Kangtega
The snow saddle on the eastern skyline above Namche
Kangtega rises to 6,782m east of Namche, and its name means snow saddle, which is what the broad white shoulder between its two summits looks like from below. Together with neighbouring Thamserku it closes the eastern skyline above the Dudh Kosi, and the pair stay in view for much of the walk between Namche and Tengboche.
It was first climbed in 1963, by members of the expedition that was building Hillary's schoolhouses in the Khumbu at the time. It is seldom attempted now: the faces are steep and heavily corniced, and it carries none of the traffic of the permitted trekking peaks nearby. For almost everyone who comes to the Khumbu it is a mountain to look at rather than climb, and one of the most photographed profiles in the valley.
Highlights
6,782m, named for the saddle between its summits
Seen with Thamserku from Namche and Tengboche
First climbed in 1963, and rarely attempted since
Practical Info
In This Destination
Solukhumbu
In the shadow of Everest, where dreams touch the sky