Kathmandu, Nov 10: At least two mountaineers climbed Putha Hiunchuli. The two climbers—Lakpa Sherpa from Makalu, Nepal, and Johannes Lau from Germany—stood atop the 7246m peak of the mountain on November 2 at around 12:40 pm, said Mingma Sherpa, Chairperson of Seven Summits Treks (SST), a leading Kathmandu-based trekking and expedition company. The achievement was part of an expedition that included 17 mountaineers attempting the mountain, led by Steffen Kiefer, a mountaineer and managing director at AT REISEN, AT REISEN was the organizer of the expedition, a Germany-based trekking and expedition agency, in collaboration with Seven Summit Treks, the logistics partner for the expedition.

Despite their multiple attempts to make a push for the summit, the remaining climbers in the expedition were prevented from reaching the summit due to challenges posed by harsh climate conditions including strong winds and returned from 7100m, said Steffen, the leader of the expedition.

While the expedition was ongoing, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake occurred with its epicenter in the Jajarkot district, the western part of the Karnali Province, adding another layer of challenges to the expedition," he said. The mountain is located towards the Jajarkot side. Lakpa Sherpa, who made a successful ascent of Putha Hiunchuli, is from the Sankhuwasabha district and is a record-holding climber. He set a record by scaling Mt Makalu (8,485m) three times in 16 days, becoming the only climber to make the most ascents of 8,485m peaks in a single season. He also climbed many mountains, including Everest, Manaslu, and Lhotse.

Putha Hiunchuli,  referred to as Dhaulagiri VII, one of the most beautiful mountains compared to other 7000m peaks, lies in the Dhaulagiri mountain range of the Himalayas in Nepal. Standing tall at 7,246m above sea level, the mountain is the 33rd highest peak in the world. It was first climbed in 1954 by James Owen Merion Roberts and Ang Nyima Sherpa.

Attempting the mountain presents significant challenges due to its remote location and technical difficulties involved. Climbers are required to cut through high altitudes, challenging weather conditions and technical difficulties ranging from crevasses, icefalls and steep slopes. Given a range of possible challenges during an expedition, experienced guides and a well-organised team are recommended for climbers attempting the mountain.