Short Island Peak Climbing

Why Climb Island Peak with Annapurna Foothills Treks?

Annapurna Foothills Treks has a dynamic team of outstanding mountaineers, instructors and cultural enthusiast operating trekking and climbing expeditions for over 10 years. Annapurna Foothills Treks reaches for the highest ethical business practices.
 

Why Sherpa Staff?

All our staff at Annapurna Foothills Treks and Expeditions e is from the Sherpa tribe who are native to the region, experienced in the field, and passionate about their homeland. What most people dont know about Nepal is that there are many castes, tribes and ethnic groups. Sure, we are all Nepalese, but for generations, life and work has been divided along the lines of caste, tribe and ethnicity. For several generations the Sherpa community has had no other livelihood than the mountaineering industry, and they have gained a reputation for honesty and hard work in the field. Although the industry has been infiltrated by other Nepalese, trekking and mountaineering remains one of the few options available to the Sherpa people. In other words, others have easily moved into the industry, but the Sherpa people still have few opportunities outside.

Annapurna Foothills Treks is employs Sherpa staff because it is their sole livelihood. Annapurna hires Sherpa staff because they are honest and hardworking.
 

Our Sherpa Guides:

Our climbing guides are experienced mountaineering license-holders who always put your safety first. We use harness and ropes below the every peak whether for crevasse danger or steep slopes. Our Sherpa guides are there to fix the rope as well as teach climbers how to fix the rope or set up a belay for glacier travel.

We encourage you to play it safe and climb with our experienced guides. To be safe, you dont need shops worth of Karabiners, ice-screws, snow stakes and rock racks- You need a Sherpa guide as a partner, some rope, a few bits of protection, good weather and overriding urge to die of senility.

The routes we suggest are almost always the most straightforward. Under good conditions, none of the routes are challenging for skillful technical alpinist. Safety-conscious amateurs have potential to provide satisfaction and experience without much risk.
 

Sherpa Support Staff:

Even the support staff are well experienced, and you can look forward to a well organized trip. The relationship we have developed among us makes for a wonderful exchange of ideas, laughter and assistance. Your personal packs will be carried by the porters, saving you time and energy to fully enjoy the surrounding environment.

Each staff member at Annapurna Foothills Treks and Expeditions is insured for their appropriate roles. (Some companies are cutting corners here.)
 

Logistics for Island Peak:

You can fully enjoy the world of mountains unfettered by the rigors of food preparation, lodging and logistics. Annapurna Foothills Treks provides huge 4 season tents. Most of the food is flown in from the Kathmandu. We provide a wide variety of quality meals to keep climbers healthy and strong.)

Logistics Note: Annapurna Foothills Treks provides all the equipment you will need to climb Island Peak (and Lobuche Peak and Pokalde). We have a store in Chukung that supplies equipment from Camp and Black Diamond Company, which are high quality mountaineering suppliers. All you need to bring are your own plastic boots to be sure you have a comfortable pair in the proper size. It is possible to hire these boots when you are in Kathmandu.

The following climbing equipment is available in Chukung.
Crampons, Harness, Ice-Axe, 2 x Tape slings, 2 x Screwgate Karabiners, Prussic Loops, Helmet, Ascender /Abseil Device (Jumar) and Descender Figure 8
 

Environmental Responsibility:

Annapurna Foothills Treks is deeply committed to preserving the ecosystems at home and around the world. On each expedition we teach and follow the Leave-No-Trace principles and practices. Moreover, we endeavor to increase the awareness of the local population in order to protect the land and culture of the indigenous people. The mountains are our home and we are unwilling to sacrifice their preservation for human objectives. Annapurna Foothills Treks believe that given the proper information most people will do all they can to help protect and maintain the environment. AFT is committed to developing safe, self-reliant and environmentally conscious mountaineers
 

Altitude Advice: 

It is really difficult to head straight up to high altitude for the first time even if you follow the recommended 400m-a-day-rule. The trek in is a means of acclimatization and getting fit. Walking, let alone climbing, uphill at 5000m is harder than you think. Our itinerary is planned to allow rational acclimatization and avoid altitude sickness. We should also plan for few extra days as bad weather may affect the designed schedule. This doesnt guarantee the successful ascent but often avoids the disappointment of a cloudy summit day.
 

Travel Insurance:

To be adequately protected in terms of insurance, you will need special travel insurance for participation in hazardous activities. A complete travel insurance policy that covers cancellation, lost baggage, theft, injury, liability, medical treatment, death and expenses is strongly recommended. Make sure the insurance covers all the activities that you will be undertaking during your stay in Nepal including trekking and climbing. If a client requires medical treatment, all hospital expenses, including doctors fees and repatriation costs, are the clients responsibility.

If you are injured and unable to walk in a remote area, a rescue helicopter will be arranged. Annapurna foothills Treks has an agreement in Kathmandu that guarantees payment for helicopter evacuations. They will pay a cash deposit to the helicopter operator and collect the money from you once you have been rescued. Before leaving on the expedition, we will make sure your policy specifically covers mountaineering or alpinism otherwise you may have a difficult time settling the large claim.