UKC

Working towards an ascent of the normal route on Ama Dablam in 3 to 4 years. Already climb regularly and have alpine experience, although only been to 4800. Will have hopefully climbed the Hornli Ridge this year as well as other things around Chamonix.
Does anyone have any experience or ideas about a higher peak prior to AD, just to test myself at altitude more than anything.

Was looking at Elbrus traverse from the north with 360 expeditions in the next 2 or 3 years. 
 

Any other ideas and experiences most welcome.

Thanks
 

In reply to llanberis36:

UKC never ceases to amuse......I'm sure I read a thread in which Andy Cave was asking something similar 🤔 

In reply to llanberis36:

Kilimanjaro is the obvious peak for merely testing altitude ability at 5895m. Whilst I enjoyed it I was discouraged from trying anything much higher. 

In reply to Pedro50:

Thanks Pedro, useful info

In reply to llanberis36:

Actually I will revise my post. I'm sure that with further prolonged and structured acclimatisation I could have gone higher. It's a learning and time game. 

In reply to llanberis36:

The highest camp on Kili is roughly the same height as AD base camp and you only spend a few hours there before going to the top. I don’t think cruising up Kili would be of much benefit compared to a 6000er where you spend a few nights up high. Similarly you don’t sleep high on Elbrus and you’re in huts. Something like Kyajo Ri in Nepal would be much better preparation, or really any 6000m peak where you spend a bit of time looking after yourself above the snow line. AD might be fixed all the way but it’s like an Alpine Difficile with the altitude/cold and if you have to summit from C2 it’s a big day.

In reply to llanberis36:

How about a month or so in Cordillera Real, Bolivia.

Plenty of easily accessible peaks from 5500 - 6500ish, routes of all different grades, very reliable weather, easy access to the mountains from La Paz and a good local scene.

There are plenty of well qualified guides available locally, if needed...their day rate is far more reasonable then Europe. 

John Biggars book is the best available in the UK; Andes. 

In reply to llanberis36: why don’t you go for Lobuche peak or island peak. they’re both close by to AD both just over 6000m only takes 1 day to go up them and you could add this ahead of AD trip

In reply to THE.WALRUS:

Thanks. Time limited like most hence looking at Mount Elbrus or perhaps Kilimanjaro, although will have more time for AD.

Nice idea though 

Thanks

In reply to Burly1973:

Cheers. Looking ideally for a separate trip the year before. Thanks anyway

In reply to Tom Briggs:

Cheers Tom. Good thinking about the sleeping high bit, had not really thought about that much. Will certainly look at Kyajo Ri as an option 

In reply to llanberis36:

If you have something other than a UK passport, Damavand would be an idea too. Similar height to Kilimanjaro, and the local tourist and guiding industries could use the money.

In reply to 65:

Actually, I've long fancied a trip to Damavand; I taken it Iran off limits for those with UK passports?

In reply to THE.WALRUS:

Not in theory but likely much more difficult than it was even a couple of years ago. I had a visa refused in 2017, no reason given, and things were much better then. 

In reply to llanberis36:

Quite a few 6000mish peaks in Sichuan that are short expeditions with easy access. You get the multi days of Himalayan style climbing but none of the mass tourist industry stuff of the Khumbu.

In reply to THE.WALRUS:

Brits need to be booked on tours with an Iranian agency. There's a few that can climbing trips.

In reply to Removed Userwaitout:

Thanks for this. Will check it out 
Cheers

In reply to llanberis36:

PM me if you need any help with Iranian agencies.

In reply to 65:

If I may add to your kind offer, simply because it's a rare opportunity to get the information out there;

The companies/agencies in Iran that run climbing stuff have connections with their national climbing federation, which goes a long way with the red tape associated with visas. Climbing is a respectable pursuit in Iran and for a long time foreign climbers have had a healthy exchange with Iran both inside the country and out, it's not unlike the 'freedom climbers' scenario of the Cold War (indeed former Eastern Bloc climbers are common in Iran, including some well known names). I know even of trips organized between women climbers, Iran having world class female ice climbers and amongst the 8000m crowd. Without getting carried away, this is the political climbing cause of the moment.

Beyond Damavand there's an impressive spectrum of international-level climbing in Iran, in a wonderful culture virtually untainted by the safari-style climbing that's infested elsewhere. 

Like China, why must the alpine destinations with the best food be the ones our governments pick fights with?

In reply to llanberis36:

I'd tend to agree with Tom Briggs' reply about going on a trip which involves spending time sleeping high, not just going high.

Peru is a good option for alpine-like 6000ers with road access from eg. Huaraz which makes it easy to get high and back down to the city quite quickly if you're time-pressed. 

But I think the difference between Ama Dablam (or other high peaks in the Himalaya) and Peru is that you don't get to recover at relatively "low" altitudes after acclimatizing. Huaraz is at something like 3100m while Ama Dablam base camp is around 4700m. Add to this some sleep deprivation from sleeping on rocks during acclimatization (no camp on Ama Dablam is comfy) and you might be feeling a bit less refreshed before AD summit push than if you were climbing another 6000er in Peru after having had a few days rest in a proper bed with good food in Huaraz. I think its worth getting familiar with that... but that's just my opinion

In reply to Hannah V:

Thanks Hannah for your reply. All good information