Nepali-led team completes first-ever traverse of Chhuama I and II, earning national recognition
KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 22
A Nepali-led expedition has completed the first official ascents of two previously unclimbed Himalayan peaks-Chhuama II (6,325 metres) and Chhuama I (6,366 metres)-in Upper Mustang on December 21. The expedition was organised by Seven Summit Treks, with gear support from Pelliot Nepal.
Chhuama II was summited at 8:45 am, followed by the ascent of Chhuama I at 10:59 am on the same day.
Both summits were achieved in winter alpine style, a rare feat in Himalayan mountaineering, with the team completing a summit-to-summit traverse of approximately 1,000 metres between the two peaks. The entire expedition was carried out without fixed ropes or established high-altitude camps.
According to the SST, the expedition marked its first dedicated winter exploratory mission on unclimbed peaks, undertaken as part of a long-term strategy to promote professional and responsible exploratory mountaineering in Nepal.
"This expedition reflects our growing emphasis on alpine-style climbing and the responsible development of virgin peaks," said Chhang Dawa Sherpa, Expedition Director at Seven Summit Treks.
The team ascended Chhuama II via the southeast face, traversed west along the ridge to Chhuama I, and descended via the south ridge of Chhuama I, Sherpa said.
The summit team comprised Jenjen Lama, Pasang Rinzee Sherpa, and Ashish Gurung, all of whom reached both peaks. Ashok Nepal and Anish Dahal provided logistics and expedition management support.
The Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) and the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA) formally acknowledged the achievement.
In a statement, the NMA said the ascents represented a meaningful contribution to Nepal's mountaineering sector and adventure tourism, particularly due to the alpine style and exploratory nature of the climbs. "The Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) formally acknowledges the successful first ascents of two previously unclimbed peaks," the NMA stated, adding that the completion of both summits with a full traverse between them represents a significant achievement in exploratory mountaineering.
The NNMGA noted that the expedition demonstrated professional guiding standards, sound alpine decision-making, and increasing leadership by Nepali guides in winter first ascents. The association said the climb highlighted the increasing involvement of Nepali professionals in high-risk exploratory mountaineering.
The successful climbs of the Chhuama peaks highlight Nepal's expanding role not only as a hub for commercial expeditions but also as a destination for serious exploratory mountaineering led by Nepali climbers.
Earlier this year, the Nepal government opened 97 peaks in the far-western Himalayas without charging permit fees for the next two years under a new policy aimed at promoting adventure tourism in under-visited regions. The Cabinet decision, taken on July 17, 2025, applies to mountains ranging from 5,870 to 7,132 metres-77 in Karnali Province and 20 in Sudurpaschim Province.
Many of these mountains have never been summited, offering rare opportunities for climbers seeking new challenges.
Tourism officials believe the two-year waiver could attract mountaineers to Nepal's least developed provinces and their largely untouched "virgin" peaks.