Danish climber Emma Oestergaard scales Kangchenjunga
Danish climber Emma Oestergaard and Nepali guide Pasang Tenje Sherpa reached the world’s third-highest peak as Nepal’s spring climbing season sees a surge in summit attempts
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Danish mountaineer Emma Oestergaard and Nepali climber Pasang Tenje Sherpa have successfully summited Kangchenjunga, the world’s third-highest mountain, expedition organizers said on Sunday.
The duo reached the 8,586-metre peak in eastern Nepal early on Sunday morning, according to Kathmandu-based Seven Summit Treks. Oestergaard, 28, who has previously climbed multiple Himalayan peaks with the agency, is also the youngest Danish woman to have summited Mount Everest.
Their climb comes as the spring mountaineering season in Nepal enters a busy phase, with favorable weather allowing multiple summit pushes on major peaks.
According to Nepal’s Department of Tourism, 78 climbers – including 20 women – have received permits for Kangchenjunga this season. Overall, 1,168 fee-paying climbers from around the world have obtained permits to scale 27 peaks across the country this spring.
Nepal is home to hundreds of Himalayan mountains, including eight of the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 metres. The spring season, which runs from March to May, is the busiest period for high-altitude climbing in the region.
