GUNUNG · Nepal

Island Peak

इम्जा त्से / Island Peak (Imja Tse)

Information

Elevation: 6.189 m
Country: Nepal (NP)
Location / Range: Khumbu Himal, Mahalangur Himalaya, Solukhumbu, Nepal
Mountain type: Non-volcanic trekking peak (Himalayan orogenic granite and gneiss rock; classified by the Nepal Mountaineering Association as a 'trekking peak')
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 27.9290, 86.9300
Difficulty: PD–AD (Peu Difficile to Assez Difficile) — lightly technical but serious: glacier travel, a steep headwall section of about 50° with fixed rope, extreme altitude above 6,000 m; crampon and ice axe experience required
Best Season: October–November (autumn, best weather stability) and April–May (spring); avoid the monsoon (June–September) and winter (December–March)
Permits & Rules: A trekking-peak climbing permit from the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) is mandatory: USD 250/person (spring/autumn) or USD 125 (winter/monsoon) + USD 500 garbage deposit. A Sagarmatha National Park permit (~USD 30) and a Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit (~USD 20) are also required.
Hazards: Extreme altitude (AMS, HAPE, HACE above 6,000 m); steep headwall with fall potential; loose rock in the lower section of the trail; crevasses on the glacier; rapidly changing weather; strong winds on the upper ridge; strict acclimatization needed before the summit bid

Description

Island Peak (6,189 m), also known as Imja Tse, is one of Nepal's most popular climbing destinations and the second most popular 'trekking peak' after Mera Peak. The name was given by Eric Shipton's 1951 Everest reconnaissance team because the mountain appeared from Dingboche as an island floating in a sea of surrounding glaciers and ice. The first summit was reached on 19 November 1953 by a British team including Charles Evans, Tom Bourdillon, Dennis Davis, Hamish Nicol, and three Sherpas — as part of the post-first-Everest-ascent expedition. Located in the Khumbu region ~7 km south of Lhotse, Island Peak offers serious but accessible alpine experience for trained non-specialists. The standard SE Ridge route passes through base camp at ~5,100 m (beneath Lhotse's west face), ascends rocky moraines, a glacier, and ends on a ~50° headwall equipped with fixed ropes. The summit commands a sweeping 180° panorama including Lhotse (8,516 m), Nuptse (7,864 m), and Makalu (8,485 m) in the distance. Island Peak is frequently combined with an Everest Base Camp trek, making it the top choice for climbers wanting to maximize their Khumbu experience.

Routes

Rute South Ridge — Jalur Teknis Alternatif

AD–D (Assez Difficile hingga Difficile) — lebih teknis dari rute standar; tidak ada fixed rope permanen; pilihan tim berpengalaman yang ingin menghindari kepadatan di rute utama

12–16 jam summit day; jarang digunakan

An alternative rarely used by experienced teams wishing to avoid the crowds on the standard SE Ridge. The South Ridge ascends from Island Peak's southern side via rocky slopes and more open snow slopes with a higher technical grade and no permanent fixed ropes. This route requires self-placing protection and independent ridge navigation on more exposed terrain.

Source

Rute Standar via SE Ridge — Jalur Utama (Normal Route)

PD–AD (Peu–Assez Difficile) — glacier travel, headwall 45–55° berfixed rope, crampon dan ice axe wajib; non-teknis untuk alpinis berpengalaman, namun serius untuk pemula

10–14 jam pulang-pergi dari Base Camp (~5.100 m); 2 hari berjalan dari Chukhung ke Base Camp

The standard and only commonly used route to climb Island Peak. The approach starts from Chukhung (~4,730 m) with 2 days of trekking to Base Camp (~5,100 m) beneath Lhotse's west face. From Base Camp, teams move pre-dawn around 1–3 am toward Crampon Point (~5,600 m) — where crampons are donned and the glacier begins. After Crampon Point the route crosses a relatively flat glacier before ascending ice slopes to the foot of the headwall. The ~150 m headwall at 45–55° gradient is equipped with fixed ropes installed early-season by guiding operators; climbers ascend using a jumar/ascender. Above the headwall a narrow ridge continues to the summit. The summit commands views of Lhotse (8,516 m) to the north, Nuptse (7,864 m), and Makalu (8,485 m) in the distance.

Route Segments

1

Chukhung → Island Peak Base Camp

⏱ 2 hari (1 malam di tenda/tea house Chukhung Ri atau langsung ke BC) 5.100 mdpl

Trek melintasi morain gletser; BC berada tepat di bawah dinding barat Lhotse
2

Base Camp → Crampon Point

⏱ 2–3 jam 5.600 mdpl

Jalur berbatu dan morain; crampon, harness, ice axe dipasang di sini
3

Crampon Point → Foot of Headwall

⏱ 1–2 jam 5.900 mdpl

Traverse gletser; perhatikan crevasse tertutup; fixed rope mulai di sini
4

Headwall → Puncak

⏱ 1–2 jam (headwall ~45–55°, ascender wajib) 6.189 mdpl

Fixed rope sepanjang headwall; punggungan sempit menuju puncak; awas angin kencang

Source

Climbing Experiences

Island Peak (Imja Tse, 6,189 m) is the busiest trekking peak in the Khumbu area and one of Nepal's most frequently summited non-8000er peaks. The videos and trip reports below document real climbing experiences: the approach from Chukhung to base camp, conditions on the fixed-rope headwall, and summit moments with Lhotse and Nuptse in view. All links are verified.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.