Expedition Report
Two high camps, a 250m headwall, and a midnight departure into deep snow and crevasses — Cholatse doesn't give up its summit easily. This report picks up right after our team's successful climb of Kyajo Ri, as we turned toward one of the most technical 6,000m peaks in the Khumbu.
This is the story of our Cholatse expedition (6,440m): a trek through Gokyo and across the Ngozumpa Glacier to reach Dragnak, a two-camp summit push through crevasses and steep snow, and a hard-earned summit that made every bit of the effort worth it.
If you're researching Cholatse before booking your own climb, this report also covers what most climbers ask us: how technical the route really is, what the two-camp system looks like, and what kind of experience you need before attempting it.
Expedition Overview
• Peak: Cholatse, 6,440 m (21,128 ft)
• Region: Khumbu Region, near Gokyo and Dragnak, Everest Region, Nepal
• Summit Date: 15 May 2022
• Starting Point: Namche Bazaar, via Gokyo and Dragnak
• Route: Namche Bazaar → Gokyo → Dragnak (via the Ngozumpa Glacier) → Base Camp (4,700 m) → Camp 1 (5,600 m) → Camp 2 (5,850 m) → Summit
• Guiding: Led by an IFMGA-certified mountain guide from Alpinist Climber Expeditions, supported by our climbing Sherpa staff
• Weather: Warm and sunny during the base camp rest days, with a long, demanding summit night through deep snow
Cholatse is widely regarded as one of the most technical 6,000m peaks in the Khumbu, with sustained mixed rock, ice, and snow climbing that's often compared to Ama Dablam in difficulty. It's a serious step up from trekking peaks like Kyajo Ri or Lobuche East, which is exactly why our team climbed it directly after Kyajo Ri — using the acclimatization already built up to take on a harder, more committing objective.
Full Expedition Report
Recovery in Namche Bazaar
After the successful summit of Kyajo Ri, we headed back to Namche Bazaar for two days to recover and get ready for Cholatse. It was a chance to rest properly before turning toward a much more technical objective.
Gokyo and the Climb to Gokyo Ri (5,357 m)
From Namche, we ascended to Gokyo, where we spent two days. Gokyo sits beside a large glacial lake, ringed by 6,000m peaks in every direction. We climbed up to Gokyo Ri (5,357 m) for a panoramic view over the lake and the surrounding mountains — one of the best viewpoints in the entire region.
Gokyo to Dragnak via the Ngozumpa Glacier
Leaving Gokyo, we hiked to Dragnak, the last village before Cholatse base camp. Getting there means crossing a long glacier flowing down from Mount Cho Oyu — the Ngozumpa Glacier. Along the way we passed several glacier lakes in a striking light-blue color, and at the far end of the glacier, Cho Oyu filled the skyline. We reached Dragnak and spent the rest of the day on final preparations for the climb.
Dragnak to Cholatse Base Camp (4,700 m)
The walk to base camp took about an hour and a half from Dragnak. Base camp sits at 4,700 m in a flat valley that yaks wander through during the day to graze on the fresh grass. Our staff welcomed us with hot tea and a good meal as soon as we arrived.
Rest at Base Camp
We took two rest days at base camp, though we didn't need much extra acclimatization since we were already adjusted from the Kyajo Ri climb. The days were warm and sunny — good conditions to relax and prepare gear before the summit push.
Base Camp to Camp 1 (5,600 m)
After two days of rest, we left base camp and the summit push began. Because the route to the top is long, we planned it around two camps. On the way to Camp 1 we crossed several crevasses before climbing a 250m headwall. Camp 1 turned out to be a comfortable spot, set on a ridge col.
Camp 1 to Camp 2 (5,850 m)
The next day we reached Camp 2 — small, exposed, but with a beautiful view in every direction. We rested for a few hours before heading out at midnight for the summit.
Summit Day (15 May 2022)
The route from Camp 2 was long, with deep snow and numerous crevasses to negotiate through the night. We reached the summit of Cholatse in the morning, and after taking in the views, descended back to Camp 2 to sleep — the summit day had been long and genuinely tiring.
Return to Base Camp
The next day we made it back down to base camp, where we celebrated our Cholatse summit. It had been a hard climb, but the views along the way made us forget about the effort it took to get there.
Challenges
• Multiple crevasse crossings on the way to Camp 1, requiring careful rope work
• A 250m headwall between base camp and Camp 1
• A small, exposed Camp 2 (5,850 m) with only a few hours of rest before the summit push
• A long midnight summit push through deep snow and numerous crevasses
• A genuinely tiring summit day, requiring a recovery stop at Camp 2 before continuing the descent
• Tackling one of the Khumbu's more technical 6,000m peaks directly after a separate expedition on Kyajo Ri
Highlights
• The panoramic view from Gokyo Ri (5,357 m) over Gokyo Lake and the surrounding 6,000m peaks
• Crossing the Ngozumpa Glacier, with light-blue glacier lakes and Cho Oyu filling the skyline
• Yaks grazing beside base camp during warm, sunny rest days
• A comfortable Camp 1 set on a scenic ridge col
• Reaching the summit of Cholatse after a long, technical night climb
• Celebrating the summit back at base camp with the whole team
Safety
Cholatse is not a peak that allows for shortcuts. Multiple crevasse crossings, a 250m headwall, and a long summit night through deep snow all demand careful, deliberate decision-making.
Having already acclimatized on Kyajo Ri gave the team a real advantage heading into Cholatse, reducing the extra rest needed at base camp and letting us focus on the technical demands of the route itself. Splitting the summit push across two camps — 5,600 m and 5,850 m — kept the climb manageable, and resting at Camp 2 on the way down after a long summit day was an important call rather than pushing straight through to base camp.
As with every expedition we run, our IFMGA-certified guide and Sherpa climbing staff led the technical sections — the crevasse crossings, the headwall, and the roped travel through deep snow on summit night — with safety as the deciding factor at every stage.
Conclusion
Climbing Cholatse directly after Kyajo Ri pushed the team in a different way — this wasn't a technical trekking peak, but one of the more serious technical objectives in the Khumbu, with a long two-camp summit push through crevasses and deep snow. It was a hard climb from start to finish.
But the views — from Gokyo Ri, across the Ngozumpa Glacier, and finally from the summit itself — made the effort worth it. We're grateful for a safe climb, a strong team, and a mountain that earned every bit of our respect.
If a serious technical objective like Cholatse is on your list, we'd be glad to help you plan a safe, well-guided climb with Alpinist Climber Expeditions — explore our upcoming expeditions to see what's next.
