Q: How hard is it?
A: It's technical. This means ropes, ice axe, crampons, ice screws, cams and jumars. The rock climbing can be 5.9 and the ice, WF4. You really need to have ice and rock climbing experience plus some high altitude experience. My personal experience was difficult but not impossible. I found the rock and ice climbing challenging - I wish I had had some deeper experience, especially on rock. Since I had the Cho Oyu experience to learn from, the altitude was not difficult, but I am glad it was not my first time above 20,000'.

Q: When is it usually climbed?
A: As with most Himalayan peaks, Spring is best since every day it gets warmer with less threat of snow. The Fall season is just the opposite. I climbed in October and had great weather.

Preparation:

Q: Anything special about this mountain?
A: Since it is technical, you will need to focus on aerobic capacity, muscular strength and attitude. The elevation will stress your lung capacity needed to provide oxygen to your muscles. You will carry heavy loads down the mountain after the summit, so make sure you core is in good shape. I run, lift weights, stretch and use visualization techniques to address these areas. For ideas on training for big mountains, please check out my Everest training page.

Gear

Q: What kind of gear do I need?
A: Ama Dablam is a technical route so you need all the basics for any climb: extra clothes, water, food. Plus protection against the extreme cold and wind. Obviously there is the climbing gear. I have a gear page for reference for my overall climbs. I used everything on the 8,000m peak for Ama Dablam.

Q: What kind of clothing?
A: Layer your clothing and be prepared for extreme cold and wind. On summit day, we experienced wind chills well below 0 degrees so I was happy to be in my full Down suit. Trekking in from Lukla, you can wear shorts and a T-Shirt, and sometimes in basecamp but then the weather changes and you need your Gortex or Down. Below Camp 3, layers of capiline and Gortex are sufficient.

Q: What about food and water?
A: Obviously you need to carry everything with you. On these trips, eat and drink as much as you can. You will lose weight -guaranteed.

Climbing Ama Dablam

Q: Which route is most popular?
A: The Southwest ridge is the most popular. The other routes include: North and Southeast Ridge. These are extremely technical and subject to avalanches.

Q: How long will it take?
A: 2 weeks on the mountain plus another week get to Base Camp and about 4 days to get back to Katmandu, depending on flights out of Lukla.

Q: What kind of weather conditions will I experience?
A: Extreme cold and can be very windy! Temperatures can easily reach 0 degrees F at base camp and -30F at the summit, not including wind chills. Wind is the biggest problem on these mountains.

Q: Will altitude sickness a problem?
A: Altitude can be a problem for anyone above 8,000', much less when you are going above 22,000'. The trek from Lukla to basecamp takes several days along which you take few side climbs. We climbed to 16,000' one day just to acclimatize. As usual when you climb big mountains, you follow the climb high, sleep low routine. On Ama Dablam, we climbed from Base Camp to Camp 1 and returned to BC to rest. We were supposed to repeat this plus go to Camp 2 but everyone was feeling so well that on the next trip up we went to Camp 1 and then on to Camps 2 and 3 and then summit. It was a little risky, but it worked for this particular team.

Q: What is the biggest problem most people face?
A: Ama Dablam is a difficult mountain. With it's relatively low altitude for the Himalayas, some people underestimate the difficulty. However, the challenges presented by the rock and ice climbing plus the altitude creates a serious challenge for anyone.

Q: Do I really need a guide for Ama Dablam?
A: It all depends on your skills, money and time available. Ama Dablam is a serious technical climb with rock, snow and avalanche danger. Some people go to Ama Dablam without a formal guide and contract with local agencies for yaks, porters or carry everything themselves. There are usually a lot of climbers on Ama Dablam so you would probably not be alone but could be. But in harsh weather (white-outs) or in a medical emergency, you will be on your own so consider your skill level carefully.

Q: What is involved if I plan my own climb?
A: Basically everything: permits, travel, hotels, food, gear, routes, communications, emergency contentions - everything. There are local companies in Katmandu who can provide some services such as getting food or heavy tents to basecamp. And some can provide a Sherpa at low costs. You can save a lot of money this way but as I said before, consider your skills in the event that something goes wrong - are you 100% self sufficient? What are your medical skills? HAPE and HACE are really possibilities on Ama Dablam - do you have the proper medicine and training to deal with it? And a hundred more questions. See my guide page for more.

Q: Can I do it?
A: If you have the experience with mixed climbing and altitude. I think this is the key to climbing Ama Dablam. The bottom line is that with proper preparation and a positive attitude, you can do it! But if you don't try, you will never know. Ama Dablam is one the most beautiful mountains in the world. Standing all alone above the Khumbu and being visible to so many trekkers, it serves as a challenge to anyone who sees it. And remember, that standing on the summit of any mountain is not the end-game. It is having fun and telling all those lies the next day!