Brumkhangse (5,635m, several ascents) is one of Sikkim’s Open Alpine Peaks, accessed from the Lachung Valley to the east. It is surrounded by eight peaks, which, prior to 2023, were thought to be unclimbed. Several of these are higher than Brumkhangse, and in October these were the goal of a six-member multi-national team, comprising Tom Davis-Merry and Tom Simpson (U.K.), Kasia Piatek and Ula Stopka-Farooqui (Poland), Elie Jaumin (Italy), and Sam Poletti (Switzerland).

The expedition approached by road via Gangtok, Lachung, and Yumthang (ca 3,700m) to a 4,000m base camp at Shiv Mandir, arriving there on October 2. They moved west toward the Brumkhangse Glacier, made an intermediary camp by a small lake at 4,500m (mainly used for acclimatizing and storing spare gear and food), and finally established an advanced base on the glacier at 5,100m. The weather was unstable throughout their stay, typically with limited cloud cover in the morning and snowfall in the afternoon.

On October 14, Davis-Merry, Simpson, Piatek, and Stopka-Farooqui climbed Peak 5,543m (provisionally named Dhairya, with a recorded altitude of 5,597m, 27°50’32.67”N, 88°38'’54.52”E) via the southwest face (PD). The same day, having previously established a higher camp at 5,200m, Jaumin and Poletti climbed Peak 5,878m (provisionally Sara Peak and recorded at 5,844m, 27°50’32.25”N, 88°38’6.13”E) via the northeast ridge: Cloudy Dreams (300m, D+ M5).

The following day, Davis-Merry and Simpson climbed Peak 5,604m, a small summit northwest of Dhairya, by the west ridge at PD. This was provisionally named Thoda Peak.

On the 18th, the team left base camp five days earlier than planned due to persistent rain, which caused major flooding throughout the region.

— Lindsay Griffin, with information from Tom Davis-Merry, U.K.