Ama Dablam

Ama Dablam is a 6814-meter summit in Sagarmatha Zone, eastern Nepal, located about 20 kilometers southwest of Mount Everest. The peak displays steep rock walls on three ridges and a characteristic glacier formation hanging from the northern face.

In March 1961, Mike Gill, Barry Bishop, Mike Ward, and Wally Romanes completed the first ascent through the Southwest Ridge during the Silver Hut expedition. The route later became the preferred climbing line for mountaineers from different countries.

The name combines two Sherpa words: Ama meaning mother and Dablam referring to the ceremonial pendant containing sacred objects worn by Sherpa women. The hanging glacier on the northern face resembles the shape of this traditional pendant, giving the peak its appearance.

Climbers establish two camps along the Southwest Ridge route, requiring technical skills in rock climbing, ice climbing, and high-altitude mountaineering above 6000 meters (19685 feet). Most expeditions take place during the spring season between April and May when weather conditions are more stable.

The peak appears on the Nepalese one-rupee banknote and ranks among the three most visited destinations for mountaineers in the Himalayas. Many climbers view the route as training for more demanding expeditions in the region.