Make History - Join us on our 2016 Unclimbed Peak Expedition and climb a mountain no one has before!

Have you ticked Kilimanjaro, Everest Base Camp or Machu Picchu off your adventure list and are now ready for the next challenge? Maybe you are looking to trek above 6000m or want to make your mark in the history books by climbing a mountain that no one has climbed before! If so, Expedition Wise has the perfect expedition for you!

 

 

Due to the popularity of the Unclimbed Peak Expedition 2015 which is fully booked, we are now promoting our Unclimbed Peak Expedition 2016!
     

In November 2016 we will be leading an expedition to climb Raungsiyar (6,224m), a previously unclimbed peak in the remote region of Rolwaling which lies in a truly "off the beaten track" area of Nepal. This is one of the 7 hidden valleys of the Himalaya, on the border with Tibet and said to be home of the Yeti!

 

 

This will be an amazing adventure and should appeal to any trekker or mountaineer wishing to complete a first ascent in a spectacular location, fully supported by climbing Sherpas and full camp crew.

Our 2016 Unclimbed Peak Expedition is perfect for those who have some experience in high altitude trekking, enjoy expedition life and are looking for the next challenge.

 

To give you a taste of what is involved in our Unclimbed Peak Expeditions take a look at our films about the Unclimbed Peak Expedition 2013  & Unclimbed Peak Expedition 2014  

 

 

So what are you waiting for?

 

Whether you take part to raise money for your chosen charity, or just fancy an epic adventure, we think you have found your next big challenge!

 

If you would like to find out more about the Unclimbed Peak Expedition 2016 or would like to discuss whether it is right for you, please feel free to contact us as we would be more than happy to answer any questions.

 

Please note: Spaces are limited so please book your place as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

 

For more information and to book your place on this amazing trip click here.             

Summit Day - The First Ascent of Nar Phu Peak

" Morning Sir - black tea?" I am woken at 1am in my tent at Base Camp at 5200m by Nima, our camp sherpa.

I have slept in all of the clothes I will be wearing for the summit attempt so I only need to pull out my inner boots from my sleeping bag, where they have been overnight to keep them from freezing, before pulling them on and then fitting my outer boots.  This is a task that takes a lot of effort and has me out of breath and needing to rest for a few minutes before then leaving my tent for a porridge breakfast with the rest of the summit team: Rhiannon, Heather, Dawn, Catherine, James, our 2 climbing Sherpas, Pasang and Dorje and finally Shika Pandey, a trainee guide.

We start by heading downwards through a deep snow furrow that our climbing sherpas waded through yesterday for us.  It is not ideal to be heading downwards for 150m but our peak sits on the other side of a rock valley from our base camp.

It is minus 24℃ as we trudge down and then back up the same height to reach the face of the glacier.  It is here that we don harnesses, crampons, helmets, ice axes and rope up together. The initial climb is a simple 8m of 45° ice to get us onto the glacier where we plod upwards for 1.5hrs to reach the huge 100m high hanging glacier that blocks our path onto the upper glacier we need to reach to gain access to Nar Phu Peak.  

We have spent a lot of time using binoculars from base camp looking for a feasible route through the hanging glacier and have opted for an ice ramp at the glacier's right hand edge that leads right and then switches left.  The ramp starts out at an easy 45° but soon steepens to 65° hard ice.  We climb together in 3 rope groups and make it to the top shattered and in need of a drink and a snack bar.  Most of our water is frozen so we chip away at the ice to get some fluids into our bodies.

The wind has really picked up now and a few of our group are suffering from the early onset of frostbite.  We take off their boots and massage their feet before placing them into our armpits to rewarm them.

We now have an important choice, to continue along the glacier to the col, another kilometer of ice with crevasses to cross and then climb the West Ridge with a few false summits OR attempt to climb directly on the West Face where we are.  Until this moment, it has been hard to see which route is best due to the hanging glacier blocking our view of the complete route.

We choose the much steeper but objectively safer West Face.

We are now in a fight against the elements as the wind speed really picks up and freezes any skin that is not covered.

The West Face is very steep with snow pitches of 50°-75° which we climb in our rope teams with the use of some fixed rope and running belays to avoid any waiting around in the increasingly cold and harsh conditions.

We reach a tantalising 150m below the summit to find a large crevass to cross and a very steep 80° ice and snow wall blocking our route.  The time is racing away and we are aware that we will be descending the steep West Face in the dark. To come this far not to reach the top is heart breaking but we are not ready to give up yet so after a quick discussion, we agree to go for it and see if we can make it even though it will mean descending in the dark.  Dorje, one of our climbing sherpas, crosses the crevass on a snow bridge and leads up the ice placing a fixed line and an ice axe anchor at the top.  We follow him up scrambling on the ice and snow before reaching the top exhausted with our efforts at this altitude of 5900m.  There is now only a steady slope of 50° to reach the true summit.  We are going to make it and as a complete team of 9 out of 9.

