, adding that Burke has, however,  failed to make it to the top of Mt Burke Khang this time. He made three previous attempts to climb Burke Khang - once in the Fall of 2015 and 2016 and again in the Spring of 2017. All three previous expeditions were unsuccessful because of heavy snow, and bad weather.

Climbers summit Larkya Lha South East Wall, on Sunday, October 5, 2017. Photo: Asian Trekking

Bill Burke has also climbed Mt Everest from both sides - Nepal and Tibet. “In appreciation of Bill Burke's contribution to promoting mountain tourism in Nepal, the mountain was named after him by the government in 2014,” Sherpa added. Burke Khang is a technical peak situated between Mt Everest and Mt Cho-Oyu.

Meanwhile, Archil Badriashvili, Giorgi Tepnadze and Bakar Gelashvili of Georgia reached the top of Larkya Lha Main (6,425 m) Peak at 10:12 am on September 27 from South East Wall. “This is also the first ascent of Larkya Lha Main Peak from South East Wall which covers over 7,000 m steep icy track to reach the summit ,” Sherpa said.