basecamp wrote:Hi! I need some advice. My friend and I are thinking of going to Nepal for 2 weeks. We were wondering if it would be a good idea to trek to either Mera or Island peak. We don't have any climbing experience. We've been to Everest base camp and Annapurna base camp. Is Mera/Island peak doable with no prior climbing experience and also given the fact that we have only 2 weeks. I'd like to go over 6,000m. Any feedback will help. Thanks!

My answer would depend on what matters most to you. If it's elevation that's your goal, it's far easier to go over 6,000 in South America than in Nepal. You can climb over 6K in SA and not get your boots wet. Mera and Island are not the best first climbs; though not technically hard, it'd be best if you had a Rainier or Hood or Shasta or, well, something, under your belt first.

Andinistaloco wrote:My answer would depend on what matters most to you. If it's elevation that's your goal, it's far easier to go over 6,000 in South America than in Nepal. You can climb over 6K in SA and not get your boots wet. Mera and Island are not the best first climbs; though not technically hard, it'd be best if you had a Rainier or Hood or Shasta or, well, something, under your belt first.

I second that advice. I did Orizaba before going to Nepal along with a bunch of 14'ers and some mountaineering schools.

Take a look at the posts on Stok Kangri in Ladakh. The costs are lower ,the access is shorter ,and the season is our Summer. Have a great climb !

Palisades79 wrote:Take a look at the posts on Stok Kangri in Ladakh. The costs are lower ,the access is shorter ,and the season is our Summer. Have a great climb !

+1

Is the two weeks incl travel time? With connections, it could be you could lose 2 days each way getting to Katmandu. Then there's the queue for the flight to Lukla. Katmandu is like 1500 feet (500 M) or something and you won't be acclimatizing like you would in other places. So even if you totally bag sightseeing in Katmandu, you still won't begin running the altitude clock for at least three days after you leave.

Bottom line. I don't believe a two week trip to Nepal will get you where you want to go.

A plug here for the article I wrote a couple of weeks ago.

http://www.summitpost.org/article/55012 ... alaya.html