My British climbing partner Jim Broomhead and I were lucky enough to have the peak to ourselves in the spring of 2009 and were able to climb it in pure alpine style without leaving anything behind. The quality of the climbing was excellent with everything from pure rock pitches to steep mixed climbing and clean ice. However, the sheer amount of fixed ropes that we encountered definitely took away from the experience. On some of the pitches the crux was literally not to get tangled up in the fixed lines!
This climb made it clear to me that alpine style should be the only acceptable way to climb in the mountains anywhere on Earth. Nepal needs tourism, but the tourists should honor the Himalayan peaks by staying in the valleys and enjoying the mountains from there, if they do not have the necessary skills to climb them on their own. The method that guiding companies are using now is simply not sustainable and the sad thing is that the number of peaks that they commercialize with fixed ropes is increasing.
Anyway, here are some photos from my experience with Ama Dablam:
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 Ama Dablam is the peak on the right, which is on the trail to Everest. Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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 Close-up of the south face of Ama Dablam. Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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 A bit of rock at the start of the real climbing. Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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 Excellent rock on Ama Dablam. Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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 View towards Thamserku. Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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 We left our tent on this eagle's nest and made what we thought would be an easy dash to the summit. It turned out that this dash would require 36 hours of non-stop climbing to the summit and back. Needless to say we slept very well when we got back. Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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 This mixed pitch was probably a full grader harder, because I also had to avoid getting tangled up in this mess of fixed ropes. Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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 A bit of rock. Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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 Getting to the icy upper sections. Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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 This was the worst section of fixed lines on the climb. I counted 19 ropes! The climbing was straightforward ice so it didn't make any sense. Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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 Climbing on the 'Dablam' hanging glacier. Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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 Falling ice from the hanging glacier is the main objective danger on this climb. Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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 We kept climbing towards the summit after nightfall, which was a very exciting feeling. We ended up on the summit at midnight and had a great view of the stars and the shadow of Everest to the north. Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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 We got lost on the descent because we were so tired and ended up rappelling down the south face from this old backpack that was frozen into the ice. Probably the most sketchy anchor I've ever used! Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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 Rappelling in the morning. Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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 Finally some sun to get warmed up. Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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 When we arrived back at our tent after 36 hours on the go, we pretty much fell into a coma. The next day my brain still had difficulties with simple tasks such as tying the laces on my boots. Credit: KristofferSzilas |
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We then headed over to attempt the north face of Cholatse, but that is a different TR:
http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Attempt-on-the-north-face-of-Cholatse-Nepal/t12887n.html
