Lete

Hiking & Climbing

Annapurna Peaks

Hiking

Lete has many options for hiking near it. Hiking in Nepal is a breathtaking experience, because of all the amazing views of mountains, valleys, and more. One of the most popular trails is the Annapurna Cicuit (Click here for more about Annapurna).

This Annapurna Cicuit is a trail that goes arround the Annapurna Massif. If walked the whole way, it is an astonishing 145 miles long. The highest the trail gets is 17769 feet.

The trail starts at Besisahar in the Marshyangdi river valley, and ends in the Kali Gandaki Gorge. It usually takes 15-20 days and is challenging.

One fateful day in 2014, a sudden blizzard happened. It affecter the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri regions. There were severe snowstorms and avalanches. 43 people were killed, and 175 injured. It has pushed Nepalese officials to improve weather warning systems, create emergency shelters, and more.

Climbing

Since Nepal has tons of mountains, there are many climbing opportunity all over the country. A popular climbing spot (for the experienced) near Lete is the Annapurna mountain. You start at the Annapurna Base Camp and climb Annapurna I. It will take 17-18 days to complete, and is very difficult. Another option is Dhaulagiri I, the 7th highest mountain in the world. It is definitely for experts, as it is over 26700 feet high.

There has been a long history of people climbing these mountains. Here is the history of major climbing events for Annapurna I:

  1. Climbed by Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal, of the Franch Annapurna expedition. Happened on June 3 1950.

  2. The south face of Annapurna was climbed in 1970 be Don Whillans and Dougal Haston.

  3. In 1978,the American Women's Himalayan Expedition climbed Annapurna. They were also the first team from the US to climb it.

  4. In 1981, the Polish epedition Zakopane Alpine Club created a new route to climb Annapurna.

  5. In 1987, Jerzy Kukuczka and Artur Hajzer climbed Annapurna for the first time in Winter.

  6. In 2007, Tomaž Humar made the first solo ascent of Annapurna.

  7. In 2013, Ueli Steck climbed Annapurna alone, and in only 28 hours. It has been called "one of the most imporessive Himalayan climbs in history"(Jack Geldard, UK climbing)

Dhaulagiri was the second-to-last >8000m mountain to be climbed. Here is a partial history of it being climed:

  1. Dhaulagiri was first climbed in 1960, by Kurt Diemberger.

  2. Tetsuji Kawada and Lhakpa Tenzing Sherpa reach the summit in 1970.

  3. In 1973, John Roskelley, Louis Reichardt, and Nawang Samden Sherpa make it too the summit.

  4. An Italian expedition climbes it in 1976.

  5. 1978: First ascent via the southwest ridge.

  6. Summit reached by Voytek Kurtyka, Ludwik Wiczyczynski, Frenchman René Ghilini, and Alex MacIntyre in 1980

  7. And many more...
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