KATHMANDU: Three climbers from the French Military High Mountain Group (GMHM) have opened a new route on the north face of Peak 41 (6,654 metres) in Nepal.

According to a press release issued by the French Embassy in Nepal on Friday, Sergeant Piontek, Corporal Fouillade and Corporal Paulin completed the ascent on October 14 after four days on technical terrain. The 1,400-metre route has been named “Bon Matin”, meaning “Good Morning” in French.

The team climbed in alpine style, carrying its own equipment and supplies without using fixed camps or supplemental oxygen. Alpine-style climbing involves ascending with the equipment carried by the team rather than establishing a series of stocked camps along the route.

Photo Courtesy: French Embassy in Nepal

The GMHM is a unit of the French Army Mountain Forces based in Chamonix, France. It trains and tests soldiers in demanding alpine conditions.

The embassy said the ascent continued the long mountaineering connection between Nepal and France. On June 3, 1950, French climbers Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal made the first ascent of Annapurna I, the first confirmed summit of an 8,000-metre peak.

Photo Courtesy: French Embassy in Nepal

The French army team was part of an expedition locally managed by Annapurna Foothills Treks and Expedition.

The team initially planned to scale Chamlang Himal in the Barun Valley, said Ngima Nuru Sherpa, managing director at Annapurna Foothills Treks. "They shifted their plan to Peak 41 after weather played foul on Chamlang," Sherpa said.

The team headed to the Barun Valley region in mid-September to attempt to scale Chamlang, a 7,319-metre peak. "After changing their plan, the trio scaled Peak 41 in the same region via a new route in alpine style," he added.