Ama Dablam Expedition is one of the most spectacular mountain climbing adventures in Nepal. The pyramidal shaped Mt. Ama Dablam stands at (6812m) and is one of the most impressive mountains in the world. Located just to the south of Everest and Lhotse it is distinguished by its vertical walls to the south and north as well as the sharp exposed ridges from all directions. Ama is considered the Matterhorn of the Himalaya. The Matterhorn of Himalayas leaves a lasting impression on many as it is perhaps the most stunning mountain along the popular trekking route to Everest Base Camp. Ama Dablam means "Mother's necklace" the long ridges on each side are like the arms of a mother protecting her child. The hanging glacier is thought of as the Dablam, which traditionally is worn by Sherpa woman as a double-pendant containing pictures of the gods. While trekking in the Khumbu on the trekking route to Everest Base Camp, Ama Dablam stands monolithically above Tengboche monastery. A pearl of beauty in itself that commands its surroundings and captures your attention by its presence alone. This expedition is a serious undertaking and is a strong prerequisite to Everest. In terms of technicality Ama Dablam is considered harder than Everest. It demands a high skill level in rock climbing and ice climbing; sufficient experience at high elevation and technical competency. Ama Dablams summit is located at 27°51'42'' N longitude and 86°51'40'' E latitude.
Ama Dablam was first climbed on 13 March 1961 by Mike Gill (NZ), Barry Bishop (USA), Mike Ward (UK) and Wally Romanes (NZ) via the Southwest Ridge. They were well-acclimatized to altitude, having wintered over at 5800 meters near the base of the peak as part of the Silver Hut Scientific Expedition of 1960-61, led by Sir Edmund Hillary.
Ama Dablam is the third most popular Himalayan peak for permitted expeditions. The most popular route by far is the original first ascend route along the Southwest Ridge. The climb is typically done with three camps along the ridge with camp 3 just below and to the right of the hanging glacier, the Dablam, so that any ice that calves off the glacier typically goes away from the camp. A climbing permit and a liaison officer are required when attempting Ama Dablam. You need to have a strong base of rock and ice climbing experience to climb this mountain. Most of the route on Ama Dablam is fixed, so climbers will need to be competent at ascending and descending fixed ropes and passing anchors. There is one pitch on the route that is just about dead vertical, so practice ascending a vertical fixed rope before the expedition.
As with Mt. Everest, the best climbing months are April-May in the spring season and September-October-November in the autumn season. It is popular to combine the Ama Dablam expedition with a trek to Everest Base Camp or with an ascent of Island Peak. One of these two options serves as a very enjoyable way to acclimatize for the climb. Trekking to Everest Base camp is a very nice way to pay homage to Everest, the King of the Himalayas and to experience the classic Everest view from Kallapather. Combining Ama Dablam expedition with an Island Peak climb offers an extraordinary view of Everest from the summit, which in itself worthwhile ascetically and albeit an easy climbing experience.
