'Khumbu Double Trouble'

Phari Lapcha (aka Machermo 6,017m) is one of 33 mountains recently given 'trekking peak' status by the Nepalese authorities, and although fairly accessible from the Lukla to Gokyo trek, only had one route, Bonfire of the Vanities, (ED1) on its north face. Several teams had tried to add to this (including Owen Samuel's 05/21) but this duo was the first to succeed. Their 1,000m route, which they called 'Snotty's Gully', (ED, WI5, M5+) landed them on the coffee-table-sized west summit (c5,977m) - the first people to reach it.