Nanga Parbat Expedition Update: The Mountain That Tests Every Limit
Hayley Livesey • June 25, 2025
Allie Pepper is currently deep into her Nanga Parbat expedition - and what a journey it has already been. Over the past week, she’s pushed through extreme physical and mental challenges, dangerous moments, and the relentless demands of one of the world’s hardest 8000m peaks.
Here’s her latest update from the mountain:
First Steps Towards Base Camp
On 16 June, after a long 19-hour journey to Chillas and just 4 hours of sleep, Allie and the team set out on foot towards Base Camp. They trekked 10.85 km with 1247m of ascent through dry, arid landscapes where even the local farmers manage to grow crops in harsh conditions. The camp for the night was at 2800m altitude - still below the mountain, but getting closer.
Arrival at Base Camp (17 June)
The following day, Allie and the team made the final approach to Base Camp at 4235m. The trek was beautiful - forest paths, streams, green grass, and wildflowers gave way to a stunning base below the towering Nanga Parbat massif, which rises nearly 4000m above them.
“This is the best Base Camp I have been to,” Allie reported. The grassy base offers a great environment for recovery between rotations on the mountain.
Pushing Higher: Camps 1 & 2
On 20 June, Allie climbed to Camp 1 at 4910m, moving across a glacier under bright blue skies. From there, she continued to Camp 2 at 6045m on 21 June - a demanding 10+ hour climb through steep ice and rock.
“It was so hard,” Allie wrote. “I am absolutely exhausted on every level - mentally, physically, emotionally. We also had a dangerous incident… I can’t even explain.” Safety always comes first, and she wisely chose to rest and recover before attempting to go higher.
Rockfall & Danger on the Mountain
On 22 June, the mountain threw yet another test their way: a massive boulder fell 800m above them, sending debris their way. “I was certain we were dead,” Allie shared. Miraculously, the team was unharmed apart from Allie’s sore arm. They pushed on to 6400m before deciding not to go further and risk unnecessary fatigue ahead of the summit push.
An Epic Descent
The descent on 23 June proved as dangerous as the climb up. Frozen ropes, cut lines, and razor-sharp rock demanded total focus:
“At the base of the wall, I noticed my rope had been cut - I managed to tie it into an old rope with one hand, avoiding a 1000m fall. We had 100m rappels with stuck ropes… finally, at 8:30am, we made it to Camp 1 - safe, but it wasn’t easy coming down to the glacier.”
Back at Base Camp, the contrast was surreal - flowers, green grass, birdsong - but the knowledge that the mountain will demand another push soon is ever-present.
Reflections From the Climb
As Allie says:
“Even though it’s hard AF here on the mountain, after doing a hard thing, I feel amazing. I was so outside my comfort zone but I know it will be easier next time. We don’t build resilience in our comfort zone. We don’t learn to adapt when things don’t go to plan in our comfort zone. To make our biggest dreams become our reality, we have to step into the unknown. The more we do it, the easier it becomes. You are capable of more than you can possibly imagine.”
What’s Next
The plan going forward: Allie and the team will attempt their next rotation at night, to avoid the worst of the rockfall and shifting conditions. Each step forward is calculated with experience, care, and respect for this incredibly demanding peak.
This is, in Allie’s words, “the hardest 8000m mountain I have been to.” But the dream remains: to reach the summit - and to come home safe.
Stay tuned for more updates as her journey continues.
