Mariyang (6,528m, 29°41’35.29”N, 82°53’13.89”E) is an impressive but little-known summit in the Kanti Himal, on the Nepal-Tibet border west of Danphe Shail (6,103m). It was added to the official permitted list in 2014 and until 2021 had no known ascent, when it became the goal of an eight-member team from the Korean Alpine Rescue Association led by Koo Eun-sun.

On September 27, 15 days after leaving Kathmandu, the team finished its approach up the Tankya Khola and established base camp on the Mariyang Glacier at 5,150m. They climbed a rock face on the southwest side of the peak, fixing 200m of rope and placing a high camp on October 5 at 5,800m. Moving west from this point, they climbed a 200m snow face (fixing 140m of rope) to reach the west ridge, which they followed easily to the summit.

The top was reached on the morning of October 9 by Baek Jong-min, Joung Je-gyun, Jung Jae-Jin, and Ongchu Sherpa (the only Sherpa who climbed above base camp), and on the 10th by Eom Tae-chul, Koo, Lee Myeong-Hyi, Lim Jeong-hewi, and Ongchu (again). On this day Koo also traversed solo to the east top. Both parties descended to base camp on their respective summit days.

— Information from Rodolphe Popier, Himalayan Database, France

Editor’s Note: This climb appears to have been the first attempt on Mariyang. However, in 1993 an Austrian and German team climbed the sharp and corniced southwest ridge of the peak immediately west (Peak 6,455m, HMG-Finn, 29°41’22”N, 82°52’27”E), which could in the future be referred to as Mariyang West (AAJ 1994). The summit was reached by Franz Kröll and Fritz Mross.