Hkakabo Razi summit climb plan postponed

18 August 2018
Hkakabo Razi summit climb plan postponed
During Training at Nepal, First Myanmar Ama Dablam Expedition (6812)M for Hkakaborazi. Photo: Hkakabo Razi Expedition 2018

Three Myanmar nationals planning to climb Hkababo Razi Mountain on Myanmar’s northern border have temporarily postponed their plan, one of these three mountaineers, Zaw Zin Khaing, said.

Hkakabo Razi Mountain, at 5,881 metres, is situated at the border of Myanmar, India and China, the northern tip of Myanmar. It is the second highest summit in Southeast Asia.

“First we planned to climb this summit in August 2018 but we have to postpone our plan due to various reasons. We are doing preparatory works for this Hkakabo Razi summit climb,” Zaw Zin Khaing said.

AFP reported recently that the mountaineers will climb this summit in this year but they said that they postponed their plan.

A Japanese national and a Myanmar national climbed the peak 20 years ago. Other mountaineers tried to climb the steep rocky summit of this mountain but no further summit bids have succeeded.

“This mountain is very dangerous for mountaineers. This summit is lower than the highest summit in the world but it has the same difficulties and obstacles for the mountaineers. So the climbers may able to climb some height today and they might have to climb down the next day,” Zaw Zin Khaing said.

Three Myanmar nationals who are trying to scale the peak are Pyae Phyo Aung, Aung Khaing and Zaw Zin Khaing. Pyae Pyo Aung climbed Everest, the highest summit in the world, in May 2016.

They have been practicing by climbing mountains in Kayin State in recent months.

Two Myanmar mountaineers, Aung Myint Myat and Wai Yan Min Thu, tried to climb Hkakabo Razi in August 2014 but got lost on the mountain in bad weather after losing contact with their team members. A rescue team was sent to find and rescue them but without success. The rescue bid had to be called off without finding the men.

“If you ask us if we have fear to climb this summit, I’ll answer we see this adventure as a challenge,” Zaw Zin Khaing said.

Hkakabo Razi means white snow in Tibetan language and it means sound-making mountain in Rawan language in Kachin State. The mountain is part of the Himalayan Range.