Nama Mountain review

Nama Mountain was my third mountain. Nama is 5588m high and one of the smaller mountains surrounding Gongga mountain.

Gongga mountain is with 7555m, the highest peak in Sichuan, and located halfway between Chongching and Tibet province. This mountain has a fearsome reputation. It is claimed that the death rate at Gongga is higher than at Mount Everest and all other 13 peaks above 8000m. Just looking at the mountain gives you fearsome respect.

gongga mountain

These mountains are surrounded by a protected forest park. Besides the long car drive, there was an almost 30km hike through nature to get to the base camp. The distance from Chongching is approximately 550km.

I arrived by airplane in Chongching, did stay there overnight, and was picked up n the morning. The 550km car drive took approximately nine hours. The last 30 km was on an unpaved road to the border of the forest park.

From there, we had a ten km hike through nature to a small Tibetan town where we did stay overnight. This stretch offered already outstanding views to mountain and nature sceneries. Parts of the hike were along a river. Most of the area left the impression of untouched nature.

The Inn was typical Tibetan style. The people there were very friendly, and the rooms were quite nice with a shower. Our group was with four climbers and two tour guides. We left early in the morning for the base campe.

nama hiking

nama hiking

The second stretch was as spectacular as the first one. Untouched nature, the river between the mountains and the snow-covered mountain on the horizon. Most part of the hike was along the river. We reached a Tibetan monastery in mid-day, where we had a small luch. From there, we continued along the river. The hike was approximately 15 km, and the ascent, except for the last part not very steep. The last part before the base camp became a bit steeper, where we had to climb rocks in the river bed. The view behind us was again oustanding with the river, the tree-covered mountains, and the Tibetan monastery at one side.

nama hiking

We arrived at the base camp in the afternoon and had our dinner. The accommodation was a bigger tent for us all for sleeping and another one for eating. The weather was very nice. It looks that we were lucky as the week earlier it was different. The base camp was right in front of the Gongga mountain, and the view on the mountain was impressive. Especially at night, the snow-covered summit with its blueish color and the stars in the back were unique.

nama summit

We had a solid breakfast in the morning and continued our hike from the base camp to C1. This was steeper but not very exhausting. The climb was from 4200m to 4800m of C1. Weather conditions were excellent with a lit of sun. The surroundings were green, and we were surrounded by the high snow-covered peaks of Gongga mountain. The climb to C1 took not very long.

gongga mountain

C1 was a camp on a plateau with smaller tents for two to three people. Upon arrival, we had a small rest and later were trained on climbing techniques. After the training, we had dinner and went early to bed to get up for the summit climb at three AM.

When we got up, there was not a cloud in the sky. So the weather conditions were excellent. I think there were in total thirty climbers in different groups. We climbed first a rocky formation for several hours. Shortly before the snow line, it became a bit steeper.

At the snow line, we put on crampons, left our backpacks there, and had to pull us up via security rope at a steeper snow section. Once having passed that section, groups of climbers secured to the tour guide continued the climb to the summit. The snow surface was very fluffy, so we had a good grip with crampons.

Behind us was the impressive Gongga summit. It was still dark, and I could see the icy south side where to moon mirrored.

An hour later, the sun rose behind the Gonga mountain. That was another spectacular view, with meanwhile clouds in the valley, the mountain above clouds, and the sun rising behind the mountain. Unforgettable moments.

nama summit

Left and right from us, it was going straight down. That was a bit of unease, but I got used to it after a while.

We reached the summit after two hours. The climb was again ok, and the views made the time pass quickly.

The summit was rather a pleateau than a smaller peak. We took a view photos and returned. Once at C1, we had a short break and returned to base camp. There we had dinner and left the following day for the Tibetan Inn.

I was happy to take a shower. In the evening we had a good time talking with other climbers and the following day returned to the entrance of the forest park. From there, the car ride back to Chongching and flying back to Shanghai the next day.

All climbs were unique and different. This one was interesting with the nice view of the higher Gonggao mountain. The nice climb on the snow and the hiking in nature.