Overview Shishapangma, the world’s 14th highest peak, is one of the easiest 8000-meter mountains to climb to its Central Summit (8013m), while the main summit (8027m) is highly challenging and has not been climbed since 2014. Shisha Pangma is located on the Tibetan side of the Himalayas, almost due north of Kathmandu. The peak’s long, steep, jagged southern face rises over 2000 meters, creating it an intimidating sight for would-be climbers. The peak’s Indian-Nepalese name is Gosaitan, which means “Holy Place.” Xixapangma is the Tibetan name for the mountain. Its name means “the peak overlooking the grassy plains” in English. The final of the 8000m summits to be climbed was Shisha Pangma. Hsu Ching and his ten-man Chinese climbing team are credited with the first ascent in 1964. Chang Chun-yen, Wang Fu-zhou, Chen San, Cheng Tien-Liang, Wu Tsung-Yue, Sodnam Doji, Migmar Trashi, Doji, and Yonten made up the team. In 1980, Shisha Pangma was finally allowed to international teams. Mike Browning, Chris Pizzo, and Glenn Porzak made the first ascent of the peak via the Northeast Face in September 1983. By 2003, there have only been 201 successful ascents (to the main summit) and 19 fatalities on Shisha Pangma. Over 434 persons had successfully completed the climb to the Central Summit as of January 2000, but only 165 had continued to the Main Summit, which is just over an hour away and separated by a knife-edge ridge of sometimes very unstable snow. Jan Kieslowski gathered and released this information. On Shisha Pangma on October 5, 1999, an avalanche killed Alex Lowe, one of America’s strongest and best-known climbers. Also murdered in the avalanche was cinematographer David Bridges, who was shooting the ascent for a documentary. Conrad Anker, a world-renowned climber and friend of Lowe, was also caught in the avalanche but survived. Simone Moro and Peter Morawsky are credited with the first winter ascent, which they performed on January 14, 2005. This climb’s details may be found here. Shishapangma Advance Base Camp Shisha Pangma Advance Base Camp is 5,600 meters (18,372 feet) above sea level. You head off for the first and second base camp acclimatization after a couple of days of relaxation and preparation at the Advance base camp. At 6400m/20,997ft, Shishapangma Camp 1 is situated on a flat snowfield with enough room for multiple tents and is clear of avalanche and rockfall hazards. From the advanced base camp, the climbing Sherpa guide takes about four and a half hours, and you (usually) take five and a half hours to reach Camp 1 of Mount Shishapangma. Crossing the Shishapangma glacier from the Advanced base camp to the crampon’s point takes around an hour and a half. Climbing Mount Shisha Pangma from Camp 2 (C2) to Camp 3 (C3) takes roughly four hours for climbers of ordinary stamina. Camp 3 is situated between 7,100m/23,300ft and 7,200m/23,622ft in altitude. The climbing path from Camp 2 to Camp 3 is around three and a half hours of vertical ice with a 10-15 degree grade. Almost half of the expedition teams set up Camp 3 on the ridge, while the other half ascend a further 120m via fixed lines on a 40-45 degree slope above. It travels through a canyon between two small mountains before landing on the back lawn, taking around 30 minutes to reach the higher section of Camp three from the bottom camp.
