Lhotse, the giant shadow of Everest

At 8,516 meters, Lhotse is the fourth-highest mountain in the world. Located just south of Everest, it shares part of its route before diverging into its own path to glory, dominated by a massive and feared south face.

Altitude

8516 m

Localisation

27.962° N / 86.933° E

A quiet yet formidable colossus

Often overshadowed by Everest’s fame, Lhotse remains a legendary peak. Its 3,300-meter south face is one of the most spectacular ice and rock walls on Earth, symbolizing an extreme challenge.

1955

First attempt

A Swiss expedition explores the west face and prepares the ground.

1956

First ascent

Achieved by Ernst Reiss and Fritz Luchsinger (Swiss expedition), via the Everest route to the South Col then to the summit.

1970

Japanese route via the south face

Opening of a significant line on the mythical wall.

1984

First female ascent

By Hannelore Schmatz, a pioneer of Himalayan mountaineering.

2001

First successful winter ascent

By a Russian team, confirming the difficulty of the peak in extreme conditions.

27.9616° N / 86.9333° E

Nepal/Tibet (Chine)

8,516 m

Elevation

1956

First ascent (Swiss expedition)

3,300 m

Height of the south face

4th

Highest peak in the world

The south face, a wall of the world

Rising 3,300 m, it is one of the most feared walls in the Himalayas, a challenge few climbers dare to face.

A peak linked to Everest and marked by a Swiss feat

A peak linked to Everest and marked by a Swiss feat

Via the South Col, Fritz Luchsinger and Ernst Reiss reached the summit on May 18, 1956, achieving the historic first ascent.

The neighbors of Lhotse

Everest

Nepal

8848,86 m

Cho Oyu

Nepal

8188 m

Makalu

Nepal

8485 m

The quiet brother

Lhotse is both the quiet brother of Everest and a peak with its own identity, offering challenges that rank it among the most formidable. For Norton Peak, it embodies rigor, boldness, and pushing limits in the face of vastness.

From Everest Base Camp

The classic route goes via the South Col before branching toward Lhotse’s summit ridge.

“Lhotse is the shadow that reminds us Everest stands not alone.”

Reinhold Messner

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8848,86 m

Everest

On the border of Nepal and Tibet, Everest dominates the planet at 8,848.86 meters. A symbol of adventure and human achievement, it has attracted dreamers and explorers for generations. More than a mountain, it is a living legend.

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8485 m

Makalu

At 8,485 meters, Makalu rises like a perfect pyramid, isolated and formidable. Located on the border between Nepal and China (Tibet), it embodies the raw elegance of high mountains and the harshness of Himalayan challenges.

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8188 m

Cho Oyu

At 8,188 meters, Cho Oyu towers over the border between Nepal and Tibet. Its name, meaning “Turquoise Goddess,” evokes the luminous reflections of its glaciers and eternal snows. Less feared than its neighbors, it has nevertheless left a mark on the history of Himalayan mountaineering.

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