KATHMANDU: The Expedition Operators Association Nepal (EOA) has bid farewell to two specialized teams tasked with fixing ropes and opening routes on Ama Dablam (6,812 m) and Himlung Himal (7,126 m) for the 2025 autumn climbing season.

At a ceremony held Sunday at Hotel Manaslu, EOA President Dambar Parajuli presented the Nepali national flag and flags bearing the logos of the Department of Tourism and EOA to the team leaders. These flags will be placed symbolically on the summits and retrieved after successful ascents.

The Ama Dablam team is led by Nuru Wangchu Sherpa of Pangboche, a veteran with more than 20 years of Himalayan experience, including multiple ascents of Everest, Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Shishapangma, Manaslu and Makalu. His crew includes Namgel Dorji Tamang, Lal Kumar Tamang, Pasang Tenji Sherpa, Ming Nuru Sherpa and Guru Zenzen Sherpa. Nuru has headed rope-fixing teams on Ama Dablam for the past four to five years.

For Himlung, Chhiring Bhote Sherpa takes command, supported by Hira Bhote, Ang Babu Sherpa and Karma Sarki Sherpa. Chhiring recently served as deputy leader of the Manaslu rope-fixing team and reached its summit just last night at 11:40 pm before returning to base camp. He has been working in the mountaineering field for the last 10 years. He also contributed to rope-fixing on Everest and Lhots

“Heart of Nepali mountaineering”

EOA General Secretary Rishi Bhandari highlighted the vital role of local climbers in Nepal’s mountaineering industry, “We are entrepreneurs because of our climbers. Nepal’s mountains and mountaineers share a unique bond, and Himalayan expeditions are unimaginable without Nepali climbers. We wish both teams every success,” Bhandari said.

Treasurer Dawa Sambu Sherpa presented EOA-logo jackets, and Bhandari offered logo-embroidered caps as parting gifts.

Since this season, the Expedition Operators Association Nepal (EOA) has been managing and deploying its own climbers to carry out route opening and rope-fixing operations.

With approval from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, EOA member agencies have been self-funding and completing rope-fixing on Manaslu, Ama Dablam, Everest, and Lhotse since the spring of 2011, and have extended these operations to Himlung Himal starting in 2024.

The teams’ work ensures safe, guided routes for hundreds of climbers in Nepal’s lucrative autumn season, which this year has already seen 513 climbers from 60 expeditions permitted, generating more than NPR 170 million in royalties, with Manaslu leading the list.

With peak climbing weeks ahead, these rope-fixing missions lay the groundwork for a busy and economically critical Himalayan season.