New peaks for the autumn of 2002. To coincide with the start of the post-monsoon season 2002 the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation announced that the following 13 mountains were being added to the existing list of peaks permitted for foreign expeditions. The new peaks are a strange mixture, comprising not only high, serious, technical, and remote peaks, but also lower altitude mountains that eminently fit the category of “trekking peaks.” A number of these have already been climbed—some, like Mera South (an easier, subsidiary snow dome of the popular Khumbu trekking peak) on many occasions—while the formidable Nemjung has already been attempted by more than a half-dozen foreign teams over the last 15 years. The new peaks, progressing roughly from east to west, are listed below. Notes as to their location are given in parenthesis.

Khumbu

Mahalangur Himal South

Naulekh 6,240m

“Mera South” (Mera East) 6,064m

Mahalangur Himal North

Changri Shar 6,811m

Changri West 6,773m

Lungsampa 6,100m

Langtang

Langtang Himal

Ghenye Liru 6,571m

Manaslu

Peri Himal

Nemjung 7,139m (7,140m)

Manang

Purkhung Himal

Khatung Kang 6,484m

Dhaulagiri

Mukut Himal

Tsartse 6,398m

Tashi Kang 6,386m

Dolpo

Palchung Hamga Himal

Danfe Sail 6,103m

Kangfu Gaton (Kanta Gaton) 5,916m

Kanjiroba Himal

Norbu Kang 6,005m

At the same time the Nepal Mountaineering Association was given 15 new mountains to add to its list of Trekking Peaks, bringing the total to 33. The fees associated with these 15 new peaks are: one $500 permit for expeditions with up to seven members; an extra $100 per person for teams with over seven members up to a maximum of 12 members, above which a second permit will apply; a $250 deposit will be required for all 33 peaks as a garbage/environmental bond, which should be refunded on the basis of satisfactory report, jointly signed by the team leader, sirdar, and climber. Fees for the original 18 peaks remain unchanged. Many of the new peaks, such as the technical Cholatse, have been demoted from full expedition status and are indicated by a *. Yala Peak and Chhukung Ri, although new to any official list, have been climbed by many people over the years.

The new peaks, listed roughly from east to west, are:

Kangchenjunga

Khumbhakarna Himal

Bokta Peak* 6,143m

Khumbu

Mahalangur North

Chhukung Ri 5,550m

Lobuche West* 6,145m

Cholatse* 6,440m

Nirekha Peak* 6,159m

Kyazo (Kyajo) Ri* 6,186m

Machermo 6,273m

Phari Lapcha 6,017m

Mahalangur South

Abi* 6,097m

Ombigaichen* 6,340m

Rowaling

Rowaling Himal

Chekigo* 6,257m

Langtang

Jugal Himal

Langshisha Ri* 6,427m

Langtang Himal

Yubra 6,035m

Yala Peak 5,732m

Manaslu

Manaslu Himal

Larkya Peak* 6,010m