Mt Nama (Mt. Nochma) is 5588 meters above sea level. It is one of Mt. Gongga’s side peaks and is considered to be an easiest one in the Gongga Range above 5500 meters. The mountain peak was climbed by the German couple in late April 2001, and there is no record of climbing until May 2006, a Chinese team took 10 days to reach the summit. The climbing is not difficult. By the summit there are excellent views, and you can clearly see the whole northwest ridge and main peak of Gongga.
Mt. Nama has now become a popular 5000-meter climbing training place for many Chinese climbers. There has been sufficient information about this mountain and it takes 7 days from and back to Chengdu.
The traditional approach to this mountain is from the Gongga Gompa to the classic Minya Konka Base Camp and from there to the south of Nama. High camp at around 4700m.
Climbing Season
May is in spring time and may see spring snow. Relatively stable weather but warmer than April.
June to August is the summer time and in July and August has rainfall and relatively unstable weather but also the warmest and most beautiful season. Summer warmth allows climbers to bring less hardcore warm-keeping gears.
September to November is the autumn time of Minya Konka. More stable weather and less rain but still possible of snow. November to December has the clearest weather but also the coldest. It is actually good season to come if cold weather is not an issue.
Climbing Planning
It requires around a week from and back to Chengdu.
Day 01 Chengdu – Caoke – Tsemed Village
Today starts early from Chengdu in the morning and drive via Ya’an and into the mountains at Shimian. The drive will take about 5 hours and you will arrive at Caoke for lunch. After Caoke you will have internet loss and from the road end, you will start to walk. The walking is about 4-5 hours to cover a total of 17km. The latter part of the walking can be replaced by a car ride before arriving in the village. /p>Overnight at Tsemed Village at local GuesthouseElevation Tsemed Village at 3400m
Day 02 Tsemed Village – Nama Feng Base Camp
This is the second day of acclimatization of your expedition to Nama Feng. You will walk from Tsemed Village to Nama Feng Base Camp following the trail from the valley into the forest and will make a stop at Gongga Gompa (Gongga Monastery), where you will have a break before you continue on walking into the bigger valley where you can see Mount Gongga itself. The trail is by the side of a changing stream. You may need to cross the river several times especially during the monsoon seasons. The trail will fade at a spacious prairie where you will set up your base camp. It is by the foot of Mount Gongga at the elevation of 4050m. Total walking for about 6 -7 hours to cover a total of 13km.Overnight campingElevation Base Camp at 4050m
Day 03 Nama Feng Base Camp – Nama Feng Camp 1
Today is another day of acclimatization. You will walk from base camp to camp 1 within a day. The walking is quite short to cover only 5km but it is very steep. The ascent is from 4050m to 4700m. You can have a late start and will still arrive at camp 1 early in the afternoon. You will be able to see Mount Gongga and Nama Feng for today. After arrival at camp 1, you will be guided through the simple course of ascending and descending with Jumar and eight ring, skills on how to use your straight ice axe, helmet, etc. After this, a simple dinner and rest early to prepare for tomorrow.Overnight campingElevation Camp 1 at 4700m
Day 04 Nama Feng Camp 1 – Nama Feng Summit – Nama Feng Base Camp
Today is the day you will make the summit. Get up early by 2.30 in the morning and have a basic breakfast before gear up with your harness, helmet, ice axe and check your necessary personal gears including sunglasses, water bottle, sunproof, crampons and boots. The walk is from 4700 meters to the scree slopes until 5000 meters. This part you will also be guided so you can rest assured that the walking is on safe ground. After the screes it is the snow part where you will wear your crampons and start to use your harness. The walking on the snow will start by a steep ascent for about 150 meters and after that it is less steep where you will be walking by yourself. Normally it is by 10.00 that you should finish your walking up and start to go back. Normally the summit takes about 6 hours. The walking down also needs to be careful while passing the steep icy part. After coming back to Camp 1, rest and repack and go down to base camp. Today the total walking is about 10-12 hours.Trekking 11km/ 7-8 hoursOvernight in hut or camping
Day 05 Nama Feng Base Camp – Tsemed Village
Today is a leisure day walking back to Tsemed Village from Nama Feng Base Camp. It is normally done in a faster pace as it is going down. While passing Gongga Gompa, you can go inside to have a look if it is available. Arrive in Tsemed Village and rest, repack.Overnight at Tsemed Village at local GuesthouseElevation Tsemed Village at 3400m
Day 06 Tsemed Village – Caoke – Chengdu
Today you will start by a car ride to Bawang Lake and from there to walk the 7km part of trail to catch your car at the road end and drive all the way back to Chengdu.
Expectations
Long Approach
Total 46 km on foot before arrive the climbing part by C1. This part is broken down into 3 days. It provides time for acclimating as well as the ideas of expeditions that is far and sometimes hard.
Walk on Scree
From C1 and before the ice/snow, the climb is on scree: you will learn how to walk steady on the rocky scree and on steep scree, learn how to cope with psychological pressure.
Climb on Snow/Ice
Above the snow the climb is sometimes on 30-40 degree or steeper of ascending. It requires long hours of ascending on the slope. Techniques of walking on such terrain and try rely less on the rope but rather techniques of your walking. A high endurance is required.
