Hello Everyone !

Iam new in summitpost and is seeking advices from the experts in this web.

Iam planning to visit Nepal this May and is planning to do the Everest Base Camp trek. Also Iam planning to include Island Peak on my trip.
The plan was to trek from Lukla to the EBC then Island Peak for 20 days. My main concern is that since this is my first time to the Himalayan and will be my first ice and altitude climbing ever, will this be recomended ? How hard and technical is the climb to the summit of Island Peak.

Considering that I have no experience on ice climbing and technical climbing and also that I am quite new to mountaineering, My highest climb was Mount Kinabalu (around 4000m), and since I am based in Indonesia my climbing experience is only limited to tropical mountains in Indonesia (all below 4000m). Iam in a great shape ( I guess) but considering the altitude of Island Peak will it be wise for me to climb it during my first trip to the Himalayan ?
What other easy and cheap himalayan peaks will you recommend ?

Any suggestion and positive comments are warmly welcomed..!

Reggie

Malam Mas,

Apa Kabar. Saya bekerja hampir 12 tahun di Indonesia. Dari Aceh ke Papua )

I'm off to Nepal in April/May to do EBC and Island Peak. This will be my 4th time on IP. Despite what is written, Island Peak is hard for beginners. I would hope you have had climbed RInjani, Merbabu and Agung for example many times and are confident at climbing up and down hill over several hours. The first time I climbed IP, I believe I left at 2 am and returned 4pm later that day, a very shattered man. How are you defining great shape? How far you can you run in 1 hour?

You will definitely need to travel with someone experienced and someone who will tell you to turn you around if need being. The big unknowns are how you will deal with altitude and how you climb on steep terrain with crampons. It can be done, but you will need a lot of supervision if to be done safely.

Hati hati ya

If you are inexperienced, take a guide up Island Peak. Mera is often guided as well. Make sure to choose an itinerary with several extra acclimatization days.

Here are some good peaks to do without technical gear (though Hamugon is borderline technical, though you can still go part way up):

http://www.summitpost.org/jaro-ri/833867

http://www.summitpost.org/hamugon/833450

http://www.summitpost.org/nangkartshang-peak/833597

http://www.summitpost.org/kala-pataar/150207

http://www.summitpost.org/gokyo-peak-or-gokyo-ri/151281

http://www.summitpost.org/chukkung-ri-c ... -ri/154131

radson wrote:Malam Mas,

Apa Kabar. Saya bekerja hampir 12 tahun di Indonesia. Dari Aceh ke Papua )

I'm off to Nepal in April/May to do EBC and Island Peak. This will be my 4th time on IP. Despite what is written, Island Peak is hard for beginners. I would hope you have had climbed RInjani, Merbabu and Agung for example many times and are confident at climbing up and down hill over several hours. The first time I climbed IP, I believe I left at 2 am and returned 4pm later that day, a very shattered man. How are you defining great shape? How far you can you run in 1 hour?

You will definitely need to travel with someone experienced and someone who will tell you to turn you around if need being. The big unknowns are how you will deal with altitude and how you climb on steep terrain with crampons. It can be done, but you will need a lot of supervision if to be done safely.

Hati hati ya

Halo Mas,

Thanks for the suggestion. I will be visiting Nepal this may and is planning to do th EBC trek plus Island Peak. After hearing from your explanation it seems that Island Peak is not that easy. I have had climbed Rinjani twice, Tambora , Merbabu , and Agung once. Few weeks ago I went to Semeru to prepare myself for the trip to Nepal and reach the summit and back in two days stopping to camp in Arcopodo only. I have scheduled climbs for the next months to prepare myself like Gunung Gede, Kerinci, and Kinabalu in April.

Iam planning to take a guided tour with three jewels expedition but is still open for other cheaper option. What guide company would you recommend for island peak?

Reggie.

Scott wrote:If you are inexperienced, take a guide up Island Peak. Mera is often guided as well. Make sure to choose an itinerary with several extra acclimatization days.

Here are some good peaks to do without technical gear (though Hamugon is borderline technical, though you can still go part way up):

http://www.summitpost.org/jaro-ri/833867

http://www.summitpost.org/hamugon/833450

http://www.summitpost.org/nangkartshang-peak/833597

http://www.summitpost.org/kala-pataar/150207

http://www.summitpost.org/gokyo-peak-or-gokyo-ri/151281

http://www.summitpost.org/chukkung-ri-c ... -ri/154131

Thanks for the Suggestion Scott. Iam curently planning to go with three Jewels expedition but is still open with other option. Can you recommend me any good and cheap guide company for Island Peak ?

Reggie.

Howdy Reggie. I havent heard of 3 Jewels. There are sooo many trekking agencies in Nepal that it is hard to keep track. The cheaper companies though won't care if you are successful or not. There can be a familiarity breeds contempt ethos by some Nepali operators with regards to Island Peak. I hate to say it but I have seen it often, as a 'Punters' peak, they will get you to IP base camp on a tight schedule with shitty gear and then kind of half hope you will turn around half way and get you back down ASAP. You need to arrive at IP base camp healthy, acclimatised and well fed/hydrated not just shunted up there.

This forum has some good review of operators http://trekinfo.com/forums/