Nuptse

Nuptse (7,861m), whose name means 'West Peak' in Tibetan, is the massive east-west ridge that forms the southern wall of the Western Cwm, connected to Lhotse at the South Col. While often overshadowed by its more famous neighbors Everest and Lhotse, Nuptse is an essential component of the Khumbu's iconic skyline — the 'Everest Triple Crown' of Everest-Lhotse-Nuptse is one of the most photographed mountain panoramas on Earth.

First climbed on May 16, 1961 by Dennis Davis and Tashi Sherpa of a British expedition led by Joe Walmsley, via the north ridge from the Western Cwm. The mountain has multiple summits along its 7 km ridge; the main summit (Nuptse I, 7,861m) is the highest. Nuptse's south face — a 2,500m vertical wall of rock and ice rising above the Khumbu Glacier — is one of the most impressive big walls in the Himalaya and has been the objective of elite alpinists for decades.

The mountain's sprawling south face is visible throughout the Everest Base Camp trek, most dramatically from Lobuche and Gorak Shep. While Nuptse shares the approach infrastructure of Everest (Lukla flight, Khumbu Valley trek), climbing it is a serious technical undertaking (D+ grade) that has seen far fewer ascents than its famous neighbor. The summit offers a rare perspective: looking directly across the Western Cwm at Everest's southwest face from an intimate vantage point. Best climbing seasons: spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October).