First time climbing Mt. Gangchenpo

KATHMANDU, Nov 01: Mount Gangchenpo (6,378 meters) is going to be climbed for the first time from Sindhupalchok.

Italian paraclimbing team's world champion Simone Salvanini and Everest climbers and international mountain guides Luca Montanari, D. Emilia Alessandro, Della Mura Marco and a team of Nepali climbers are going to climb Gangchenpo mountain from Nepal for the first time.

The team that left Kathmandu on Saturday to develop the local community through sustainable tourism has reached Panchpokhri Thangpal Village.

The mountaineer team coming to climb the mountain for the first time was welcomed by the village president, vice president, executive members, employees and locals at the Khalde river at the entrance of the village.

Mukund Pandey, member secretary of Panchpokhri Thangpal Village Tourism and Development, said that the team will climb the Gangchempo Himal at a height of 6378 meters for 10 to 12 days and return. Member Secretary Pandey informed that out of the 15-member team going through the Pachpokhari trail for the first time, 7 will climb the mountain and the rest will stay at the base camp and help the climbers.

With the permission of the federal government and the initiative of Panchpokhari Thangal Village, the climb is going to be led by Garima Voyage Travels.

The project of rural development and sustainable tourism started jointly by Garima Voyage and New Vision Nepal is about to be launched to the world.

The participation of blind athlete Salvagnin, who is also the spokesperson of the United Nations, has made this campaign more meaningful.

The organizers believe that the experience and success he will achieve can be shared from a different point of view than other climbers.

Team leader Ravindra Aryal, President of New Vision Nepal, Ashok Sharma Bhatt, President of New Vision Nepal, Sanu Sherpa, the world-famous Nepali mountain guide who has twice climbed all 14 mountains of 8,000 meters in the world, Nepalese climbers Lal Bahadur Waiba, Ramkaji Tiwari, the first Everest climber of the Hyolmo community, Kanchi Dolma Halmo, along with the Italian team in the climbing team. Sanjiv Gurung and other supporting parties will participate.

Gangchenpo Himal climbing expedition was done by Garima Voyage while all ground handling and climbing technical support was done by Mountain Guide Association of Nepal (MOGAN).

The climbing team consists of world renowned and top Nepali mountaineer guides. Sanjiv Gurung, president of Mogan, who is also the coordinator of the Gangchenpo Himal climbing team, said that he is confident that this climbing campaign will be successful.

Gangchenpo Himal belongs to the Jugal mountain range of the Himalayan region of Nepal. It is located in Rasuwa district. Gangchenpo is about 3.7 km west of Urkenmang and 14.4 km east of Ganjala Chuli. The 6,378 meter high mountain is located 6.6 km south-west of Langsishari.

Gangchenpo Himal is close to Kathmandu and has good economic potential for climbing. After the successful climbing of the mountain, the organizers hope that the tourism product based on dynamic tourism will be spread all over the world.

On Friday, Senior Vice President of Nepal Mountaineering Association Thakur Raj Pandey bid farewell to the climbing team by handing over the flag of the association.