 We reach the rock tower summit on the top of Nar Phu Peak at just after 2pm and check our GPS and get a reading of 5930m.  We have done it, we have climbed an unclimbed peak, we are the first sumitteers of this mountain.  To stand where no one has previously stood is exhilarating and emotional!  Lots of hugs and a few tears before putting up our prayer flags bought specifically from the Buddinath in Kathmandu and taking our summit photo and off we go conscious of the route to be reversed and the need for safety now on the descent.

It takes all of our energy reserves and more to make it back to camp in the dark, finishing after 16.5hrs at 7:30pm.

 
What an amazing day!

Choosing a Charity Challenge

What’s your dream? Is it to summit Africa’s highest peak, or are you looking for a diverse challenge which takes you on a journey through different cultures? Perhaps you have always wanted to complete the UK 3 Peak Challenge or immerse yourself in the historical Hadrian’s Wall Trek; with so many to choose from the choice really is yours, but where do you begin?

Cycling Charity Challenges

Choosing a Charity Challenge can be extremely daunting, but knowing that you definitely want to do one means your half way there. Firstly, you need to think about time constraints, such as time off work, or away from the family, which will determine whether you choose a challenge that is shorter rather than a long one. 

You also have to factor in the destination, are you happy to travel far overseas involving a flight, or would you prefer a UK based challenge, where flying is not involved? Such challenges could also include our 'London to Paris' or 'London to Amsterdam Cycle Challenge'.

Kilimanjaro Trek

Charity Challenges are all about testing yourself and pushing through your own preconceived limits. However, you need to be realistic; if you absolutely detest camping then maybe a trek where you will be regularly sleeping under canvas, is not for you. If the thought of riding a bike for days fills you with absolute horror, you may want to give the Cycle Challenges a (excuse the pun) swerve.

Once you have your heart set on a challenge and understand the commitment, it is time to think about the fundraising target. Are you aiming to raise a substantial amount which will involve a lot of time, motivation, effort and innovation, or are you looking to start off with a less demanding charity fundraising target? Either way, every amount will help your chosen cause, and the charities themselves will be so thankful for all your hard work and fundraising efforts.

Though the fundraising target can be overwhelming to begin with, as long as you are committed, enthusiastic and organised you will no doubt smash your target. For Fundraising ideas see our ‘Fundraising tips’ blog post later on in the month. 

Remember to give yourself plenty of time and be organised, as this will help ensure you reach your fundraising target.

One very important thing not to forget is training and preparation for the event. Always give yourself plenty of time to get physically ready for the challenge, as this will help you get mentally prepared as well. The actual Challenge can be daunting enough, but if you feel you have trained and prepared as much as you possible can, it will enable you to approach it with confidence.

This includes being up to date with any medication/jabs you may need for an overseas challenges.

The most important thing to remember to do on the actual challenge is to enjoy it! Though there may be times where you are finding it incredibly tough and overwhelming, keep your focus on why you are doing the challenge and let this motivate you to keep going! There will be people with you experiencing the same thing, so help support and encourage each other and share the incredible experience together.

Dolomites Cycle Challenge 

Let’s not forget also that there is no such thing as a silly question, so should you have a query or enquiry then do please ask. Here at Expedition Wise we are very happy to answer any questions about your chosen Charity Challenge and look to support you along the way.

With all this in mind, have a look at the Charity Challenges we offer and join us on a future Expedition Wise Charity Challenge!Find out more www.expeditionwise.com 

Expedition Wise team to climb unconquered Himalayan summit

This year is the 60th anniversary of the first successful ascent of Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.  Inspired by this historic achievement, this November our Director, Brian Jackson and 2 other Expedition Wise staff, Ian Foster and Bug Wrightson, are attempting to ascend an unclimbed mountain in Nepal.

The 3 intrepid explorers will head out to a recently opened up area of Nepal north of the Annapurna range taking up to 9 days to trek in, 7 days to climb and 7 days to trek out again.

They will attempt to be the first ever people to climb Chhubohe (5,603m/18,383ft).

Brian is specifically raising money for Pancreatic Cancer UK, as he recently lost a friend to pancreatic cancer.  If you wish to support him in his fundraising, please click on the link to his Just Giving page and click on Donate. 

Chhubohe Climb - Just Giving Page

100% of all funds raised will go directly to the charity as Brian is paying for the challenge himself.