Gyao Kang (6,735m), the most northerly of the bigger peaks in the Lapche Kang Range, is a fine snowy summit that can be climbed in a day from a base camp to the north at 5,890m. The slope angles are such that it would be an agreeable peak to climb and descend on skis. In the spring of 2012 I had climbed the west ridge; I returned in the autumn of 2014 for the unclimbed east ridge. After an attempt on the north ridge of Lapche Tsokchung (6,370m), east of the great turquoise lake of Lapche Tso, we crossed Colangma Pass (5,890m) and descended to the valley below Colangma Lake. From Gyao Kang base camp we reached the summit in seven hours via the north spur and east ridge. The grades of this route and the west ridge are both around PD+. A direct route up the north face is also possible. There are other interesting peaks accessible from the Colangma valley, but the problem is always the same: how to get a permit to climb them.

Paulo Grobel, France