KATHMANDU: A trio of elite European alpinists, Adam Bielecki of Poland, Felix Berg of Germany, and Hervé Barmasse of Italy, has made a remarkable first ascent of a new route on Numbur (6,958m) in Nepal’s Rolwaling mountain range.

The climbers successfully completed the ascent of the South Face of the mountain on October 18–19, establishing a new technical line they’ve named “Nepali Ice SPA”, graded ED- (WI5, M4, 950m), in pure alpine style, without fixed ropes or pre-established camps. The route initially follows sections of a 2016 Catalan attempt before venturing into steeper, uncharted terrain leading directly to the summit.

In a detailed post, Bielecki described the climb as “an incredible mountaineering adventure” marked by both physical and mental challenges. Suffering from altitude sickness at the base of the wall, he initially considered withdrawing, but his partners encouraged him to continue.

“The climb was fantastic, a sequence of spectacular icefalls like a magical white thread, but the magic quickly gave way to anxiety as shards of ice and rocks began to fall from the top. We began to fear for our lives,” Bielecki wrote.

Midway up the face, a falling rock struck Barmasse’s arm, though he escaped serious injury. The trio pushed upward through difficult and unpredictable mixed terrain, facing sustained technical pitches and unstable snow in the final 200 metres.

At around 6,900 metres, nightfall and exhaustion forced them to bivouac in a small ice crevice they dubbed the “Devil’s Suite.” With no tent, mats, sleeping bags or food, they took shelter under an emergency bivy cover as temperatures plunged to –25°C with winds gusting up to 60 km/h.

“It was one of the hardest nights we have ever spent in the mountains,” Bielecki recalled. “We focused on one thing — to persevere until morning.”

At dawn, the climbers, alive and frostbite-free, decided to continue upward instead of retreating, summiting Numbur (6,958m) later that day.

Bielecki reflected, “In the end, the peak is only a detail. The real achievement is overcoming your own weaknesses and surviving together — against all odds.”

Photo showing Felix Berg following the upper technical crux of the route 'Nepali Ice Spa'. Photo Courtesy: Felix Berg/IG.

According to Felix Berg’s post, the climb demanded “technical precision on steep ice and mixed wall,” with the bivouac at 6,900m marking a defining moment of endurance and teamwork.

This ascent marks the first known alpine-style route on the South Face of Numbur, a rarely climbed peak that lies in Nepal’s Rolwaling Himal, east of Gaurishankar. The climb adds to the legacy of all three mountaineers, each known for bold first ascents and minimalist, high-commitment style climbs in the Greater Ranges.