Asia, Nepal, Gurans Himal, Thapa, First Official Ascent

Publication Year: 2002.

Thapa, first official ascent. A French team led by Raphael Guilbert went to Thapa, the least important of the nine new peaks opened by the Nepalese authorities in mid-May. This 6012m peak lies just north of Dhaulagiri I and Tukuche, and is really no more than another bump on a mountain widely known as Dhampus. On October 28 the French made the first officially recognised ascent by its western slopes. From their base camp at 5080m in the Hidden Valley six summiteers took seven hours to make what they reported as an easy walk with a little snow at the top. When they returned to the Hidden Valley, they met several parties of trekkers who intended to climb Thapa. They also learned from their own Sherpas that it is not at all unusual for trekkers to climb it. The French felt they had been fooled into paying the Government a royalty fee of $ 1,500 for a peak that others go to free of charge.

Elizabeth Hawley