latest news
On 24 May 2025 at 6:26am (NPT), Australian mountaineer Allie Pepper reached the summit of Kanchenjunga (8,586m) - the third-highest mountain in the world - alongside her partner, Mikel Sherpa. The summit was achieved in extreme weather and under immense physical strain, making it one of the most intense and emotional climbs of her career. Just two days later, on 26 May, Allie flew out of Base Camp - marking the end of the expedition and the celebration of a deeply personal milestone: her 50th birthday. A Fierce Mountain With No Easy Path Kanchenjunga is known for its remoteness, technical difficulty, and unpredictable weather. After reaching Camp 3 (6,850m) on 15 May, Allie and Mikel climbed to Lower Camp 4 (7,180m) the next day to acclimatise before descending all the way to Base Camp. The return was gruelling — with heavy packs, steep terrain, and a final climb that left Allie physically exhausted. At Base Camp, the waiting game began. While several teams rushed for a brief weather window around 18 May, Allie held back for a clearer opportunity. By 20 May, conditions aligned for a summit push. The team moved to Camp 2 on 21 May, then Camp 4 on 23 May, arriving late in the day with only two hours of rest before beginning their final ascent. A Battle on the Summit Ridge The final climb was punishing. Temperatures dropped, the wind picked up, and both Allie’s camera and inReach froze in the cold. Oxygen became essential - a necessary tool to ensure safe passage to the top. At 6:26am on 24 May, after hours of climbing through the night, Allie and Mikel reached the summit of Kanchenjunga. Their time at the top was short, but the moment was powerful - the culmination of weeks of effort, patience, and resolve. They returned to Base Camp on 25 May, physically drained but safe. As Allie later shared: “I love the mountain… but Kanchenjunga was a brutal one. If it’s possible for an entire expedition to be type 2 fun, this was it.” A Birthday and a Milestone On 26 May, Allie marked her 50th birthday by flying out of Base Camp - a quiet but powerful celebration after one of the hardest climbs of her life. She also reached 50,000 followers on Instagram, a goal she’d quietly set before the expedition. Follow along as the journey continues.
Allie has successfully reached Camp 3 (6,850m) on Kanchenjunga. Her journey thus far has been anything but easy. After falling ill with gastroenteritis and a sinus infection at Base Camp, Allie showed remarkable resilience by continuing her ascent. Despite a physically draining start, she powered through the first rotation and reached Camp 2 (6,228m) — a tough climb in itself while recovering. From there, she made the challenging ascent to Camp 3, navigating steep terrain and deep crevasses, all under clear skies and calm weather. “Climbing while sick is brutal,” Allie shared. “But the higher I went, the better I felt. We were literally above the clouds.” Currently, Allie is resting at Camp 3, assessing conditions for the next push. Weather permitting, she and her climbing partner will continue to higher altitudes to position themselves for a summit attempt. Thank you to everyone sending messages of support and positive energy - it means the world to the team on the mountain.
After days of trekking through some of the most remote and challenging terrain I’ve ever experienced, I’m so proud to share that we’ve made it to Base Camp on Kanchenjunga. At 8,586 metres, it’s the third-highest mountain in the world, and this section of the expedition has tested us in every possible way — physically, mentally, and emotionally. We left Ramje at 4:00am. The stars were still overhead, and the morning was cold but calm. We were grateful for clear skies and stable weather — navigating what was ahead in bad conditions would’ve made things even more difficult. For the first hour or so, we followed a solid track leading to the trekkers' viewpoint of Kanchenjunga. As the sun rose, the mountain appeared in the distance, bathed in early light. It was a breathtaking moment of beauty and stillness — and then the real work began. We descended onto the Yalung Glacier, a massive stretch of ice hidden beneath a chaos of rocks and boulders. There’s no defined trail, just small rock cairns that mark the way. For hours we navigated this terrain, weaving up and down, side to side. The glacier felt never-ending. Every step required concentration and effort. To our surprise and delight, two of the amazing kitchen staff came out to meet us partway with drinks and snacks. Their kindness lifted our spirits. They then continued down to help the porters who were following behind with the gear. That kind of teamwork and support is what makes these expeditions possible. After leaving the glacier, the trail led steeply upward, and we entered a section with falling boulders. It was intense and required all of our focus. The climb continued through a cliff face, where we used fixed ropes for safety. Finally, after nearly 11 hours on our feet, we reached the first Base Camp. We had a quick drink, then pushed on another 20 minutes to reach our own camp higher up. We arrived at 4:30pm, completely exhausted. It was a long day: 15.1 kilometres, 1545 metres of ascent, and 585 metres of descent. On paper, it may not look like a huge distance, but out here — on rough glacier terrain, high altitude, and with heavy packs — it was enormous. Our porters and the rest of the kitchen crew arrived safely an hour later. I’d been quite worried about them on that final, steep, snowy stretch. Seeing them walk in was a big relief. We ended the day with a lovely dinner shared with friends. I didn’t sleep very well — not unusual at this altitude — but I managed a shower and am now resting and recovering. This journey is a powerful reminder that growth and progress rarely come easily. It’s in these tough, uncertain, and often uncomfortable moments that we learn the most — about ourselves, about each other, and about the world around us. Thank you to everyone who continues to support and encourage this climb. I feel your energy all the way up here. With love from Base Camp,Allie x
