| Mingkeng OSIK |
ITANAGAR/LADAKH, Sep 14: In a remarkable high-altitude achievement, Arunachal Pradesh mountaineer January Tali scaled Mount Nun (7,135 metres) in Ladakh on September 8, just 43 days after she successfully climbed Mount Kun (7,077 metres) on July 27.
The back-to-back ascents of the two major peaks of the Nun-Kun massif have made 2026 an exceptional year in Tali’s mountaineering career. With this achievement, Tali has become the first Indian woman to summit both Mt Kun and Mt Nun in the same climbing season, marking a significant milestone in Indian women’s mountaineering.
Mount Nun, the higher of the two peaks, rises to 7,135 metres and is regarded as a technically demanding high-altitude climb, involving steep snow and ice sections, glaciers and challenging terrain. Tali reached the summit at around 8:15 am on September 8, as part of an international expedition involving climbers from India, Germany, France and Norway.
The expedition was conducted with the approval of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF). The international climbing team included German climber Christian Winfried Ranke, French climbers Claire Bernier and Timote Roche, Norwegian climber Ingvill Ytreland and Indian climber January Tali.
Reflecting on the demanding climb, Tali said, “Mt Nun was tough. The upper portion after Camp 3 was very technical.” The successful ascent required considerable physical endurance, technical climbing skills, acclimatization and careful decision-making in extreme conditions.
Tali’s remarkable 2026 journey began with Mt Kun, where she and fellow Arunachal mountaineer Hachu Lombo reached the 7,077-metre summit in July this year. Their achievement made them the first women from Arunachal Pradesh to summit Mt Kun.
The expedition was supported by an experienced Ri-Guides and Sherpa team, with Tsewang Namgyal serving as the Ri-Guides Team Leader. The Sherpa team comprised Stanzin Norboo Shangpa, Dawa Sherpa, Sunny Sharma, Subash Tamang, Mingma Temba Sherpa and Skarma Namgyal.