Romano Benet, Nives Meroi, and Peter Hamor in Kathmandu. Photo: Romano Benet/Facebook
Veteran mountaineers Peter Hámor from Slovakia and Italians Nives Meroi and Romano Benet have successfully made the first ascent of the west face of Kabru I (7,412 meters) in eastern Nepal. The team reached the summit on May 4, 2025, and safely descended, marking a major milestone in Himalayan climbing.
The trio climbed in pure alpine style – without fixed ropes, high-altitude porters, or supplemental oxygen. Their route up the untouched west face adds a significant first to their long list of bold expeditions.
The climb followed a change of plans. The team had initially aimed for Yalung Peak (7,590 meters) but turned back due to high winds. After regrouping at base camp, they shifted focus to Kabru I and seized a good weather window to make their move.
Communication has been minimal, with only brief satellite updates confirming their success. It’s unclear whether they’ll return for another attempt on Yalung Peak, but their Kabru I ascent is already being recognized as a standout achievement of the season.
Their latest success is a reminder that even in the well-trodden Himalayas, there are still new lines to draw and bold routes to pioneer.
Photo: Romano Benet/Facebook
About the Author
Anano Atabegashvili is a journalist with over 5 years of experience in broadcasting and digital media.
Passionate about writing and mountains, she brings a unique voice to high-altitude storytelling.
As the author of the Summiters Club blog, Anano offers sharp, engaging coverage of climbs, challenges, and the evolving world of alpinism.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Comments