Allie Pepper is currently deep into her Nanga Parbat expedition - and what a journey it has already been. Over the past week, she’s pushed through extreme physical and mental challenges, dangerous moments, and the relentless demands of one of the world’s hardest 8000m peaks. Here’s her latest update from the mountain: First Steps Towards Base Camp On 16 June, after a long 19-hour journey to Chillas and just 4 hours of sleep, Allie and the team set out on foot towards Base Camp. They trekked 10.85 km with 1247m of ascent through dry, arid landscapes where even the local farmers manage to grow crops in harsh conditions. The camp for the night was at 2800m altitude - still below the mountain, but getting closer. Arrival at Base Camp (17 June) The following day, Allie and the team made the final approach to Base Camp at 4235m. The trek was beautiful - forest paths, streams, green grass, and wildflowers gave way to a stunning base below the towering Nanga Parbat massif, which rises nearly 4000m above them. “This is the best Base Camp I have been to,” Allie reported. The grassy base offers a great environment for recovery between rotations on the mountain. Pushing Higher: Camps 1 & 2 On 20 June, Allie climbed to Camp 1 at 4910m, moving across a glacier under bright blue skies. From there, she continued to Camp 2 at 6045m on 21 June - a demanding 10+ hour climb through steep ice and rock. “It was so hard,” Allie wrote. “I am absolutely exhausted on every level - mentally, physically, emotionally. We also had a dangerous incident… I can’t even explain.” Safety always comes first, and she wisely chose to rest and recover before attempting to go higher. Rockfall & Danger on the Mountain On 22 June, the mountain threw yet another test their way: a massive boulder fell 800m above them, sending debris their way. “I was certain we were dead,” Allie shared. Miraculously, the team was unharmed apart from Allie’s sore arm. They pushed on to 6400m before deciding not to go further and risk unnecessary fatigue ahead of the summit push. An Epic Descent The descent on 23 June proved as dangerous as the climb up. Frozen ropes, cut lines, and razor-sharp rock demanded total focus: “At the base of the wall, I noticed my rope had been cut - I managed to tie it into an old rope with one hand, avoiding a 1000m fall. We had 100m rappels with stuck ropes… finally, at 8:30am, we made it to Camp 1 - safe, but it wasn’t easy coming down to the glacier.” Back at Base Camp, the contrast was surreal - flowers, green grass, birdsong - but the knowledge that the mountain will demand another push soon is ever-present. Reflections From the Climb As Allie says: “Even though it’s hard AF here on the mountain, after doing a hard thing, I feel amazing. I was so outside my comfort zone but I know it will be easier next time. We don’t build resilience in our comfort zone. We don’t learn to adapt when things don’t go to plan in our comfort zone. To make our biggest dreams become our reality, we have to step into the unknown. The more we do it, the easier it becomes. You are capable of more than you can possibly imagine.” What’s Next The plan going forward: Allie and the team will attempt their next rotation at night, to avoid the worst of the rockfall and shifting conditions. Each step forward is calculated with experience, care, and respect for this incredibly demanding peak. This is, in Allie’s words, “the hardest 8000m mountain I have been to.” But the dream remains: to reach the summit - and to come home safe. Stay tuned for more updates as her journey continues.

On 24 May 2025 at 6:26am (NPT), Australian mountaineer Allie Pepper reached the summit of Kanchenjunga (8,586m) - the third-highest mountain in the world - alongside her partner, Mikel Sherpa. The summit was achieved in extreme weather and under immense physical strain, making it one of the most intense and emotional climbs of her career. Just two days later, on 26 May, Allie flew out of Base Camp - marking the end of the expedition and the celebration of a deeply personal milestone: her 50th birthday. A Fierce Mountain With No Easy Path Kanchenjunga is known for its remoteness, technical difficulty, and unpredictable weather. After reaching Camp 3 (6,850m) on 15 May, Allie and Mikel climbed to Lower Camp 4 (7,180m) the next day to acclimatise before descending all the way to Base Camp. The return was gruelling — with heavy packs, steep terrain, and a final climb that left Allie physically exhausted. At Base Camp, the waiting game began. While several teams rushed for a brief weather window around 18 May, Allie held back for a clearer opportunity. By 20 May, conditions aligned for a summit push. The team moved to Camp 2 on 21 May, then Camp 4 on 23 May, arriving late in the day with only two hours of rest before beginning their final ascent. A Battle on the Summit Ridge The final climb was punishing. Temperatures dropped, the wind picked up, and both Allie’s camera and inReach froze in the cold. Oxygen became essential - a necessary tool to ensure safe passage to the top. At 6:26am on 24 May, after hours of climbing through the night, Allie and Mikel reached the summit of Kanchenjunga. Their time at the top was short, but the moment was powerful - the culmination of weeks of effort, patience, and resolve. They returned to Base Camp on 25 May, physically drained but safe. As Allie later shared: “I love the mountain… but Kanchenjunga was a brutal one. If it’s possible for an entire expedition to be type 2 fun, this was it.” A Birthday and a Milestone On 26 May, Allie marked her 50th birthday by flying out of Base Camp - a quiet but powerful celebration after one of the hardest climbs of her life. She also reached 50,000 followers on Instagram, a goal she’d quietly set before the expedition. Follow along as the journey continues.